Hajimaru

Hajimaru is a Japanese intransitive verb meaning to begin or to start, used for events, processes, or actions that commence. It is written with the kanji 始まる and is typically used when the subject is the event itself rather than a person causing it to begin. For example, 映画が始まる means “the movie begins,” and 授業が始まる means “the class starts.”

Hajimaru contrasts with the transitive verb hajimeru, which means to start something or to initiate a task that involves a direct object. In practice, hajimaru describes the onset of events, while hajimeru describes an act of starting something that someone does to an object or activity.

Common conjugation forms include: dictionary form 始まる; polite form 始まります; te-form 始まって; past plain 始まった; negative 始まらない; past negative 始まらなかった. The verb follows the standard conjugation patterns of godan verbs ending in -ru, with forms changing to reflect tense and politeness.

The noun 始まり (hajimari) derives from the verb and means “beginning” or “onset.” It is used to refer to the start of something in a more abstract or thematic sense, such as 始まりと終わり (the beginning and the end) or 物語の始まり (the beginning of the story).

In summary, hajimaru denotes the start of events or processes intransitively, while hajimeru is used when something is actively started by someone. The term also yields the related noun 始まり, used to express beginnings more generally.