começam

"Começam" is the third-person plural present indicative form of the Portuguese verb "começar." This verb translates to "to begin" or "to start" in English. Therefore, "começam" signifies that multiple subjects are initiating an action, process, or event.

For example, in the sentence "As aulas começam amanhã," which means "The classes start tomorrow," "começam" indicates that the classes, as a plural subject, are beginning their scheduled activity. Similarly, "Os preparativos começam agora" translates to "The preparations begin now," where "preparativos" (preparations) is the plural subject performing the action of starting.

The verb "começar" is a regular verb in Portuguese, following standard conjugation patterns. The "-am" ending is characteristic of the third-person plural in the present indicative tense for verbs ending in "-ar." This form is essential for describing actions or events that are currently starting or will start in the immediate future, performed by more than one entity.