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### Starting Actions with "Empezar a"

When you want to talk about taking up a new hobby or starting an activity, use the verb **empezar** (to start). To say that you are starting *to do* something, place the preposition **a** right after the conjugated form of **empezar**, followed by an infinitive verb.

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### Conjugating "Empezar"

**Empezar** is a stem-changing verb. The second **e** changes to **ie** in all forms except *nosotros / nosotras*.

| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | empiezo |
| tú | empiezas |
| él / ella / usted | empieza |
| nosotros / nosotras | empezamos |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | empiezan |

Let's see a few more examples of people starting new hobbies:

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### Future Plans

You can combine **empezar a** with **ir a** (to be going to) to talk about activities you plan to take up soon. Notice how you use the preposition **a** twice in a row: conjugated **ir** + **a** + **empezar** + **a** + infinitive!

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Starting actions (empezar a)

adjective

adverb

auxiliary verb

conjunction

determiner

expression

interjection

noun

numeral

prep

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

Subject pronouns and the verb to be (yo soy)

Noun gender and definite articles (el, la)

Basic sentences and negation (no)

Indefinite articles (un, una)

Formal and informal you (tú vs. usted)

Plural pronouns and the verb to be (somos, son)

Making nouns plural (-s, -es)

Plural articles (los, las, unos, unas)

Noun gender exceptions

Adjective agreement

Invariable adjectives

State and location (estar)

Ser vs. estar

There is / there are (hay)

Hay vs. estar

To have (tener)

Possession (de)

Possessive adjectives (mi, tu, su)

Regular -ar verbs

Yes/No questions

What and who (qué, quién)

Regular -er verbs

Regular -ir verbs

Asking where (dónde, adónde)

How, when, and why (cómo, cuándo, por qué)

How much and how many (cuánto)

Days of the week

Going to a place (ir a)

Preposition contractions (al, del)

In and by (en)

With me and with you (conmigo, contigo)

Prepositional pronouns (mí, ti)

Conjunctions (y, o, pero)

Giving reasons (porque)

Stem-changing verbs (e to ie)

Stem-changing verbs (o to ue)

Stem-changing verbs (e to i)

Irregular yo forms (hago, salgo)

To know (saber vs. conocer)

Weather expressions (hace, está)

Desires and plans (querer)

Ability and requests (poder)

Obligations (tener que)

Expressing likes (me gusta)

Plural likes (me gustan)

Verbs like gustar (encantar, doler)

Very vs. a lot (muy, mucho)

Numbers 0 to 15 (cero, uno, dos…)

Numbers 16 to 31 (dieciséis, veinte…)

Numbers 30 to 1000 (treinta, cien, mil)

Months of the year (enero, febrero, marzo)

Seasons and dates (el dos de mayo)

Telling time (es la..., son las...)

Ordinal numbers 1st to 10th (primero, segundo, tercero)

Reflexive pronouns and verbs (me, te, se, nos)

Direct object pronouns (lo, la, los, las)

The near future (ir a)

The present continuous (estar + -ando, -iendo)

Near demonstrative adjectives (este, esta, estos, estas)

Medium demonstrative adjectives (ese, esa, esos, esas)

Comparatives of inequality (más / menos ... que)

Comparatives of equality (tan ... como)

Indefinite and negative pronouns (algo, nada, alguien, nadie)

Affirmative commands

Far demonstratives (aquel, aquella)

Possessive pronouns (el mío, el tuyo)

Shortened indefinite adjectives (algún, ningún)

Adverbs of quantity (demasiado, bastante)

Adverbs of frequency (a menudo, a veces)

Adverb formation (-mente)

Exclamations (¡Qué...!)

Irregular comparatives (mejor, peor, mayor, menor)

Relative superlatives (el más... de)

Adjective intensification (-ísimo)

Indirect object pronouns

Pronoun placement with infinitives

Double object pronouns (me lo, te la)

The 'se lo' rule (se lo, se la)

Impersonal statements (se)

Impersonal obligation (hay que)

Personal obligation (deber)

Finishing and quitting actions (terminar de, dejar de)

Repeating actions (volver a)

Continuing actions (seguir + gerundio)

Complex prepositions of place (encima de, debajo de...)

Question	Answer
chess	el ajedrez
Are you starting to play chess today?	¿Empiezas a jugar ajedrez hoy?
tennis	el tenis
Tomorrow I am going to start practicing tennis and chess.	Mañana voy a empezar a practicar tenis y ajedrez.
Tennis is as fun as soccer.	El tenis es tan divertido como el fútbol.
Why don't you start playing tennis with us?	¿Por qué no empiezas a jugar tenis con nosotros?
piano	el piano
I am starting to play the piano at school.	Empiezo a tocar el piano en la escuela.
How beautiful! Your son is starting to play the piano.	¡Qué bonito! Tu hijo empieza a tocar el piano.
photography	la fotografía
They start studying photography on Tuesday.	Ellas empiezan a estudiar fotografía el martes.
When are you going to start learning photography?	¿Cuándo vas a empezar a aprender fotografía?
painting	la pintura
Painting is as interesting as music.	La pintura es tan interesante como la música.
We are starting to practice painting this weekend.	Empezamos a practicar pintura este fin de semana.
to collect	coleccionar
coin	la moneda
My grandfather is starting to collect coins from Mexico.	Mi abuelo empieza a coleccionar monedas de México.
I am going to start collecting photos of the city.	Voy a empezar a coleccionar fotos de la ciudad.
Those old coins are very expensive.	Esas monedas viejas son muy caras.
to knit	tejer
scarf	la bufanda
She is knitting a blue scarf.	Ella está tejiendo una bufanda azul.
I am starting to knit clothes for my family.	Empiezo a tejer ropa para mi familia.
This red scarf is as pretty as that jacket.	Esta bufanda roja es tan bonita como esa chaqueta.
gardening	la jardinería
My mother is starting to learn gardening today.	Mi madre empieza a aprender jardinería hoy.
We are starting to practice gardening at home.	Empezamos a practicar jardinería en casa.