～始める・はじめる (begin doing)

Japanese Grammar Basic Japanese ★★★★ 4/5 neutral はじめるhajimeru
Reading はじめる
Romaji hajimeru
Formation Verb ます-stem + 始める
Kanji breakdown 始 (し/はじ.める) — begin, start

Meaning

A compound verb suffix attached to the verb stem that indicates someone or something begins to perform an action or enters a new state. It expresses a deliberate or natural onset of an activity.

はじめる as a compound verb suffix marks the beginning of an action. Unlike だす, which implies a sudden or spontaneous start, はじめる is neutral and can describe both intentional and natural beginnings. It is commonly used for deliberate actions like starting to study, beginning to work, or commencing a new habit. It can also describe gradual natural changes, such as leaves beginning to change colour. はじめる attaches to the ます stem and conjugates as a Group 2 (ichidan) verb. It works with both transitive and intransitive verbs. Learners should note that the intransitive counterpart 始まる means 'something begins' on its own, while Verb＋始める means 'someone begins doing something.'

Examples

  1. 去年からピアノを習い始めました。 I started taking piano lessons last year.
  2. 桜が咲き始めています。 The cherry blossoms are beginning to bloom.
  3. 彼は新しい仕事を探し始めた。 He started looking for a new job.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

  • 雨が降り始めたから傘を持っていこう。
  • 大学に入ってから料理を作り始めた。
  • そろそろ準備を始めましょう。

Don't Say

  • 急に泣き始めた。(Using 始める for a sudden uncontrollable action — だす is more natural for abrupt onset) → 急に泣き出した。
  • 来月から毎日走り始めます。(Slightly awkward — 始める usually marks the onset moment, not a scheduled habit start; 走ることにします is more natural) → 来月から毎日走ることにします。

Origin & History

始める means 'to begin' or 'to start' (transitive). Its use as a compound verb suffix to indicate the onset of an action has been established since the classical Japanese period.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Related Phrases

～て (て form) The て form is one of the most versatile verb and adjective conjugations in Japanese. It connects clauses, forms compound verbs, makes requests, and serves as the base for many auxiliary constructions such as ている, てしまう, and ておく. ～てくる (1) (directional) An auxiliary verb construction where くる follows the て form to express that someone or something moves toward the speaker. It indicates physical movement in the direction of the speaker's location. ～てみる (try doing) An auxiliary verb construction where みる follows the て form to express trying or attempting an action to see what happens or what it is like. It conveys the nuance of doing something experimentally or for the first time. ～ことができる (able to) A construction expressing ability or possibility. It states that doing a particular action is possible, either because of personal skill, circumstances, or permission. It is the formal equivalent of the potential form of verbs. ～すぎる (too much) An auxiliary verb attached to verb stems and adjective stems to express that something is done excessively or a state is excessive. It conveys the meaning of 'too much' or 'overly.' ～ていく (1) (moving away) An auxiliary verb construction where いく follows the て form of a verb to indicate that an action or movement proceeds in a direction away from the speaker or a reference point. It describes going somewhere while doing something, or doing something and then going. ～ていく (2) (ongoing change) An auxiliary verb construction where いく follows the て form of a verb to express that an action or state continues to change or progress from the present into the future. It describes a gradual, ongoing shift moving forward in time. ～ておく (in advance) An auxiliary verb attached to the て form indicating that an action is done in advance, in preparation for a future need or situation. It conveys the idea of doing something ahead of time and leaving the result in place.
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