Meaning
to begin
- to start doing something
In a sentence
Domani iniziamo il corso alle nove.
Tomorrow we start the course at nine.
Hai già iniziato a studiare per l'esame?
Have you already started studying for the exam?
Voglio iniziare il libro stasera.
I want to start the book tonight.
Word forms (48)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| iniziare | infinitive |
| iniziamo | indicative · present · plural · 1st person |
| inizio | indicative · present · singular · 1st person |
| iniziate | indicative · present · plural · 2nd person |
| inizi | indicative · present · singular · 2nd person |
| iniziano | indicative · present · plural · 3rd person |
| inizia | indicative · present · singular · 3rd person |
| iniziavamo | indicative · imperfect · plural · 1st person |
| iniziavo | indicative · imperfect · singular · 1st person |
| iniziavate | indicative · imperfect · plural · 2nd person |
| iniziavi | indicative · imperfect · singular · 2nd person |
| iniziavano | indicative · imperfect · plural · 3rd person |
| iniziava | indicative · imperfect · singular · 3rd person |
| iniziammo | indicative · past · plural · 1st person |
| iniziai | indicative · past · singular · 1st person |
| iniziaste | indicative · past · plural · 2nd person |
| iniziasti | indicative · past · singular · 2nd person |
| iniziarono | indicative · past · plural · 3rd person |
| iniziò | indicative · past · singular · 3rd person |
| inizieremo | indicative · future · plural · 1st person |
| inizierò | indicative · future · singular · 1st person |
| inizierete | indicative · future · plural · 2nd person |
| inizierai | indicative · future · singular · 2nd person |
| inizieranno | indicative · future · plural · 3rd person |
| inizierà | indicative · future · singular · 3rd person |
| iniziamo | subjunctive · present · plural · 1st person |
| inizi | subjunctive · present · singular · 1st person |
| iniziate | subjunctive · present · plural · 2nd person |
| inizi | subjunctive · present · singular · 2nd person |
| inizino | subjunctive · present · plural · 3rd person |
| inizi | subjunctive · present · singular · 3rd person |
| iniziassimo | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 1st person |
| iniziassi | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 1st person |
| iniziaste | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 2nd person |
| iniziassi | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 2nd person |
| iniziassero | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 3rd person |
| iniziasse | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 3rd person |
| inizieremmo | conditional · present · plural · 1st person |
| inizierei | conditional · present · singular · 1st person |
| iniziereste | conditional · present · plural · 2nd person |
| inizieresti | conditional · present · singular · 2nd person |
| inizierebbero | conditional · present · plural · 3rd person |
| inizierebbe | conditional · present · singular · 3rd person |
| iniziamo | imperative · plural · 1st person |
| iniziate | imperative · plural · 2nd person |
| inizia | imperative · singular · 2nd person |
| iniziando | gerund |
| iniziato | past · participle |
Usage notes
- Use 'iniziare' for actions/events with a clear start. For gradual starts, prefer 'cominciare'.
- Auxiliary is 'avere' for transitive use (e.g., 'ho iniziato il libro'), 'essere' for intransitive (e.g., 'è iniziata la lezione').
- Avoid 'iniziare a' + infinitive for unintentional starts (e.g., 'ha iniziato a piovere' sounds unnatural; use 'è cominciato a piovere').