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N4

はじめる

To start, To begin to

高校生こうこうせいの時ときにお金かねを貯ため始はじめた。

I started saving money when I was in high school.

Explanation

「はじめる」 after the stem of a verb means 'start doing'. 「日本語を勉強しはじめた」 (I started studying Japanese). 「桜が咲きはじめた」 (The cherry blossoms have started to bloom).

The verb before it should be an action or change that lasts for a while.

Mixed up with

「~はじめる」 is a planned or calm start. 「~だす」 is a sudden start: 「雨が降りだした」 (It suddenly began to rain), 「赤ちゃんが泣きだした」 (The baby suddenly burst into tears).

For a planned start, use 「はじめる」: 「明日から勉強しはじめる」, not 「×明日から勉強しだす」.

It does not go with verbs that finish in an instant, such as 「死ぬ」, 「落ちる」, 「着く」.

Examples

  1. 来月らいげつからお金かねを貯ため始はじめます。

    I will start saving money from next month.

  2. 明日あしたから日本語にほんごを習ならい始はじめる。

    I'll start learning Japanese tomorrow.

  3. 今朝けさ、雪ゆきが降ふりはじめた。

    It started to snow this morning.

Tested 2 times in past papers

N2 · Dec 2019, Q48N3 · Dec 2015, Q41