The Spanish verb "comenzar" means "to start" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "comenzar" across all 5 tenses. New to Spanish verbs? Start with the Spanish verb guide.
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Lexi's Memory Hack
COMENZAR has a boot change E → IE (COMIENzo) AND preterite spelling change: comencé (Z → C before E).
How to Conjugate "comenzar" in the Present Tense
Presente de indicativo Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | comienzo |
| tú | you (informal) | comienzas |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | comienza |
| nosotros | we | comenzamos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | comenzáis |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | comienzan |
Él comienza a correr cada mañana.
He starts running every morning.
How to Conjugate "comenzar" in the Past (completed) Tense
Pretérito perfecto simple Actions that finished in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | comencé |
| tú | you (informal) | comenzaste |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | comenzó |
| nosotros | we | comenzamos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | comenzasteis |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | comenzaron |
Ella comenzó el viaje hoy.
She started the trip today.
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Pretérito imperfecto Actions that were ongoing in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | comenzaba |
| tú | you (informal) | comenzabas |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | comenzaba |
| nosotros | we | comenzábamos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | comenzabais |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | comenzaban |
Ella comenzaba el día con ejercicio.
She used to start the day with exercise.
How to Conjugate "comenzar" in the Future Tense
Futuro simple Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | comenzaré |
| tú | you (informal) | comenzarás |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | comenzará |
| nosotros | we | comenzaremos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | comenzaréis |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | comenzarán |
Ella comenzará el viaje pronto.
She will start the trip soon.
How to Conjugate "comenzar" in the Would (conditional) Tense
Condicional simple Hypothetical actions| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | comenzaría |
| tú | you (informal) | comenzarías |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | comenzaría |
| nosotros | we | comenzaríamos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | comenzaríais |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | comenzarían |
Ella comenzaría la tarea hoy.
She would start the homework today.
Frequently Asked Questions About "comenzar"
Is "comenzar" regular or irregular in Spanish?
"Comenzar" is an irregular Spanish verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "comenzar" mean in English?
The Spanish verb "comenzar" means "to start" in English.
How do you conjugate "comenzar" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Presente de indicativo): yo → comienzo, tú → comienzas, él/ella/usted → comienza, nosotros → comenzamos, vosotros → comenzáis, ellos/ustedes → comienzan.
How many tenses does "comenzar" have in Spanish?
"Comenzar" is conjugated across 5 tenses in Spanish: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).
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