始める vs 取り掛かる
Japanese word comparison
Listen to 始める
Listen to 取り掛かる
| 始める | 取り掛かる |
|---|---|
ha-JI-me-ru verb (transitive) | とりかかる verb (transitive) |
| to begin; to start (something) — to cause an action or event to start | to get down to; to begin working on (a task) — intransitive |
How they differ
取り掛かる is intransitive and emphasizes the subject starting to engage with or tackle a task personally; it doesn't take a direct object the way 始める often does. 始める can be transitive ('to start something') and is used both for initiating and causing actions to start.
When to use each
When to use 始める: Use 始める when you want to say someone starts something (with an object), or for a broad range of starts including causing events to begin.
When to use 取り掛かる: Use 取り掛かる when focusing on someone beginning to work on or tackle a task (e.g., 'I started on the assignment'), especially in spoken or informal contexts.
Side-by-side examples
- 宿題を始めたほうがいいよ。
(You should start your homework.) - 宿題に取り掛かった。
(I got down to (started) the homework.)
Register & nuance: 取り掛かる is neutral to slightly casual and commonly used in spoken Japanese; note its intransitive usage contrasts with the transitive 始める.