börja + Infinitive
Start -ing
Use 'börja' + '(att)' + verb to say 'start to [do something]' or 'start -ing'.
How It Works
The construction 'börja + infinitive' is fundamental for talking about the inception of an action. The structure is straightforward:
Subject + conjugated 'börja' + (att) + infinitive verb
The verb 'börja' is a regular Group 1 verb, so its conjugation is predictable:
- Presens (Present): börjar
- Preteritum (Past): började
- Supinum (Supine): börjat
The infinitive marker 'att' is grammatically correct to include but is very often dropped in both spoken and written Swedish. The meaning doesn't change.
- With 'att': Jag började att läsa boken. (I started to read the book.)
- Without 'att': Jag började läsa boken. (I started reading the book.)
Both are correct and mean the same thing. The version without 'att' is more common in everyday language.
This pattern can be used with other auxiliary verbs to form different tenses and moods, for example with 'ska' for the future or 'har' for the perfect tense.
- Future: Jag ska börja träna nästa vecka. (I'm going to start working out next week.)
- Perfect: De har börjat bygga huset. (They have started to build the house.)
Starta is also used for beginnings, particularly starting a machine, activity or organization. Börja läsa is the ordinary pattern taught here; this preference does not make every other use of starta ungrammatical. Omitting att after börja is a grammatical complement choice, not a contracted pronunciation like English gonna.
Examples (5)
- Det börjar regna.
It's starting to rain.
Word by Word: It starts to-rain.
Present tense 'börjar' followed by the infinitive 'regna'. The infinitive marker 'att' is omitted here, which is very common.
- När började du att spela gitarr?
When did you start to play the guitar?
Word by Word: When started you to play guitar?
Past tense 'började' in a question. Here, 'att' is included, which is also perfectly correct.
- Vi har precis börjat titta på en ny serie.
We have just started watching a new series.
Word by Word: We have just started to-watch on a new series.
Perfect tense using 'har' + the supinum form 'börjat'.
- Jag ska börja studera svenska på universitetet.
I'm going to start studying Swedish at the university.
Word by Word: I shall start to-study Swedish at the-university.
Future tense using the modal verb 'ska' followed by 'börja' in its infinitive form.
- Barnen började skratta högt.
The children started to laugh loudly.
Word by Word: The-children started to-laugh loudly.
Common Mistakes
Using a conjugated verb after 'börja' instead of an infinitive.
Jag börjar förstår lektionen nu.Jag börjar förstå lektionen nu.The verb following 'börja' must be in its infinitive (base) form, not conjugated. It should be 'förstå' (to understand), not 'förstår' (understand/s).
Forgetting to conjugate 'börja' for the correct tense.
Igår börja jag läsa en bok.Igår började jag läsa en bok.For an ordinary past-tense account use började; börjar can instead narrate from the present viewpoint. The infinitive börja cannot serve as the finite verb here. After initial Igår, place the finite verb before jag.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To use 'börja + infinitive', you need to know how to conjugate the main verb 'börja' and understand how to form the infinitive of the following verb to describe the start of an action.
- attTo (Infinitive Marker)
Understanding the infinitive marker 'att' is essential, as 'börja' is often followed by an infinitive phrase (though 'att' is sometimes omitted in this specific construction, the concept of the infinitive is central).
Level 1 - Tense concepts
Learners need to understand how to place the inception of an action in the past, present, or future.
Foundations
Related Patterns
- sluta + InfinitiveStop -ing
This is the direct antonym of 'börja + infinitive'. 'Sluta' means 'to stop', so it's used to express the cessation of an action (e.g., 'sluta regna' - stop raining).
Level 4 - fortsätta + InfinitiveContinue -ing
This is the logical continuation. 'Fortsätta' means 'to continue', describing an action that is ongoing after it has started (e.g., 'fortsätta läsa' - continue reading).
Level 4 - -arFirst Conjugation Verbs
'Börja' is a regular Group 1 (-ar) verb. Knowing this conjugation pattern helps you use 'börja' correctly in all tenses (börjar, började, har börjat).
Level 1 - brukarUsually Do
Brukar normally takes a bare infinitive. Börja permits either börja läsa or börja att läsa; the verbs do not have identical att patterns.
Level 2 - hålla på attBe in the Middle of
This pattern means 'to be in the middle of doing something'. It contrasts with 'börja', which marks the beginning of an action. 'Jag börjar laga mat' (I'm starting to cook) vs. 'Jag håller på att laga mat' (I'm in the middle of cooking).
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice börja + Infinitive in Bubblegum
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