เริ่ม
start
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 start、begin、begin to do、start becoming
Describes an action, event, or change moving into its first stage. It can mean “start” or “begin,” and before another verb or state word it means “begin to do” or “start becoming.”
start、begin、begin to do、start becoming
Marks the beginning of an action or event, or the first stage of a developing action or change. Depending on the context, it can be transitive or intransitive.
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เริ่มงาน rə̂əm ŋaan start work เริ่มงาน details
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ประชุมเริ่มกี่โมง prachum rə̂əm kìi mooŋ What time does the meeting start? ประชุมเริ่มกี่โมง details
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เขาเริ่มเรียนภาษาไทย khǎw rə̂əm rian phaasǎa thay He started learning Thai. เขาเริ่มเรียนภาษาไทย details
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อากาศเริ่มร้อนแล้ว aakàat rə̂əm rɔ́ɔn lɛ́ɛw It’s starting to get hot. อากาศเริ่มร้อนแล้ว details
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เริ่มกันเลย rə̂əm kan ləəy Let’s get started. เริ่มกันเลย details
Learning notes
Explanation
The central idea of เริ่ม is that something not previously happening now enters its first stage. With a person as the subject, it often means “start something.” With an event such as a meeting or class as the subject, it means “begin.” The Thai verb itself does not change. เริ่ม followed by a verb means “begin to do,” as in เริ่มเรียน, “begin studying.” Before a state word, it marks the beginning of a change: เริ่มร้อน means “start getting hot.” It commonly occurs with แล้ว, จะ, and เพิ่ง. เริ่มแล้ว means “has already started,” จะเริ่ม refers to something about to start, and เพิ่งเริ่ม means “has just started.”
Usage
Used for the beginning of work, classes, meetings, games, and events. It is also common when someone begins an activity or when weather, health, emotions, or understanding starts to change. It is a neutral, everyday word used in both conversation and writing.
Caution
When the subject of the developing action is stated, it normally comes before เริ่ม: ฝนเริ่มตก means “It is starting to rain.” Also, เริ่ม plus a state word marks the onset of a change, not merely the current state; เริ่มร้อน means “start getting hot,” not simply “be hot.”
Differences from similar words
1 start synonyms
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ลงมือ emphasizes actually setting to work after thinking or preparing. เริ่ม is broader: it can start an action, mark an event beginning, or indicate that a state is beginning to change.