began

began — verb

1. the past simple form of the verb 'begin' — used to say that an action, event, or

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveA1
Definition

the past simple form of the verb 'begin' — used to say that an action, event, or process started at a particular moment in the past.

Example

Asher began his new job at the hospital last Monday.

began + noun phrase (direct object)

The school concert began with a short piano piece by a local musician.

intransitive: began + with + noun

Common collocations
  • began to cry / laugh / speak
  • began working / studying / teaching
  • began with a / an ...
  • had already begun
Synonyms
  • started

    more common in everyday speech than 'began' for many contexts; 'began' can sound slightly more formal or literary

  • commenced

    much more formal than 'began'; used mainly in official announcements, legal documents, or ceremonial contexts

Antonyms
  • ended

    direct opposite — an action that begins at one point ends at another

  • finished

    similar to 'ended' but emphasises completion rather than the final point in time

Grammar Patterns

began + noun phrase

began + to-infinitive

began + gerund

began alone (intransitive)

Usage Note

This is the only past simple form of 'begin'. For present tense, use 'begin' (I begin / she begins); for the past participle, use 'begun' (has begun / had begun).

Common Mistakes

Yesterday I have began my new course.
Yesterday I began my new course.
'began' is the past simple form and does not need an auxiliary verb.
The movie has began.
The movie has begun.
For perfect tenses (have/has/had), use the past participle 'begun', not the past simple 'began'.

2. used in negative sentences with 'can't' or 'couldn't' to say that someone is com

2.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

used in negative sentences with 'can't' or 'couldn't' to say that someone is completely unable to do something, not even the smallest part of it — for example, being unable to describe, understand, or count something because it is too complex, overwhelming, or extreme.

Example

Layla could not even begin to count the stars in the night sky.

could not even begin to + infinitive — base form after modal

Christopher could not even begin to imagine what his grandfather lived through during the war.

Common collocations
  • could not even begin to imagine
  • could not even begin to describe
  • could not even begin to understand
  • could not even begin to count
  • could not even begin to explain
Synonyms
  • could not possibly

    similar meaning but less emphatic; 'cannot possibly' states inability, while 'cannot even begin to' adds dramatic emphasis

Grammar Patterns

could not even begin to + infinitive

cannot even begin to + infinitive

Usage Note

The fixed phrase is 'could not even begin to + base verb' (or 'can't even begin to'). The base form 'begin' always follows the modal — never 'began'. Even when the reference is to a past situation, use 'couldn't even begin to' (not 'couldn't even began to'). This is because English modals (can, could, must, should, etc.) are always followed by the base form of the verb.

Common Mistakes

I can't even began to understand the problem.
I can't even begin to understand the problem.
After the modal verb 'can't', use the base form 'begin', not the past tense 'began'. Modals are always followed by the base form.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words describe the beginning of something, but they differ in formality, scope, and usage. 'Began' and 'started' are the most common and interchangeable in everyday conversation ('She started/began her speech at 9 AM'), though 'started' is slightly more frequent in casual speech. 'Commenced' is much more formal and is restricted to official, legal, or ceremonial contexts ('The trial commenced at 10 AM'). 'Opened' is typically used for events that have a formal starting ceremony or for facilities that become available ('The new library opened its doors last week'). 'Launched' is used for large-scale projects, products, or initiatives that require planning and promotion ('The company launched its new app in March'). While 'began' can be used for any of these scenarios, the other words give more specific information about the type of beginning.

startedcommencedopened ↗launched

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • began as a joke
  • began in earnest
  • it all began when

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanProto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Began' is the past tense form of 'begin,' which comes from Old English 'beginnan' (to begin, attempt, undertake). The Old English word combines 'be-' (a prefix that makes a verb active or intensive) with 'ginnan' (to open, open up). The root 'ginnan' traces back to Proto-Germanic '*ginnaną' (to open), which may be related to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to open' or 'to gape.' Historically, the verb shifted from meaning 'to open' to 'to start' — the same semantic shift seen in many languages where the concept of 'beginning' is linked to 'opening.' Modern forms: begin (present), began (past simple), begun (past participle).