بدأ / أخذ + Present Tense

Starting to Do Something

Level 4

In Arabic, verbs like بدأ (started) and أخذ (took to) act as auxiliary verbs. When followed by a present-tense verb, they mean 'started to [do something]'.

How It Works

Verbs of beginning (أفعال الشروع) are used to indicate the inception of an action. While there are several verbs in this category, the most common in Modern Standard Arabic are بدأ (neutral 'started') and أخذ (often implying a sudden or vigorous start).

Grammatical Structure:

  • The Auxiliary Verb: The verb of beginning (e.g., بدأ) is almost always used in the past tense to function this way.
  • The Subject: The subject (الفاعل) remains in the nominative case (المرفوع).
  • The Predicate: The action being started must be a present-tense verb. Crucially, unlike other auxiliary patterns, you cannot use أن before the second verb.

Nuances of Usage:

  • بدأ: The standard way to say 'started.' It can also be used with a verbal noun (Masdar), but the present-tense verb construction is a specific grammatical pattern.
  • أخذ: Literally means 'to take,' but when followed by a present verb, it means 'to take to' or 'to start suddenly.'
  • شرع: A more formal or literary verb used for commencing serious or official tasks.

Examples (4)

  1. بدأ المطرُ ينزلُ بغزارة.

    The rain started falling heavily.

    Word by Word: Started the rain it descends with abundance.

    Here, 'bada'a' is the auxiliary and 'yanzilu' is the present-tense verb showing the action that started.

  2. أخذ الطفلُ يبكي بصوتٍ عالٍ.

    The child started crying loudly.

    Word by Word: Took the child he cries with a voice high.

    'Akhaḏa' functions as 'started' because it is followed by the present verb 'yabkī'.

  3. شرعَ المهندسونَ يضعونَ التصاميمَ الجديدة.

    The engineers began laying out the new designs.

    Word by Word: Began the engineers they put the designs the new.

    'Shara‘a' is a formal verb of beginning. Note that the second verb 'yaḍa‘ūna' is in the present tense.

  4. بدأ الطلابُ يكتبون الدرسَ.

    The students started writing the lesson.

    Word by Word: Started the students they write the lesson.

    Even with a plural subject, the auxiliary 'بدأ' stays singular at the start of the sentence, while the second verb 'يكتبون' matches the plural subject.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the particle 'an' (أن) between the two verbs.

    بدأ الطالب أن يقرأ.
    بدأ الطالب يقرأُ.

    Unlike 'wanting to' or 'liking to,' verbs of beginning NEVER take 'an' before the following present-tense verb. This is a strict rule for this specific class of verbs.

  • Using the auxiliary verb in the present tense to mean 'starting to'.

    يأخذ الطفل يبكي.
    أخذ الطفل يبكي.

    To function as an auxiliary meaning 'started to,' these verbs must be in the past tense. In the present tense, 'ya'khudhu' usually just means 'he takes'.

How It Connects

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بدأ / أخذ + Present TenseLevel 4Starting to Do Something

Learn This First

To understand this pattern, you need to be comfortable with both past and present tense verb conjugations. It is also helpful to understand the 'Kan and its sisters' structure, as these verbs of beginning follow a similar grammatical logic where a verb phrase acts as the news/predicate of the sentence.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

بدأأخذ