Japanese Word of the Day
始める
/ha-JI-me-ru/ • verb (transitive) — 28th of Apr, 2026
Listen to pronunciation
Meaning: to begin; to start (something, transitive)
Examples
- 授業を始めます。
(I'll start the class.) - 仕事を始める前に、コーヒーを飲みます。
(I drink coffee before starting work.) - 掃除を始めましょう。
(Let's start cleaning.)
Synonyms
- 始まる
- 開始する
始める is a transitive verb used when someone actively starts something (use を for the object). The intransitive counterpart is 始まる (something begins on its own). Polite form: 始めます; volitional: 始めましょう. For more formal contexts, 開始する is common.
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