Learn Hardcore Japanese: kaigi ha zyuuzi kara hazimarimasu.

The particle は marks 会議 (“the meeting”) as the topic or theme of the sentence. It tells the listener “as for the meeting…,” and introduces what you are going to say about it. It isn’t a direct translation of “is” or “the subject,” but rather highlights what you’re talking about.

Why is から used after 十時 instead of the usual time‐marker に?

から means “from,” so 十時から specifies the starting point of the action (“from ten o’clock”). In contrast, 十時に would simply mean “at ten o’clock” (marking a point in time). Since we want to say “the meeting starts from ten,” we use から.

Why is the verb 始まります in its polite form?

始まります is the -ます (polite) form of 始まる. In formal or business contexts—like talking about a meeting—you use the polite style to show respect. The dictionary (plain) form is 始まる, which you’d use among close friends or in casual speech.

How do you pronounce 十時?

十時 is read as じゅうじ (juu-ji). 十 (ten) is pronounced じゅう, and 時 (o’clock) is じ.

Why is there no object marker を after 会議?

The verb 始まる (“to begin,” intransitive) doesn’t take a direct object. Instead, the thing that begins (the meeting) is marked as the topic with は. If you wanted to say “someone begins the meeting,” you would use the transitive verb 始める and mark the meeting with を.

Why does the verb come at the end of the sentence?

Japanese follows a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) order, and generally puts adverbials (time, manner, place) before the verb. So you get: Topic (会議は) + Time (十時から) + Verb (始まります).

Can we omit 会議は if the context is clear?

Yes. If it’s obvious you’re talking about the meeting, you can simply say 十時から始まります (“It starts from ten o’clock”). Japanese often drops topics that are understood from context.

What’s the difference between 始まる and 始める?

始まる is intransitive (“to begin” by itself)—things start on their own. 始める is transitive (“to begin something”) and takes a direct object with を.

Intransitive: 会議が始まる (The meeting begins).
Transitive: 上司が会議を始める (The boss starts the meeting).