börja

Börja is a Swedish verb meaning "to begin" or "to start." It is a common, generally transitive verb used across registers, from everyday speech to written language. The principal verb forms are infinitive börja, present börjar, simple past började, supine börjat, and imperative börja. In compound tenses the past participle börjat is used with an auxiliary, as in har börjat (has begun).

Usage and grammar

Börja can take an infinitive clause after it, often without or with the particle att: Jag börjar läsa or Jag börjar att läsa. It is also common to say Jag börjar med att … (I will start by …). The verb can be used intransitively in expressions like börja om (start over) or börja på något (start at/at something), and with prepositions to indicate context or location, for example börja på universitetet (start at the university) or börja med ett uppdrag (begin with a task). The perfect tense is formed with har börjat, and the pluperfect with hade börjat.

Relation to other verbs

Starta is a close synonym in many contexts, especially for machines, projects, or formal initiatives, but börja is broader and common in ordinary actions, habits, or beginnings of events. The two verbs are often interchangeable to some degree, though nyansskillnader (nuances) may guide choice in specific phrases.

Etymology and cognates

Börja is native to Swedish; its exact historical etymology is not always clear. Cognate forms appear in other Scandinavian languages, such as Norwegian begynne and Danish begynde.

Examples

Vi börjar nu. När ska vi börja? Hon började läsa en ny bok. Vi har börjat arbeta igen. Vi börjar från början.