Empezar Conjugation: Empiezo, Empecé, Empiece and Every Tense (Chart)

Empezar means "to begin" or "to start." It has two changes: an e→ie stem change in the present (empiezo, empiezas, empieza, empezamos, empezáis, empiezan), and a z→c spelling change before e, which gives the preterite empecé and the subjunctive empiece.

Empezar Conjugation Chart

Indicative: present, preterite and imperfect

Future, conditional and present perfect

Subjunctive

Commands (imperative)

Gerund: empezando (estoy empezando) · Past participle: empezado (he empezado)

What Makes Empezar Irregular

Empezar is an -ar verb with regular endings, but two changes can happen to its stem:

• e→ie when the stem is stressed: empiezo, empiezas, empieza, empiezan, but empezamos, empezáis. The same split applies in the subjunctive.
• z→c before e: Spanish rarely writes ze, so the preterite yo form is empecé, and the subjunctive is empiece, empieces, empecemos, empecéis, empiecen.

Everything else is regular: empezaba, empezaré, empezando, empezado. Comenzar (to commence) follows exactly the same pattern: comienzo, comencé, comience.

How to Use Empezar

To say you start doing something, use empezar a + infinitive: Empecé a estudiar francés (I started studying French). The "a" is required.

Empezar por means "to start with" or "to begin by": Empecemos por el principio (Let's start at the beginning). Empezar con is used for what something starts with: La película empieza con una boda.

Empezar and comenzar are interchangeable; comenzar is a bit more formal.

Common Expressions With Empezar

Empezar in Example Sentences

• La clase empieza a las nueve. (The class starts at nine.)
• Empecé a trabajar aquí en 2020. (I started working here in 2020.)
• Cuando empezaba a llover, nos fuimos. (When it was starting to rain, we left.)
• Empezaremos el proyecto la semana que viene. (We'll start the project next week.)
• No empieces sin mí. (Don't start without me.)
• Está empezando a hacer frío. (It's starting to get cold.)

Common Mistakes With Empezar

• "Empezé" instead of empecé. The z becomes c before e.
• "Empiezamos" instead of empezamos. Nosotros keeps the e.
• Dropping the "a." "Empecé estudiar" is wrong; say empecé a estudiar.
• "Empieze" instead of empiece. The subjunctive also changes z to c.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is empezar a stem-changing verb?

Yes. Empezar changes e to ie in the present indicative and subjunctive, except for nosotros and vosotros (empiezo, empezamos).

What is the preterite of empezar?

Empecé, empezaste, empezó, empezamos, empezasteis, empezaron. Only the yo form has the z→c change.

What is the subjunctive of empezar?

Empiece, empieces, empiece, empecemos, empecéis, empiecen.

What's the difference between empezar and comenzar?

They mean the same thing and conjugate the same way. Comenzar sounds slightly more formal.

Keep Practicing

The quiz below mixes pronouns and tenses from the chart above. For more practice, these guides pair well with empezar:

• Pensar Conjugation: Pienso, Pensé, Piense and Every Tense (Chart)
• Jugar Conjugation: Juego, Jugué, Juegue and Every Tense (Chart)
• A Practical Guide to Spanish Present Tense AR Verbs
• Spanish Subjunctive Made Simple: A Complete Guide