Past Tense of “begin”
The past simple of “begin” is “began” and the past participle is “begun”. Below are the pronunciation, three example sentences, the mistake learners make most often, and a short drill to check yourself.
Forms of “begin”
begin – began – begun
start
- Base form
- begin/bɪˈɡɪn/
- Past simple
- began/bɪˈɡæn/
- Past participle
- begun/bɪˈɡʌn/
- -ing form
- beginning
- He / she / it
- begins
Pronunciation (US)
Quick practice
5 questions. Type the missing form.
Example sentences
Three everyday sentences that show how the forms are used.
Past simple
The concert began at eight o’clock.
Past participle
Have you begun your new course?
Past simple
It began to rain on our way home.
The most common mistake
Wrong
The meeting has began.
Correct
The meeting has begun.
After “has”, use “begun”. “Began” is the past simple.
Verbs with the same pattern
All 3 forms different. Learn these together.