Hajimeru

Hajimeru is a Japanese verb meaning "to begin" or "to start." It is used transitively when the speaker initiates an action or event. The standard kanji form is 始める, composed of 始 (begin) plus the verb ending. The related intransitive form 始まる (hajimaru) means "to begin" in the sense that something begins on its own or comes into being, and it does not take a direct object.

Conjugation and usage: Hajimeru is a ru-verb (ichidan). The polite non-past form is hajimemasu; the te-form is hajimete; the past tense is hajimeta; the negative is hajimenai. The potential form is hajimerareru, and the volitional form is hajimeyō (plain) or hajimimashō (polite). It requires a direct object, typically marked with o, as in 新しいプロジェクトを始める or 授業を始める. When the subject is the thing that begins itself, Japanese uses 始まる instead, as in 予定が始まる.

Beyond its verb use, 始める appears in compound expressions and formal language, including 開始する kaishi suru, meaning "to commence" or "to begin," found in official contexts and reporting.