Hajimeta

Hajimeta is the past plain form of the Japanese verb hajimeru (始める), meaning “to begin” or “to start.” It indicates that the act of starting something has occurred and is used when a subject actively started an action or process. It is a transitive verb form, typically followed by a direct object marked with を, such as a task, activity, or project that was begun.

Morphology and related forms: The base form hajimeru is derived from hajime (beginning) plus the verb suffix -ru. The past plain form is hajimeta (始めた). The intransitive counterpart for “to begin” is hajimaru (始まる), whose past plain form is hajimatta (始まった). Related nouns include hajime (beginning) and hajimari (the start or onset).

Usage and examples: Hajimeta is used to describe someone starting or initiating something. Examples:

- 彼は新しい仕事を始めた。He started a new job.

- 私は新しい趣味を始めた。I began a new hobby.

- プロジェクトを始めたが、今は難航している。I started the project, but it is now facing difficulties.

Notes on nuance:始める (hajimeru) is the transitive form (requires a direct object), while 始まる (hajimaru) is intransitive and does not take a direct object. The past ta-form is used in narrative or descriptive contexts to indicate completed initiation.

Pronunciation and writing: Hajimeta is written in kana as はじめた and in kanji as 始めた. The verb 始める uses 始 (haji) and is commonly taught early in Japanese language studies. The word is versatile and appears in everyday speech, writing, and various media.