commencer

to begin

verb koh-mahn-SEH Common

Also means

to start

Usage Note

Commencer is typically followed by à before an infinitive: commencer à travailler. The stem changes in conjugation — the 'c' gains a cedilla before 'a' or 'o' to preserve the soft sound (il commença). Its near-synonym débuter is slightly more formal and often used for premieres or career beginnings.

Examples

"Le film commence à huit heures."

Natural Translation

The film starts at eight o'clock.

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