How to Say “Start” in Spanish — And When to Use It

If you’re learning Spanish or preparing for a trip to a Spanish-speaking country, one word you’ll want to get to grips with early on is “start.”
So let’s begin there:

    The most common translation for “start” in Spanish is empezar.
    It’s a verb that means “to start” or “to begin.” For example:
    Vamos a empezar la clase.  “We’re going to start the class.”

You might also see comenzar, which is a near synonym and used in much the same way. Depending on the country or region, one may be more common than the other – empezar is generally more widely used in everyday speech, while comenzar can sound slightly more formal or poetic.

Empezar vs Comenzar — What’s the difference?

Both verbs are regular (except empezar is a stem-changer in the present tense: empiezo, empiezas…) and mean essentially the same thing. In most contexts, they’re interchangeable:

• ¿A qué hora empieza la película? – What time does the movie start?
• La conferencia comenzará a las nueve. – The conference will start at nine.

You can think of it like the English difference between “start” and “commence” — same meaning, slightly different tone.

Other ways to say “Start” in Spanish

Depending on what you’re starting – an object, a machine, or an event – Spanish gives you a few other words too:

• Arrancar – to start a machine, engine or car
  Arranca el coche. – Start the car.
• Iniciar – to initiate something (formal, tech-related or procedural)
  Inicia sesión aquí. – Start the session / Log in here.
• Poner en marcha – to set something in motion (can be used figuratively)
  Vamos a poner en marcha el proyecto. — Let’s get the project started.

Everyday situations where you’ll use “Start”

Whether you're planning a holiday in Spain, moving to Mexico, or just brushing up for a conversation class, here are a few real-life uses of "start":

• At school or work
  ¿Cuándo empieza la reunión? – When does the meeting start?
• At the gym
  Empecé una nueva rutina de ejercicios. – I started a new workout routine.
• While travelling
  El tour comienza a las 10 de la mañana. – The tour starts at 10 a.m.
• With friends or family
  Vamos a empezar la cena. – Let’s start dinner.

Bonus: How to say “I’m starting to…” in Spanish

If you want to express something like “I’m starting to learn Spanish” — easy! Use “empezar a infinitive”:

• Estoy empezando a aprender español. – I’m starting to learn Spanish.
• Empecé a trabajar aquí el año pasado. – I started working here last year.

Whether you’re starting a journey, a new habit, or a new chapter abroad, empezar is one of the most useful verbs you can add to your Spanish toolkit.

To recap:

• The main word for “start” is empezar
• Comenzar is also common, and slightly more formal
• You can also use arrancar (for cars), iniciar (for digital or formal processes), and poner en marcha (to get something going)

Keep learning, and start your Spanish the right way – with the right words.

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