El ciclo de lavado empieza ahora.

Because empezar is a stem-changing verb in the present tense.

The infinitive is empezar, but in many present-tense forms, the e in the stem changes to ie:

• yo empiezo
• tú empiezas
• él/ella/usted empieza
• nosotros empezamos
• vosotros empezáis
• ellos/ellas/ustedes empiezan

So el ciclo is a third-person singular subject, which is why the verb is empieza.

El means the, and Spanish uses definite articles very often where English also uses the.

Here, el ciclo means the cycle. The noun ciclo is masculine singular, so it takes el.

• el ciclo
• el lavado
• el programa

Spanish articles must match the noun in gender and number.

In Spanish, noun relationships are often expressed with de, which can mean of, for, or indicate type/function depending on context.

So ciclo de lavado literally looks like cycle of washing, but in natural English it means wash cycle.

This pattern is very common:

• máquina de café = coffee machine
• taza de té = tea cup
• ciclo de lavado = wash cycle

English often puts one noun before another; Spanish often uses de + noun instead.

Here, lavado functions like a noun or noun-like word meaning washing or wash.

It comes from the verb lavar (to wash), but in this phrase it is not acting as the main verb. The main verb of the sentence is empieza.

So:

• lavado = washing / wash
• empieza = starts / begins

Yes. Comienza from comenzar also means begins/starts and sounds natural.

• El ciclo de lavado empieza ahora.
• El ciclo de lavado comienza ahora.

Both are correct. Empezar and comenzar are very close in meaning. In everyday speech, empezar is often a little more common, but both are standard.

Because the subject is El ciclo de lavado, which is one thing: the wash cycle.

Even though the phrase has several words, the head noun is ciclo, and that noun is singular. So the verb must also be singular:

• El ciclo de lavado empieza...
• not empiezan

If the subject were plural, the verb would change:

• Los ciclos de lavado empiezan ahora.

Yes. Ahora is flexible.

The given sentence is very natural:

• El ciclo de lavado empieza ahora.

But you could also hear:

• Ahora empieza el ciclo de lavado.
• El ciclo de lavado ahora empieza. (possible, but less neutral)

The most neutral version is usually the original one. Putting ahora first can give it a little more emphasis, like Now the wash cycle begins.

It can mean either, depending on context.

Spanish simple present often covers both:

• starts
• is starting
• sometimes even scheduled future, depending on context

So El ciclo de lavado empieza ahora could be understood as:

• The wash cycle starts now
• The wash cycle is starting now

Both are natural translations.

It could be, but the simple present is very common in Spanish for this kind of announcement or machine message.

• Empieza ahora = starts now / is starting now
• Está empezando ahora = is starting right now

The progressive form (estar + gerundio) exists in Spanish, but Spanish usually uses it less often than English does. In a short interface message, empieza ahora sounds cleaner and more typical.

The infinitive is empezar, meaning to start or to begin.

Other useful forms:

• empezó = started
• empezará = will start
• ha empezado = has started

So if you want to look it up in a dictionary, search for empezar, not empieza.

Yes. It is natural and easy to understand, especially in the context of washing machines, appliances, or instructions.

Depending on the device or region, you may also see related phrases like:

• ciclo de enjuague = rinse cycle
• ciclo de secado = drying cycle
• programa de lavado = wash program

But ciclo de lavado is completely standard.

A helpful approximate pronunciation is:

em-PYE-sa

More carefully:

• em as in empathy (roughly)
• pie like English pye
• za in most of Latin America sounds like sa

So in most of Latin America, empieza sounds roughly like:

em-PYE-sa

And the whole sentence is approximately:

el SEE-klo de la-VA-do em-PYE-sa a-O-ra

Yes, if the context already makes the timing clear.

• El ciclo de lavado empieza. = The wash cycle begins / is beginning.

But ahora adds the idea of now, which is important in a machine message or announcement. Without it, the sentence sounds a bit less immediate.