begin
begin — 動詞
- beginpresent simple I / you / we / they
- beginshe / she / it
- beganpast simple
- begunpast participle
- beginning-ing form
1. used when an event, a season, or a situation starts to occur or appears for the
開始；啟動
事件或過程開始發生
used when an event, a season, or a situation starts to occur or appears for the first time.
The opening ceremony of the games will begin at nine o'clock tomorrow morning.
比賽的開幕式將在明天早上九點開始。
begin + adverb of time for event start
Snow began to fall heavily after midnight, covering the roads in white.
午夜過後，雪開始下得很大，把道路都覆蓋成白色。
Construction on the new hospital wing began in early March last year.
新醫院大樓的建設工程於去年三月初動工。
The movie had already begun by the time Beatrix found her seat.
Beatrix 找到座位時，電影已經開始了。
past perfect: had already begun
When does the next performance begin, I asked the ticket seller.
下一場表演什麼時候開始？我問售票員。
- begin on time
- begin promptly
- begin officially
- begin at [time]
- start
more common in everyday conversation; almost interchangeable
- commence
much more formal, usually in official or ceremonial contexts
- get underway
informal phrasal expression, often for events or projects
文法句型
begin + (no object)
begin + to-infinitive (of events)
用法筆記
The subject is typically an event noun (meeting, show, construction) or a natural phenomenon (rain, snow). Passive voice is uncommon for this sense.
常見錯誤
2. used when a person begins performing an action or starts working on a task.
開始；著手
開始執行某個行動或活動
used when a person begins performing an action or starts working on a task.
Mia began learning Japanese when she was eight years old.
Mia 八歲的時候就開始學日文。
begin + -ing form for starting an activity
The team began to build the wooden shelves shortly after lunch.
午飯後不久，團隊就開始搭建木頭架子。
begin + to-infinitive for the first step of a task
Elena began writing her first novel during the summer vacation.
Elena 在暑假期間開始寫她的第一本小說。
The children began painting pictures as soon as the teacher arrived.
老師一到，孩子們就開始畫畫了。
- begin to work
- begin studying
- begin learning
- begin writing
- start
almost always interchangeable with begin for actions
- get started on
more informal, common in spoken English
- set about
slightly more formal, implies determination
文法句型
begin + to-infinitive
begin + -ing form
常見錯誤
3. when someone starts to speak, especially after a pause or at the start of a conv
開口；發言
開始說話或發言
when someone starts to speak, especially after a pause or at the start of a conversation or presentation.
Liang began his speech by thanking everyone who had helped him.
Liang 開口先感謝所有幫助過他的人，然後開始演講。
begin + possessive + speech noun for starting to speak
The old man cleared his throat and began to tell his life story.
老人清了清喉嚨，開始講述他的人生故事。
Sivan began by saying, "I think I have made a terrible mistake."
Sivan 一開始就說：「我想我犯了一個嚴重的錯誤。」
begin by + saying / asking / explaining
Shirin began the interview by asking about the candidate's experience.
Shirin 在面試開始時首先詢問了求職者的經歷。
- begin a speech
- begin an interview
- begin by saying
- begin with a question
- start speaking
more direct, less literary
- open
used for formal talks or presentations ('She opened with a joke')
- stop speaking
to cease talking
- fall silent
to become quiet
文法句型
begin + speech noun
begin + by + -ing form
begin + quote
用法筆記
Often used with a quote or an explanation of what was said. The object can be a noun like 'speech', 'talk', or 'story'.
常見錯誤
4. used when a particular element, person, or thing comes first in a sequence, list
始於；起於
以某事物作為第一部分或起點
used when a particular element, person, or thing comes first in a sequence, list, or process.
The German word for "hello" begins with the letter G.
德文的「你好」是以字母 G 開頭的。
begin with + letter/number for first element
The festival began with a colorful parade through the main street.
慶典始於一場穿過主要街道的熱鬧遊行。
Adaeze's day at work begins with a short team meeting every morning.
Adaeze 的每個工作日都是從短暫的團隊會議開始的。
Every good story begins with an interesting hook that draws readers in.
每個好故事都是以能吸引讀者的有趣開頭開始的。
- begin with [something]
- begin with a bang
- begin as [role]
- begin at [location]
- start with
the most common alternative; fully interchangeable
- open with
common for events, performances, or documents
- end with
to have something as the final element
- conclude with
to have something as the closing element
文法句型
begin with + noun / noun phrase
用法筆記
Almost always followed by 'with' or 'as'. 'Begin with' introduces the first element; 'begin as' introduces an initial role or state ('He began as a junior clerk').
常見錯誤
5. to bring something into existence by creating, founding, or establishing it as a
創立；開創
發起或創立新的事物
to bring something into existence by creating, founding, or establishing it as a new entity.
My great-grandfather began the family bakery in a small mountain village.
我曾祖父在一個小山村裡創辦了家族麵包店。
begin + noun (business) for founding something
The students began a recycling program at their high school last year.
學生們去年在高中創立了一個回收計劃。
Nadia and her colleagues began a charity that helps homeless families.
Nadia 和同事們創立了一個幫助無家可歸家庭的慈善機構。
A group of local musicians began the festival tradition back in 1985.
一群當地音樂人在 1985 年開啟了這個音樂節的傳統。
- begin a business
- begin a tradition
- begin a program
- begin a charity
- begin a practice
- close down
to stop operating a business or organization
- disband
to break up a group or organization
文法句型
begin + noun (company, tradition, practice)
用法筆記
Common objects are 'business', 'company', 'tradition', 'practice', 'movement', or 'program' — nouns that describe something lasting, not a one-time action.
常見錯誤
6. appears only with a negative word (such as can't or doesn't) to emphasize that s
絲毫不；無法
用於否定句，強調完全沒有或做不到
appears only with a negative word (such as can't or doesn't) to emphasize that something does not happen at all, or that no serious attempt is made.
I cannot even begin to tell you how grateful we are for your kindness.
我完全無法告訴你我有多感激你的好意。
negative: can't even begin + to-infinitive for emphasis
The asking price of this apartment does not begin to reflect its true value.
這間公寓的開價完全沒有反映出它的真實價值。
does not begin + to-infinitive for 'not even close'
Meera could not even begin to understand the complicated legal document.
Meera 根本無法理解那份複雜的法律文件。
Their small donation does not begin to cover the cost of the medical treatment.
他們的小額捐款根本不足以支付醫療費用。
- cannot even begin to
- does not begin to
- don't even begin to
- not even start
less idiomatic but conveys the same emphatic negation
文法句型
can't even begin + to-infinitive
doesn't begin + to-infinitive
用法筆記
Only appears in negative constructions, most often 'cannot even begin + to-infinitive' or 'does not begin + to-infinitive'. Affirmative uses cannot express this meaning. The 'even' adds emphasis but is optional.