Comenzar = empezar
Comenzar and empezar mean the same and work the same: comienzo a las nueve = empiezo a las nueve. With a + infinitive: comenzó a llover (it started to rain). Comenzar sounds a little more formal, so you'll see it a lot in writing.
Indicative tenses of comenzar
Facts and things that happen: the tenses you'll use most.
Present indicative
| yo | comienzoI begin |
|---|---|
| tú | comienzasyou begin |
| él/ella/usted | comienzahe/she begins |
| nosotros/as | comenzamoswe begin |
| vosotros/as | comenzáisyou all begin |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | comienzanthey begin |
Stem change e → ie, except for nosotros and vosotros: comenzamos.
Preterite indicative
| yo | comencéI began |
|---|---|
| tú | comenzasteyou began |
| él/ella/usted | comenzóhe/she began |
| nosotros/as | comenzamoswe began |
| vosotros/as | comenzasteisyou all began |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | comenzaronthey began |
Spelling change in the yo form: z → c before e (comencé).
Imperfect indicative
| yo | comenzabaI used to begin |
|---|---|
| tú | comenzabasyou used to begin |
| él/ella/usted | comenzabahe/she used to begin |
| nosotros/as | comenzábamoswe used to begin |
| vosotros/as | comenzabaisyou all used to begin |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | comenzabanthey used to begin |
Present continuous indicative
| yo | estoy comenzandoI am beginning |
|---|---|
| tú | estás comenzandoyou are beginning |
| él/ella/usted | está comenzandohe/she is beginning |
| nosotros/as | estamos comenzandowe are beginning |
| vosotros/as | estáis comenzandoyou all are beginning |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | están comenzandothey are beginning |
estar + gerund
Informal future indicative
| yo | voy a comenzarI am going to begin |
|---|---|
| tú | vas a comenzaryou are going to begin |
| él/ella/usted | va a comenzarhe/she is going to begin |
| nosotros/as | vamos a comenzarwe are going to begin |
| vosotros/as | vais a comenzaryou all are going to begin |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | van a comenzarthey are going to begin |
ir a + infinitive
Future indicative
| yo | comenzaréI will begin |
|---|---|
| tú | comenzarásyou will begin |
| él/ella/usted | comenzaráhe/she will begin |
| nosotros/as | comenzaremoswe will begin |
| vosotros/as | comenzaréisyou all will begin |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | comenzaránthey will begin |
Conditional indicative
| yo | comenzaríaI would begin |
|---|---|
| tú | comenzaríasyou would begin |
| él/ella/usted | comenzaríahe/she would begin |
| nosotros/as | comenzaríamoswe would begin |
| vosotros/as | comenzaríaisyou all would begin |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | comenzaríanthey would begin |
Present perfect indicative
| yo | he comenzadoI have begun |
|---|---|
| tú | has comenzadoyou have begun |
| él/ella/usted | ha comenzadohe/she has begun |
| nosotros/as | hemos comenzadowe have begun |
| vosotros/as | habéis comenzadoyou all have begun |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | han comenzadothey have begun |
haber (present) + past participle
Past perfect indicative
| yo | había comenzadoI had begun |
|---|---|
| tú | habías comenzadoyou had begun |
| él/ella/usted | había comenzadohe/she had begun |
| nosotros/as | habíamos comenzadowe had begun |
| vosotros/as | habíais comenzadoyou all had begun |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | habían comenzadothey had begun |
haber (imperfect) + past participle
Future perfect indicative
| yo | habré comenzadoI will have begun |
|---|---|
| tú | habrás comenzadoyou will have begun |
| él/ella/usted | habrá comenzadohe/she will have begun |
| nosotros/as | habremos comenzadowe will have begun |
| vosotros/as | habréis comenzadoyou all will have begun |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | habrán comenzadothey will have begun |
haber (future) + past participle
Conditional perfect indicative
| yo | habría comenzadoI would have begun |
|---|---|
| tú | habrías comenzadoyou would have begun |
| él/ella/usted | habría comenzadohe/she would have begun |
| nosotros/as | habríamos comenzadowe would have begun |
| vosotros/as | habríais comenzadoyou all would have begun |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | habrían comenzadothey would have begun |
haber (conditional) + past participle
Subjunctive tenses of comenzar
Wishes, doubts, emotions and "if" sentences.
