Beginn

Beginn is a German noun meaning "the beginning" or "start" of something. It is masculine (der Beginn) and is used to denote the initial point in time, a process, or an event. The term appears in formal, technical, and literary contexts as well as in everyday language. In everyday speech, the synonym Anfang is more common for concrete starts, while Beginn is often favored in abstract or official phrasing, such as historical, legal, or scientific writing.

Etymology: The noun derives from the verb beginnen and is related to other Germanic words for starting. It shares its root with the English verb begin, reflecting a common Germanic origin for notions of initiation and onset.

Usage: Typical constructions include zu Beginn (at the outset), am Beginn des Jahres (at the beginning of the year), and der Beginn eines Prozesses (the beginning of a process). The word is usually used with a definite article when referring to a specific start, for example, der Beginn des Films, and can appear in compounds and formal statements describing phases, events, or historical moments. It can also occur in generic references to the earliest stage of something.

See also: Anfang, Start, Anfangsphase. These terms provide related nuances, with Anfang often preferred in everyday speech for concrete starts, and Beginn used for more formal or abstract beginnings.