began
word · lemma: begin
/biˈɡæn/
bi-GAN
/bɪɡˈæn/
bi-GAN
Definition
Past tense of 'begin'. It means to start doing something or for something to start.
Usage & Nuances
Common in both spoken and written English. Patterns include 'began to + verb' and 'began + -ing', though 'began to rain' is more common than 'began raining'. The past participle is 'begun', not 'began'.
Spanish: empezó - comenzóPortuguese (BR): começouPortuguese (PT): começouChinese (Simplified): 开始了Chinese (Traditional): 開始了Hindi: शुरू किया - शुरू हुआArabic: بدأBengali: শুরু করেছিল - আরম্ভ করেছিলRussian: начал - начала - началиJapanese: 始めたVietnamese: đã bắt đầuKorean: 시작했다Turkish: başladıUrdu: شروع کیاIndonesian: mulai - memulai (lampau)
Example Sentences
The movie began at seven.
basic
She began to cry.
basic
We began our lesson after lunch.
basic
It began as a small idea and turned into a big project.
natural
As soon as the music began, everyone got up to dance.
natural
I began to realize that something was wrong.
natural