Present subjunctive
| yo | comience(that) I begin |
|---|---|
| tú | comiences(that) you begin |
| él/ella/usted | comience(that) he/she begins |
| nosotros/as | comencemos(that) we begin |
| vosotros/as | comencéis(that) you all begin |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | comiencen(that) they begin |
Imperfect subjunctive
| yo | comenzara(if) I began |
|---|---|
| tú | comenzaras(if) you began |
| él/ella/usted | comenzara(if) he/she began |
| nosotros/as | comenzáramos(if) we began |
| vosotros/as | comenzarais(if) you all began |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | comenzaran(if) they began |
Future subjunctive
| yo | comenzare(if) I begin |
|---|---|
| tú | comenzares(if) you begin |
| él/ella/usted | comenzare(if) he/she begins |
| nosotros/as | comenzáremos(if) we begin |
| vosotros/as | comenzareis(if) you all begin |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | comenzaren(if) they begin |
rarely used: legal & formal texts
Present perfect subjunctive
| yo | haya comenzado(that) I have begun |
|---|---|
| tú | hayas comenzado(that) you have begun |
| él/ella/usted | haya comenzado(that) he/she has begun |
| nosotros/as | hayamos comenzado(that) we have begun |
| vosotros/as | hayáis comenzado(that) you all have begun |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hayan comenzado(that) they have begun |
haber (present subj.) + past participle
Past perfect subjunctive
| yo | hubiera comenzado(if) I had begun |
|---|---|
| tú | hubieras comenzado(if) you had begun |
| él/ella/usted | hubiera comenzado(if) he/she had begun |
| nosotros/as | hubiéramos comenzado(if) we had begun |
| vosotros/as | hubierais comenzado(if) you all had begun |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hubieran comenzado(if) they had begun |
haber (imperfect subj.) + past participle
Future perfect subjunctive
| yo | hubiere comenzado(if) I will have begun |
|---|---|
| tú | hubieres comenzado(if) you will have begun |
| él/ella/usted | hubiere comenzado(if) he/she will have begun |
| nosotros/as | hubiéremos comenzado(if) we will have begun |
| vosotros/as | hubiereis comenzado(if) you all will have begun |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hubieren comenzado(if) they will have begun |
rarely used: legal & formal texts
Imperative tenses of comenzar
Commands and instructions.
Affirmative imperative
| tú | comienzabegin! |
|---|---|
| usted | comiencebegin! (formal) |
| nosotros/as | comencemoslet's begin! |
| vosotros/as | comenzadbegin! (you all) |
| ustedes | comiencenbegin! (you all, formal) |
Negative imperative
| tú | no comiencesdon't begin! |
|---|---|
| usted | no comiencedon't begin! (formal) |
| nosotros/as | no comencemoslet's not begin! |
| vosotros/as | no comencéisdon't begin! (you all) |
| ustedes | no comiencendon't begin! (you all, formal) |
Practice comenzar
Two quick exercises. No sign-up, no app: just you and comenzar.
How to use comenzar
La clase comienza a las diez.
The class starts at ten.
Comenzó a llover.
It started to rain.
Comenzamos un nuevo proyecto.
We're starting a new project.
Comencemos.
Let's begin.
El concierto comenzará a las nueve.
The concert will begin at nine.
Example sentences with comenzar
- ¿Cuándo comienzas?When do you start?
- Comencé a estudiar español en 2022.I started studying Spanish in 2022.
- El partido comenzó tarde.The game started late.
- Siempre comenzábamos con un café.We always used to start with a coffee.
- Comenzaremos mañana.We'll start tomorrow.
- No comiences sin mí.Don't start without me.
- Ya ha comenzado.It has already started.
- Espero que comience pronto.I hope it starts soon.
Verbs like comenzar
Comenzar is conjugated exactly like empezar. Its opposite, terminar, is fully regular.
Frequently asked questions about comenzar
Is comenzar regular or irregular?
Comenzar is a stem-changing verb (e → ie: comienzo) with a spelling change before e (z → c: comencé, comience). The imperfect, future and conditional are regular.
How do you conjugate comenzar in the present tense?
comienzo, comienzas, comienza, comenzamos, comenzáis, comienzan.
How do you conjugate comenzar in the preterite?
comencé, comenzaste, comenzó, comenzamos, comenzasteis, comenzaron.
Comenzar or empezar?
They mean the same and are conjugated the same way. Empezar is more common in conversation.
Why is it "comencé" and not "comenzé"?
Spanish spelling: z becomes c before e or i. The sound stays the same.
What is the past participle of comenzar?
The past participle is comenzado and the gerund is comenzando.
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