αρχίζω (to begin) | Greek Grammar

αρχίζω is a phase verb — it does not name an event of its own, it names the edge of somebody else's. That is why it earns a reference card: the interesting facts about it are not in its endings but in what it does to the words around it. Its opposite number is τελειώνω.

What follows αρχίζω να

Greek verbs after να come in two aspects, and αρχίζω tilts the choice hard towards the imperfective. The logic is in the meaning: what begins is an activity that then runs — rain that goes on falling, reading that goes on being done. A perfective complement would package the action as one completed whole, which is precisely what "begin" says it is not.

Άρχισε να βρέχει μόλις βγήκαμε από το σπίτι.

árchise na vréchi mólis vyíkame apó to spíti

It started raining just as we left the house.

Άρχισα να καταλαβαίνω τα ελληνικά μόνο όταν σταμάτησα να μεταφράζω.

árchisa na katalavéno ta eliniká móno ótan stamátisa na metafrázo

I only started understanding Greek when I stopped translating.

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Note where the aspect sits. The beginning can be a single point — άρχισε, aorist, done — while the thing begun keeps running: να βρέχει, imperfective. One sentence, two aspects, and neither one is copying the other. The general rule for choosing after να is on aspect after να; the list of verbs that take the frame at all is on να after modals.

Government

Five frames, and all five are everyday.

Frame	Example	Reading
accusative object	Αρχίζω τη δουλειά.	begin a thing
να imperfective	Άρχισε να τραγουδάει.	begin doing
no object	Το μάθημα αρχίζει στις εννιά.	the thing itself begins
με accusative	Ας αρχίσουμε με ένα παράδειγμα.	begin with — the first item
από accusative	Αρχίζω από την αρχή.	begin from — the starting point

Αρχίζω καινούρια δουλειά τη Δευτέρα και έχω αγχωθεί.

archízo kenúria dhuliá ti Dheftéra ke écho anchothí

I start a new job on Monday and I'm stressed about it.

Το μάθημα αρχίζει στις εννιά, μην αργήσεις πάλι.

to máthima archízi stis eniá, min aryísis páli

The class starts at nine — don't be late again.

Ας αρχίσουμε με ένα παράδειγμα και μετά βλέπουμε.

as archísume me éna parádhighma ke metá vlépume

Let's start with an example and see how it goes.

Principal parts

Slot	Form
Present	αρχίζω, αρχίζεις, αρχίζει, αρχίζουμε, αρχίζετε, αρχίζουν
Imperfect	άρχιζα — plural αρχίζαμε, αρχίζατε
Aorist	άρχισα, άρχισες, άρχισε, αρχίσαμε, αρχίσατε, άρχισαν
After θα / να	αρχίσω, αρχίσεις, αρχίσει, αρχίσουμε, αρχίσετε, αρχίσουν
Command	άρχισε / αρχίστε
Perfect / pluperfect	έχω / είχα αρχίσει
Gerund	αρχίζοντας — αρχίζοντας από… "starting from…"
Related noun	η αρχή — beginning; also principle, authority

The -ζω verbs split two ways in the aorist and give no warning which way a given verb goes. αρχίζω is in the -σα half, alongside διαβάζω → διάβασα and γνωρίζω → γνώρισα; the other half (παίζω → έπαιξα) takes ξ. The split is set out on aorist consonant merges.

What αρχίζω does not have

×άρχιξα	does not exist — wrong half of the -ζω class; the aorist is άρχισα
a mediopassive αρχίζομαι	does not exist in the modern paradigm — nothing is "begun by" anybody; the objectless Άρχισε το μάθημα covers it
a use for engines and departures	does not exist — a car or a journey takes ξεκινάω (or βάζω μπροστά), which has its own card at ξεκινάω

άρχισε or άρχιζε

One consonant apart on the page — σ against ζ — and one sound apart in the mouth, [s] against [z]. άρχισε is the aorist: it started, once, and we know when. άρχιζε is the imperfect: it was starting, or it kept starting, over and over. Both are common, and mistaking one for the other rewrites the sentence rather than merely spoiling it.

Άρχισε να μιλάει και δεν σταματούσε με τίποτα.

árchise na milái ke dhen stamatúse me típota

He started talking and nothing could stop him.

Κάθε φορά που τον έβλεπε, άρχιζε τα ίδια και τα ίδια.

káthe forá pu ton évlepe, árchize ta ídhia ke ta ídhia

Every time she saw him she'd start on the same old thing.

Set phrases

Phrase	Meaning
αρχίζω δουλειά	start work; start a job
Άρχισε πάλι! (informal)	Here we go again.
Άρχισαν τα όργανα! (informal)	Now the trouble starts.
Από πού να αρχίσω;	Where do I even begin?
αρχίζοντας από…	starting from…
αρχίζω να καταλαβαίνω	I'm beginning to see

Άρχισαν τα όργανα, θα φωνάζουν όλο το βράδυ.

árchisan ta órghana, tha fonázun ólo to vrádhi

Here we go — they'll be shouting all night.

Από πού να αρχίσω; Έχω τόσα να σου πω.

apó pu na archíso; écho tósa na su po

Where do I even begin? I've got so much to tell you.

Key Takeaways

αρχίζω · άρχιζα · άρχισα · να αρχίσω · άρχισε / αρχίστε · έχω αρχίσει · αρχίζοντας.
The aorist takes σ, not ξ: αρχίζω belongs with διαβάζω → διάβασα.
As a phase verb it pulls its να-complement towards the imperfective: Άρχισε να βρέχει, Άρχισα να διαβάζω.
Five frames: accusative object, να
- verb, no object, με for the first item, από for the starting point.
άρχισε (aorist, it started) against άρχιζε (imperfect, it kept starting) — σ against ζ, and audibly different.
Engines and departures are ξεκινάω territory, not αρχίζω.

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