empezar
M037 MixedEmpezar — mixed e→ie + z→c (to begin / start)
e→ie + z→c
3
verbs
Difficulty
Summary
EMPEZAR follows e->ie in stressed present forms and keeps z->c spelling before e: empiezo, empiece, empecé.
Technical explanation
Model for empezar and followers such as comenzar and tropezar:
- Present indicative: e->ie in stressed persons (empiezo, empiezas, empieza, empiezan), but empezamos/empezáis.
- Present subjunctive: same stress pattern plus z->c before e:
empiece, empieces, empiece, empecemos, empecéis, empiecen.
- Imperative:
empieza, empiece, empecemos, empezad, empiecen.
- Preterite keeps regular -ar endings, with orthographic yo:
empecé, empezaste, empezó...
- Future/conditional and compound tenses are regular:
empezaré, empezaría, he empezado.
Examples
- Empiezo la clase a las ocho.
- Quiero que comiences con un ejemplo claro.
- Ayer tropezó al bajar la escalera.
Teacher guide (Spain)
Practice this chain together: empiezo -> empiece -> empecé.
1) Core verbs
Present Indicative
yo
empiezo
tú
empiezas
él/ella
empieza
Pattern cheat sheet
Most-used tenses for this model, with an optional comparison against the regular pattern.
Indicativo — Indicative
Presente
Present Indicative
yo
empiezo
tú
empiezas
él/ella
empieza
Pretérito perfecto simple
Preterite Indicative
yo
empecé
tú
empezaste
él/ella
empezó
Pretérito imperfecto
Imperfect Indicative
yo
empezaba
tú
empezabas
él/ella
empezaba
Futuro simple
Future Indicative
yo
empezaré
tú
empezarás
él/ella
empezará
Condicional simple
Conditional
yo
empezaría
tú
empezarías
él/ella
empezaría
Subjuntivo — Subjunctive
Presente de subjuntivo
Present Subjunctive
yo
empiece
tú
empieces
él/ella
empiece
Imperativo — Imperative
Imperativo afirmativo
Imperative
yo
—
tú
empieza
él/ella
empiece
Imperativo negativo
Negative Imperative
yo
—
tú
empieces
él/ella
empiece
Tense availability
Supported for this model (informational). Open a verb page to view full conjugation tables by tense.
Supported
More tenses are rolling out over time.
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