N4 Compound Verbs and Change

~始はじめる: meaning, usage and examples

~始はじめる means: to start... / to begin...

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 母はははもう朝あさごはんを作つくり始はじめましたよ。

   My mother already started cooking breakfast.

2. この小説しょうせつを読よみ始はじめたら、止とまらなくなった。

   Once I started reading this novel, I couldn't stop.

3. 先月せんげつから、毎朝まいあさ走はしり始はじめました。

   I started running every morning last month.

4. 映画えいがが終おわると、みんな話はなし始はじめました。

   When the movie ended, everyone started talking.

When to use it

Add 始はじめる to the ます-stem of a verb to say an action starts: 食たべ始はじめる (start eating), 雨あめが降ふり始はじめた (it started to rain). It changes like a normal Group 2 verb: 始はじめます, 始はじめた, 始はじめて. Use it for things people start doing, new habits, and natural changes like rain or snow.

Nuance

Neutral; used in casual and polite speech. It works best for actions that go on for a while after they start, like studying, working, or raining. It sounds odd with one-moment actions like 着つく (arrive). Starting a new habit is a very common use: 去年きょねんから日本語にほんごを勉強べんきょうし始はじめました.

Compare

~始はじめる vs ~出だす: both mean "start", but 出だす suggests a sudden, unexpected start (急きゅうに泣なき出だした = suddenly burst into tears). 始はじめる is neutral. ~始はじめる vs 始はじまる: 授業じゅぎょうが始はじまる means an event starts. After a verb stem, always use 始はじめる, even for rain (雨あめが降ふり始はじめた).

Tip: Always use the ます-stem: 読よみ始はじめる, not 読よむ始はじめる. After a verb stem it is always 始はじめる, never 始はじまる.