comienzo

Comienzo is a Spanish noun meaning the beginning or start of something. It designates the initial moment of a process, the early part of a sequence, or the act of starting. In everyday speech, it can refer to the onset of an event, the opening of a project, or the early phase of a life stage. Related terms include inicio, principio and arranque; while all denote related ideas, comienzo often emphasizes the moment of starting or the first phase, whereas inicio can be more general and principio more conceptual or formal.

Etymology and usage notes: the noun begins from the verb comenzar or empezar, both meaning to begin. The form comienzo is standard in Spanish, with the plural comienzos. The phrase al comienzo is commonly used to mean at the beginning, and its usage spans time, processes, and narrative structures. The concept is contrasted with fin or final, which denote endings or conclusions.

In usage across contexts, comienzo appears in literature, media, and everyday language to mark openings or origins. It is employed in phrases such as “el comienzo de la historia” or “los comienzos de una carrera.” In specialized contexts, it can refer to the onset of symptoms in medicine, the initial stage of a project, or the early phase of a cultural movement. Overall, comienzo conveys the sense of where something begins and how that initial phase unfolds.