始まります（はじまります、hajimariまsu）
- to begin

The Japanese word 始まります (pronounced はじまります, *hajimarimasu*) means "to begin," "to start," or "to commence." It is the polite, ます (*masu*) form of the verb 始まる (*hajimaru*), which means "to begin" or "to start" in a more general sense. 始まります implies that something is starting or commencing, often in a scheduled or formal way. It emphasizes the beginning of an event, process, or activity. This verb is intransitive, meaning it does not take a direct object. Something *itself* starts. The subject is usually the thing that is beginning.

⚫︎授業が始まります Translation: The class begins. ⚫︎会議は1時から始まります Translation: The meeting will start at 1 o'clock. ⚫︎コンサートは7時に始まります Translation: The concert starts at 7 o'clock.

⚫︎始まります is used in formal or polite situations. ⚫︎It is used to announce the start of events, like classes, meetings, performances, or processes. ⚫︎You can use it with a time to indicate when something will begin. ⚫︎The subject of 始まります is typically the thing that is starting (e.g., the class, the meeting, the concert).

⚫︎The standard way to write 始まります is with the kanji 始 (meaning "to begin" or "to start") and the hiragana まります. ⚫︎The reading is はじまります (hajimarimasu) in hiragana. ⚫︎There are no other common ways to write this word. ⚫︎The okurigana (the suffix hiragana) is always まります. ⚫︎Variations exist in the root form (始まる, *hajimaru*) and conjugated forms, such as 始まりました (*hajimarimashita*, "began/started"), 始まらない (*hajまらない*, "does not begin/start"), 始まれば (*hajimareba*, "if it begins/starts") etc., these all use the same kanji 始.

⚫︎始める (*hajimeru*, "to begin" - transitive, meaning it *needs* a direct object) ⚫︎スタートする (*sutāto suru*, "to start" - a loanword from English, more informal) ⚫︎開始する (*kaishi suru*, "to start/commence" - more formal) ⚫︎始まる (hajimaru - the dictionary form) ⚫︎始まりました(hajimarimashita, past tense of 始まります) ⚫︎始まれば(hajimareba, conditional form of 始まります)

⚫︎終わります (*owarimasu*, "to end/finish" - polite form) ⚫︎終わる (*owaru*, "to end/finish") ⚫︎終了する (*shūryō suru*, "to finish/end" - more formal)

新しいドラマは来週の月曜日に始まります ・Translation: The new drama will begin next Monday. ・Explanation: The sentence indicates when the new drama will commence using 始まります.

パーティーは午後7時に始まります ・Translation: The party starts at 7 PM. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 始まります to state the time when the party will begin.

The word 始まります comes from the verb 始まる (*hajimaru*). The kanji 始 originally means "to begin," "to commence," or "to initiate." The verb's meaning has been consistent throughout the evolution of the Japanese language. The addition of the polite suffix ます (*masu*) creates the form 始まります.