begin

CEFRA1

/bɪˈɡɪn/

verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    take the first step or steps in carrying out an action.

  2. 02

    verb

    Extra detail

    Beginning; start.

Examples

  • To be surprised, to wonder, is to begin to understand.

  • Begin when I give the command.

At a glance

Sits at A1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
4
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Also pronounced

  • /biˈɡɪn/

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings
  1. To come into existence.

  2. To start, to initiate or take the first step into something.

More examples

In context
  • Class doesn't begin until eight-thirty.

  • I began playing the piano at the age of five.

  • Now that everyone is here, we should begin the presentation.

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

We should blank the meeting promptly at nine o'clock this morning.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

From Middle English beginnen, from Old English beginnan (“to begin”), from Proto-West Germanic *biginnan, from Proto-Germanic *biginnaną (“to begin”), from be- + base verb *ginnaną also found in Old English onginnan.