始める（はじめる）
JLPT N5 · Ichidan verb (Group 2)
Pitch accent: heiban (flat) — starts low, stays high, no drop
Meaning: to begin / start
Conjugation
| Form | Japanese | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| masu-form (polite) | 始めます | はじめます |
| te-form | 始めて | はじめて |
| ta-form (past) | 始めた | はじめた |
| nai-form (negative) | 始めない | はじめない |
| potential form | 始められる | はじめられる |
See the full conjugation table for "始める" →
Example sentences
- 来月から日本語の勉強を始める。 — I'm going to start studying Japanese next month.
- そろそろ会議を始めましょう。 — Let's go ahead and start the meeting.
Related words
See it used in real works
- Example sentences from Japanese novels & web fiction (Massif)
- Hear “始める” pronounced in real videos (YouGlish)