Commencez

Commencez is a French verb form derived from commencer, meaning to begin. It functions as the second-person plural present indicative and, in command form, the imperative. In standard usage, vous commencez means you begin, while Commencez! is an instruction to begin.

The verb commencer comes from Old French comencer/comencier, with roots in the Latin incipere, meaning to begin or to undertake.

Present tense forms include: je commence, tu commences, il/elle commence, nous commençons, vous commencez, ils/elles commencent. The vous form is used for formal singular or plural address, and is identical in the present indicative and the imperative (Commencez).

Usage notes: commencez is common in instructions, schedules, and narrative passages where a group or a formal address is involved. It can introduce actions or steps, and is frequently paired with a following infinitive or clause, for example: Commencez par lire les instructions. Vous commencez à comprendre.

See also: commencer, conjugation of French verbs, imperative mood.