OK, Paul commence.

Okay, Paul is starting.

Breakdown of OK, Paul commence.

• Paul: Paul
• commencer: to start
• OK: okay

Questions & Answers about OK, Paul commence.

What form is commence here?

It is the third-person singular present form of the verb commencer.

So:

• commencer = to begin / to start
• Paul commence = Paul begins / Paul starts / Paul is starting, depending on context

Because the subject is Paul (equivalent to he), French uses commence.

Why is it commence and not commencer?

Commencer is the infinitive, meaning to begin.

When French uses a conjugated verb with a subject, it changes form:

• je commence = I begin
• tu commences = you begin
• il/elle/on commence = he/she/one begins
• Paul commence = Paul begins

So commencer would only be used in places where English would use to begin, not begins.

What tense is commence?

It is the present tense: more specifically, the present indicative.

In English, this can match several ideas depending on context:

• Paul starts
• Paul begins
• Paul is starting

French often uses the simple present where English might prefer either simple present or present continuous.