Learn Turkish: Şimdi başla.

In Turkish, giving a direct command to one person (the singular informal "you") is incredibly simple: you just use the bare verb root! The dictionary form of the verb "to begin" is başlamak. When you drop the -mak infinitive ending, you are left with the root başla, which directly translates as the command "Begin!".

Can I include the word for "you" and say Sen şimdi başla?

Yes, you can! Just like in English, the subject "you" (sen) is usually dropped in commands because it is already obvious who you are talking to. Adding Sen to the beginning is grammatically correct but would just add strong emphasis, like pointing and saying "You, begin now."

Why is şimdi (now) before the verb, when in English we usually say "Begin now"?

In Turkish, verbs almost always go at the very end of the sentence. Time words like şimdi usually go before the verb. So putting the time word first makes this the natural and expected word order in Turkish.

Is the verb başla related to the noun baş (head)?

Yes, it is! The word baş means "head", but it also frequently means the "start" or "beginning" of something. By adding the suffix -la (which turns nouns into verbs), başla is created, meaning "to start" or "to begin". Recognizing this connection makes it much easier to remember the word!