始める【はじめる】

The compound verb suffix 始める attaches to the masu-stem (連用形) of a verb to express "to start doing" or "to begin doing" something. It indicates the onset of an action or activity.

Formation

Remove ます from the polite form and add はじめる始める:

• よむ読む → 読み → 読み始める (to start reading)
• たべる食べる → 食べ → 食べ始める (to start eating)
• はしる走る → 走り → 走り始める (to start running)

Usage

始める is used when someone intentionally begins an action. It focuses on the moment the action starts.

Since 始める is itself a る-verb, it conjugates freely into all standard forms:

• Past: 始めた –
  あめがふり雨が降りはじめた始めた。

  It started raining.
• Negative: 始めない –
  まだたべはじめていない食べ始めていない。

  I haven't started eating yet.
• て-form: 始めて –
  はしり走りはじめて始めてからじゅっぷん10分がたった経った。

  Ten minutes have passed since I started running.
• Polite: 始めます –
  じゅぎょう授業をはじめます始めます。

  We will begin the class.

始める vs. 出す

Both ～始める and ～出す can mean "to start doing," but they differ in nuance. ～始める implies a deliberate or gradual beginning, while ～出す often suggests a sudden or unexpected start.

With natural phenomena or involuntary actions, ～出す emphasizes the suddenness, while ～始める is more neutral.