noun
Meaning 1
Beginning; start.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: nonstandard
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
begin
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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/bɪˈɡɪn/
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/bəˈɡɪn/
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/biˈɡɪn/
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UK: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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rhymes with -ɪn
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CMU ARPABET: B IH0 G IH1 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
verb
Meaning 2
To start, to initiate or take the first step into something.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: ergative
Examples
- I began playing the piano at the age of five.
- Now that everyone is here, we should begin the presentation.
- The program begins at 9 o’clock on the dot.
- I rushed to get to class on time, but the lesson had already begun.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 3
To come into existence.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 4
Israeli statesman (born in Russia) who (as prime minister of Israel) negotiated a peace treaty with Anwar Sadat (then the president of Egypt) (1913-1992)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: Menachem Begin
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: statesman, solon, national leader
verb
Meaning 5
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- We began working at dawn
- Who will start?
- Get working as soon as the sun rises!
- The first tourists began to arrive in Cambodia
- He began early in the day
- Let's get down to work now
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: get down, get, start out, start, set about, set out, commence
Antonyms: end
Narrower terms: recommence, strike out, fall, jump off, get to, auspicate, attack, break in, plunge, launch, come on, embark, enter, get cracking, bestir oneself, get going, get moving, get weaving, get started, get rolling
verb
Meaning 6
set in motion, cause to start
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- The U.S. started a war in the Middle East
- The Iraqis began hostilities
- begin a new chapter in your life
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: lead off, start, commence
Antonyms: end
Narrower terms: jumpstart, jump-start, recommence, inaugurate, usher in, introduce, set off, start, start up, embark on, commence
verb
Meaning 7
begin to speak or say he began
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- Now listen, friends,
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: talk, speak, utter, mouth, verbalize, verbalise
verb
Meaning 8
begin to speak, understand, read, and write a language
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- She began Russian at an early age
- We started French in fourth grade
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 9
achieve or accomplish in the least degree, usually used in the negative
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- This economic measure doesn't even begin to deal with the problem of inflation
- You cannot even begin to understand the problem we had to deal with during the war
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: achieve, accomplish, attain, reach
verb
Meaning 10
begin an event that is implied and limited by the nature or inherent function of the direct object
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- begin a cigar
- She started the soup while it was still hot
- We started physics in 10th grade
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: start
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: act, move
verb
Meaning 11
have a beginning, in a temporal, spatial, or evaluative sense
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- The DMZ begins right over the hill
- The second movement begins after the Allegro
- Prices for these homes start at $250,000
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: start
Antonyms: end
Narrower terms: erupt, break out, bud, set in, kick in, dawn, originate
verb
Meaning 12
have a beginning characterized in some specified way
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- The novel begins with a murder
- My property begins with the three maple trees
- Her day begins with a workout
- The semester begins with a convocation ceremony
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: start
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: be
verb
Meaning 13
have a beginning, of a temporal event
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- WW II began in 1939 when Hitler marched into Poland
- The company's Asia tour begins next month
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: be
verb
Meaning 14
be the first item or point, constitute the beginning or start, come first in a series
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- The number `one' begins the sequence
- A terrible murder begins the novel
- The convocation ceremony officially begins the semester
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Middle English beginnen, from Old English beginnan (“to begin”), from Proto-West Germanic *biginnan, from Proto-Germanic *biginnaną (“to begin”), from be- + base verb *ginnaną also found in Old English onginnan.
