starten

Starten is a Dutch verb meaning to start, begin, or commence. It is used for initiating engines and devices, starting a project or process, or triggering sequences in computing, sports, and events. It can be used transitively as in ik start de auto (I start the car) or we starten de vergadering (we start the meeting), and intransitively in contexts such as a race that starts at a specific time.

The verb is formed from the noun start plus the infinitive suffix -en. It is a common and productive verb in modern Dutch, with meanings that roughly parallel the English verb start. It can describe actions ranging from powering up a computer to beginning a procedure or event.

Conjugation and forms in the present and past are regular for Dutch but have typical stem behavior. Present tense: ik start, jij start, hij start; wij starten, jullie starten, zij starten. Past tense: ik startte, jij startte, hij startte; wij startten, jullie startten, zij startten. Present participle: startend. Past participle: gestart. The verb also participates in common compounds and phrases, such as opstarten (to start up, to boot up), starten met (to start with, to begin with), and starten van een project (to start a project).

Notes on usage: starten often appears in technical or practical contexts, while synonyms like beginnen or aanvang nemen may be used in more formal or broad frames. The verb is widely understood across Dutch-speaking regions and integrates smoothly with other verbal constructions and modal expressions.