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"to begin, to start" in seven languages

Meaningto begin, to start

Spanish

comenzar

/komenˈθaɾ/

inherited

Empezar, built on pieza 'piece', is the more everyday word in Spain.

French

commencer

/kɔmɑ̃se/

inherited

Italian

cominciare

/kominˈtʃare/

inherited

Also iniziare.

Portuguese

começar

/komeˈsah/

inherited

Romanian

începe

/ɨnˈtʃepe/

other source · Latin INCIPERE 'to begin'

Catalan

començar

/kumənˈsa/

inherited

English

begin

/bɪˈɡɪn/

native English · Old English beginnan

English → Italianto begin, to startcominciareNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: commence, initial, initiate.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

*COMINITIĀRE‘to begin (CUM + INITIĀRE 'to initiate')’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

Spoken Latin padded INITIĀRE with CUM-, and the TI became a hissing consonant: Spanish z, French c, Italian ci. English commence is the French verb.

English relatives: commence, initial, initiate

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In a sentence

  • esLa película comienza a las ocho.
  • frLe film commence à huit heures.
  • itIl film comincia alle otto.
  • ptO filme começa às oito.
  • roFilmul începe la opt.
  • caLa pel·lícula comença a les vuit.
  • enThe film begins at eight.

More words from the same Latin

More in Core verbs

All Core verbs words