Across languages
Translations
273 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Afrikaans: begin — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Albanian: nis — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Albanian: filloj ze — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Southern Altai: баштаар (baštaar) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Amharic: ጀመረ (ǧämärä) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Arabic: بَدَأَ (badaʔa) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Arabic: اِبْتَدَأَ (ibtadaʔa) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Arabic: شَرَعَ (šaraʕa) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Arabic: بدأ (badaʔ) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Arabic: بدا (bada) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Arabic: بدا (bada) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Arabic: بلّش (ballash) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Aragonese: encetar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Armenian: սկսել (sksel) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Aromanian: ahurhescu — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Aromanian: ãnchisescu — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Aromanian: apãrnjescu — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Aromanian: ntsep — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Asturian: entamar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Asturian: empezar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Asturian: comenzar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Asturian: aniciar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Azerbaijani: başlamaq — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Bangi: banda — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Bashkir: башлау (başlaw) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Bashkir: баштау (baştaw) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Basque: hasi — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Belarusian: пачына́ць (pačynácʹ) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Belarusian: пача́ць (pačácʹ) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Belarusian: пачына́цца (pačynácca) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Belarusian: пача́цца (pačácca) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Bengali: শুরু করা (śuru kora) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Bengali: আরম্ভ করা (arombho kora) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Breton: kregiñ — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Bulgarian: запо́чвам (zapóčvam) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Bulgarian: по́чвам (póčvam) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Bulgarian: по́чна (póčna) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Burmese: စ (ca.) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Catalan: començar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Catalan: iniciar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Cebuano: sugod — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Cherokee: ᎠᎴᏅᏗ (alenvdi) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Chinese Cantonese: 開始 /开始 (hoi1 ci2) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Chinese Mandarin: 開始 /开始 (kāishǐ) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Czech: začínat — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Czech: začít — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Dalmatian: nizuor — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Danish: begynde — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Dutch: beginnen — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Dutch: aanvangen — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Esperanto: komenci — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Esperanto: eki — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Estonian: hakkama — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Estonian: alustama — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Faroese: byrja — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Finnish: alkaa — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Finnish: aloittaa — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- French: commencer — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- French: démarrer — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- French: se mettre — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Old French: comencier — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- North Frisian: öönfange — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Friulian: començâ — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Galician: comezar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Galician: comenzar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Galician: empezar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Galician: iniciar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Georgian: დაიწყება (daic̣q̇eba) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Georgian: იწყება (ic̣q̇eba) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- German: anfangen — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- German: beginnen — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- German: starten — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- German: anheben — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Gothic: 𐌳𐌿𐌲𐌹𐌽𐌽𐌰𐌽 (duginnan) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Gothic: 𐌳𐌿𐍃𐍄𐍉𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽 (dustōdjan) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Greek: αρχίζω (archízo) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Ancient Greek: ἄρχομαι (árkhomai) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Hausa: fāra — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Hebrew: הִתְחִיל (hitkhíl) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Hiligaynon: sugod — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Hindi: शुरू करना (śurū karnā) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Hindi: शुरू होना (śurū honā) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Hungarian: kezd — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Hungarian: elkezd — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Hungarian: megkezd — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Icelandic: byrja — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Icelandic: hefjast — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Ido: komencar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Indonesian: mulai — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Ingrian: alkaa — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Ingrian: noissa — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Ingrian: käyvvä — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Ingrian: lähtiä — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Ingrian: aluttaa — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Ingrian: täytyä — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Ingrian: ruveta — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Interlingua: comenciar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Interlingua: iniciar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Irish: tosaigh — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Italian: cominciare — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Italian: iniziare — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Japanese: 始める (hajimeru) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Japanese: 開始する (kaishi suru) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Japanese: 始まる (hajimaru) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Kazakh: бастау (bastau) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Khmer: ចាប់ផ្ដើម (cap phdaəm) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Khmer: ផ្ដើម (phdaəm) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Khmer: ចាប់ (cap) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Kituba: banda — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Kongo: banda — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Korean: 시작하다 (sijakhada) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Korean: 개시하다 (gaesihada) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Northern Kurdish: dest pê kirin — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Kyrgyz: баштоо (baştoo) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Lao: ເລີ່ມ (lœ̄m) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Lao: ຕັ້ງຕົ້ນ — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Latin: incipiō — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Latin: ordior — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Latin: initiō — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Latin: committō — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Latin: ineō — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Latvian: sākt — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Lingala: banda — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Lingala: kobanda — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Lithuanian: pradėti — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Lushootseed: ʔil — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Luxembourgish: ufänken — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Macedonian: започнува (započnuva) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Macedonian: започне (započne) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Macedonian: почнува (počnuva) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Macedonian: почне (počne) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Malay: mula — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Malayalam: തുടങ്ങുക (tuṭaṅṅuka) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Malayalam: ആരംഭിക്കുക (ārambhikkuka) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Maltese: beda — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Manchu: ᡩᡝᡵᡳᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳ (deribumbi) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Manchu: ᡶᡠᡴᠵᡳᠯᡝᠮᠪᡳ (fukjilembi) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Māori: hāpai — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Māori: hoto — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Māori: whakataki — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Māori: huataki — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Māori: hīmata — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Māori: tīmata — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Marathi: सुरू करणे (surū karṇe) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Eastern Mari: тӱҥалаш (tüŋalaš) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Mongolian: эхлэх (exlex) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Neapolitan: cumenzà — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Norman: c'menchier — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Norman: c'menchi — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Norwegian Bokmål: begynne — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Norwegian Bokmål: børje — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Norwegian Bokmål: innlede — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Norwegian Nynorsk: begynna — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Norwegian Nynorsk: byrja — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Norwegian Nynorsk: innleia — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Occitan: començar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Occitan: entamenar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Ojibwe: maajii- — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Old Saxon: biginnan — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Old Saxon: andginnan — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Oromo: eegaluu — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Oromo: jalqabuu — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Pashto: شروع کول (šoro' kawəl) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Pashto: پيل کول (payl kawəl) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Persian: آغاز کردن (âġâz kardan) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Persian: شروع کردن (šoru' kardan) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Polish: zaczynać — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Polish: zacząć — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Polish: zaczynać się — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Polish: zacząć się — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Portuguese: começar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Portuguese: iniciar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Quechua: qallay — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Quechua: qallariy — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Romanian: a începe — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Romansh: entschaiver — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Romansh: entscheiver — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Romansh: antschever — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Romansh: cumenzar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Romansh: scumanzar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Romansh: cumanzer — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Romansh: iniziar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Romansh: inizier — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Russian: начина́ть (načinátʹ) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Russian: нача́ть (načátʹ) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Russian: начина́ться (načinátʹsja) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Russian: нача́ться (načátʹsja) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Santali: ᱮᱦᱳᱵ (ehop’) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Serbo-Croatian: по̀чињати — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Serbo-Croatian: по̀че̄ти — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Serbo-Croatian: pòčinjati — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Serbo-Croatian: pòčēti — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Sicilian: accuminzari — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Sicilian: cuminzari — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Sicilian: accuminciari — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Sicilian: cuminciari — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Sinhalese: ආරම්භ කරනවා (ārambha karanawā) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Slovak: začínať — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Slovak: začať — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Slovene: začenjati — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Slovene: začeti — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Spanish: incoar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Spanish: empezar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Spanish: principiar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Spanish: encentar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Spanish: decentar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Sranan Tongo: bigin — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Swahili: kuanza — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Swedish: börja — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Swedish: begynna — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Swedish: inleda — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Swedish: påbörja — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Tagalog: magumpisa — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Tagalog: mag-umpisa — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Tagalog: umpisahan — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Tagalog: magsimula — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Tagalog: simulan — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Tajik: шуру кардан (šuru kardan) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Tajik: шуруъ кардан (šuru' kardan) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Tajik: оғоз кардан (oġoz kardan) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Tajik: сар кардан (sar kardan) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Tamil: தொடங்கு (toṭaṅku) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Tamil: ஆரம்பி (ārampi) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Tamil: புறப்படு (puṟappaṭu) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Tamil: கிளம்பு (kiḷampu) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Tatar: башларга (başlarğa) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Thai: เริ่ม (rə̂əm) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Thai: เริ่มต้น (rə̂əm-dtôn) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Tonga (Zambia): talika — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Tongan: kamata — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Turkish: başlamak — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Turkmen: başlamak — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Ukrainian: почина́ти (počynáty) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Ukrainian: поча́ти (počáty) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Ukrainian: почина́тися (počynátysja) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Ukrainian: поча́тися (počátysja) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Urdu: شُرُوع کَرْنا (śurū' karnā) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Uyghur: باشلىماق (bashlimaq) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Uzbek: boshlamoq — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Uzbek: boshlanmoq — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Venetan: scuminsiar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Venetan: scuminçiar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Venetan: scomençiar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Venetan: scomensar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Venetan: scomençar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Venetan: scominsiar — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Vietnamese: bắt đầu — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Volapük: beginön — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Volapük: primön — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Welsh: dechrau — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Yiddish: אָנהייבן (onheybn) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Yiddish: באַגינען (baginen) — to start, to initiate (transitive)
- Albanian: nis nëfillim — to start, begin (intransitive)
- Armenian: սկսվել (sksvel) — to start, begin (intransitive)
- Bashkir: башланыу (başlanıw) — to start, begin (intransitive)
- Bashkir: башталыу (baştalıw) — to start, begin (intransitive)
- Bengali: শুরু হওয়া (śuru hōẇa) — to start, begin (intransitive)
- Catalan: començar — to start, begin (intransitive)
- Cherokee: ᎠᏓᎴᏂᎭ (adaleniha) — to start, begin (intransitive)
- Esperanto: komenciĝi — to start, begin (intransitive)
- Hungarian: kezdődik — to start, begin (intransitive)
- Hungarian: elkezdődik — to start, begin (intransitive)
- Hungarian: megkezdődik — to start, begin (intransitive)
- Italian: cominciare — to start, begin (intransitive)
- Italian: iniziare — to start, begin (intransitive)
- Malayalam: തുടങ്ങുക (tuṭaṅṅuka) — to start, begin (intransitive)
- Marathi: सुरू होणे (surū hoṇe) — to start, begin (intransitive)
- Slovak: začať — to start, begin (intransitive)
- Slovak: začínať — to start, begin (intransitive)
- Spanish: empezar — to start, begin (intransitive)
- Spanish: alborear — to start, begin (intransitive)
- Tamil: ஆரம்பி (ārampi) — to start, begin (intransitive)
- Tamil: தொடங்கு (toṭaṅku) — to start, begin (intransitive)
Real reading context