Español — Inceptive periphrases
To say that an action begins, Spanish combines a starting verb with a + infinitive: empezar a, comenzar a, ponerse a, echar(se) a. They share the meaning "to start doing" but differ in nuance, from neutral (empezar a llover) to sudden or unstoppable (echó a correr).
How it works
The pattern is [starting verb conjugated] + a + [infinitive]: Empecé a estudiar a las ocho. Empezar a and comenzar a are neutral and interchangeable; ponerse a adds effort or a deliberate start (se puso a trabajar); echar(se) a marks a sudden, often involuntary start and pairs mainly with motion or emotion verbs (echó a correr, se echó a llorar).
Examples
| Example | Nuance |
|---|---|
| Empecé a leer el libro. | empezar a — neutral start |
| Comenzó a llover de repente. | comenzar a — synonym of empezar, slightly more formal |
| Se puso a estudiar toda la tarde. | ponerse a — deliberate start, with effort |
| El niño echó a correr. | echar a — sudden start, verbs of motion |
| Se echó a llorar al oír la noticia. | echarse a — sudden emotional reaction, reflexive |
| Empezamos a trabajar el lunes. | empezar a — start of a planned activity |
Good to know
Do not drop the a: it is empezar a leer, never empezar leer. Echar(se) a is restricted: echó a correr and se echó a reír are fine, but you cannot say echó a estudiar — use empezó a or se puso a instead. Note the spelling change in the preterite: empecé (not empezé).