One of the essential requirements to write correctly is to know the spelling of the language in which we express ourselves. However, it is normal that, from time to time, we are assailed by doubts about the writing of certain words whose spelling can be confusing or unintuitive. The most effective way to improve this problem is to constantly read. However, whenever you have any questions, you can consult many of the OneHOWTO articles on the subject.
In this case, we are going to answer one of the most common queries in the Spanish language, how to write: did I start or did I start? Keep reading and find out how to write the past tense of the verb to begin correctly and discover the reasons behind its spelling so that you know how to write similar conjugations. Go for it!
How to write: did I start or did I start?
The correct way to write this word is to start. It is the conjugation in the first person of the preterite of the verb to begin, which always has an accent on the last letter e. If you have doubts about how accents are used, we invite you to clarify them by clicking on the link!
Now, according to the definition of the RAE, the word begin has the following meanings:
- start something. Example: I started the first semester of university.
- Start the use or consumption of something. Example: I started eating healthier.
- Said about something: It has a beginning in a place. Example: many words begin with the letter c.
- Said about something: It begins in time. Example: Summer starts in July.
Synonyms of start
As you can see, the word to begin has the same use as the verb to begin, since both are synonyms. Other synonyms for start include:
- Start
- Undertake
- Start
- start
- To start.
Did I start or did I start?
Since one of the most common synonyms of the verb to begin is, precisely, the verb to begin, it is normal that there are also doubts about its correct conjugation. Both verbs follow the same conjugation rules, as do other irregular verbs such as acertar. Therefore, it is written I began and I did not begin.
Why is it confusing I started and I started?
If the verb to start is written with the letter z, why is it written started? Because Spanish speakers do not distinguish between the pronunciation of z and c, it is common to find this type of misspelled word. In addition, the word I started has the added complication that its infinitive form is written with z. Put like this, how can we know when a word is written with z or with c?
Spelling rules for z and c
In general, we can follow the following rule: the word is written with z if it is followed by the vowels a, u, or a, as is the case with the verb begin. Instead, the word is written with c if it is followed by the vowels EOI, as is the case with the conjugation I began.
As with many spellings in Spanish, there are exceptions to the rule. Some words are written in contradiction to the rule to preserve the spelling of the original language from which they come. Some examples include words like nazism, zigzag, or zeugma.
On the other hand, all verbs whose infinitive form ends in -zar change the z to c before the letter e, such as the verbs analyze (I analyzed), shame (embarrassed), channel (channeled), and use (I used).
It is normal to find other words written with both z and c, such as zebra and zebra, zinc and zinc, zygote and zygote, magacín, and magazín, among others. However, in many of these cases, the RAE recommends one spelling over the other, since one of them has fallen into disuse, as is the case with zebra or zebra.
Note that the letters s, z, and c tend to have many exceptions when it comes to their usage. Not all words with you will have a c after them, for example. The best way to learn the spelling of Spanish is by continually reading to never forget how a word is spelled, or by consulting the spelling rules of the language.
For example, another of the most common doubts is how to write the past tense of the verb to do in the third person singular: did he or did he? In this case, the correct way is done. However, when we talk about the past tense conjugation of the verb want, it is written wanted and not wanted, since all verbs whose infinitives do not contain s, c or z are written with s.
In other cases, there are homophones that, despite being pronounced exactly the same, are spelled differently. For example, you can write Roza or rosa, both words have different meanings, but they sound the same when pronounced, so it is easy to confuse their spelling.
If you want to read more articles similar to How to write I started or started, we recommend you visit our Training category.
