början

Början is a Swedish noun meaning "the beginning" or "onset." It denotes the start of a time period, process, event, or sequence and is used in both literal and figurative contexts. Common phrases include från början (from the beginning) and i början av filmen (at the start of the film).

Grammar-wise, början is a common gender noun. The indefinite singular is en början and the definite singular is början. The plural form is not typically required in everyday speech; when referring to multiple beginnings, speakers usually rephrase or use context to indicate plurality.

Etymology and formation: the noun is derived from the verb börja, meaning to begin. The suffix -an is a common Swedish noun-forming ending that indicates a state, action, or event. The term has a long-standing presence in Swedish and is cognate with related Germanic-language terms for beginning or origin.

Usage and nuances: början appears in a wide range of contexts, from daily conversation to journalism and literature. It can refer to the literal start of something, such as a project, a season, or a historical era, as well as more abstract senses, like the beginning of a process or a change in circumstances. In many cases, phrases like "från början," "i början av," or "vid början av" are used to situate events in time.

See also: synonyms and related expressions include start and begynnelse (an older or more formal term in Swedish). For linguistic study, början illustrates how Swedish forms nouns denoting events from verbs through the -an suffix.