hajimeru-vs-hajimete

2021年10月17日2026年4月21日

始める (hajimeru) and 初めて (hajimete) both start with the same sound — hajime — and both relate to the concept of “beginning.” But they play completely different grammatical roles: one is a verb meaning “to start something,” and the other is an adverb / noun meaning “for the first time.” Confusing them leads to awkward, incorrect sentences. This guide makes the distinction crystal clear.

Yuka

Hey Rei, what’s the best way to remember the difference between 始める and 初めて?

Rei

The best trick is to associate each word with a strong image or situation. By the end of this article you’ll have one for each — promise!

TOC

At a Glance: 始める vs. 初めて

Feature	始める (はじめる / hajimeru)	初めて (はじめて / hajimete)
Core meaning	To start / begin (an action)	For the first time
Word type	Ichidan verb (る-verb)	Adverb / noun
Kanji	始める (始 = begin, start)	初めて (初 = first, initial)
Grammatical role	Predicate verb or auxiliary verb	Adverb modifying a verb or action
Used with particle を?	Yes — ___を始める	No — 初めて + verb
JLPT level	N5	N5

始める (はじめる) — To Start or Begin an Action

始める is a transitive verb that means “to start” or “to begin” something. The key structure is: [thing] を始める — “to start [thing].” It indicates that the subject is actively starting an activity or undertaking.

Formation note: 始める is an ichidan (る-verb), so it conjugates by removing る and adding the appropriate ending: 始めます (polite present), 始めた (past plain), 始めて (te-form).

始める can also be used as an auxiliary verb attached to another verb stem: 食べ始める (tabehajimeru — to start eating), 走り始める (hashirihajimeru — to start running).

Example 1 — starting a new hobby:

ギターを始めた。
Gitaa wo hajimeta.
I started (learning) guitar.

Example 2 — starting a meeting:

では、会議を始めます。
Dewa, kaigi wo hajimemasu.
Now, let’s begin the meeting.

Example 3 — auxiliary verb use:

雨が降り始めた。
Ame ga furihajimeta.
It started to rain.

Yuka

That makes sense! So 始める is about… okay, I think I’m starting to get it.

Rei

You’re getting it! And the more you practice using 始める in sentences, the more automatic it becomes. Language learning is all about repetition.

初めて (はじめて) — For the First Time

初めて is an adverb meaning “for the first time.” It does not function as a verb — it modifies a verb to indicate that the action is being done for the very first time. The kanji 初 (hatsu / hajime) specifically means “first” or “initial.”

Unlike 始める, 初めて does not take the particle を. You simply place it before the verb it modifies: 初めて + verb.

Example 1 — first time in Japan:

初めて日本に来た。
Hajimete Nihon ni kita.
I came to Japan for the first time.

Example 2 — first time eating sushi:

初めてお寿司を食べた。
Hajimete osushi wo tabeta.
I ate sushi for the first time.

Example 3 — “this is my first time”:

スノーボードは初めてです。
Sunoobooodo wa hajimete desu.
This is my first time snowboarding.

Yuka

Alright. And now explain 初めて? I want to make sure I have both down.

Rei

Sure! 初めて is actually the easier one to remember once you have a clear mental image. Let’s look at the examples.

Kanji Key: 始 vs. 初

The different kanji characters are the clearest way to remember which word is which:

Kanji	Reading	Core meaning	Used in
始	はじ (haji)	To begin, to start (an action)	始める (verb — to start)
初	はじ (haji) / はつ (hatsu)	First, initial, inaugural	初めて (adverb — for the first time), 初めまして

Tip: 初 also appears in 初めまして (hajimemashite — “nice to meet you”), which is literally “for the first time (we meet).” This connection helps cement the “first time” meaning of 初.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Situation	始める (verb)	初めて (adverb)
Starting to study Japanese	日本語を始めた	—
Studying Japanese for the first time	—	初めて日本語を勉強した
Beginning a new job	新しい仕事を始める	—
Meeting someone for the first time	—	初めてお会いします
It starts raining	雨が降り始める	—
Taking a plane for the first time	—	初めて飛行機に乗った

Decision Flowchart: 始める or 初めて?

You want to express something about "starting."
        |
        v
Are you saying that someone STARTS an action
(it was not happening and now it begins)?
   |           |
  YES          NO
   |           |
   v           v
Use 始める    Are you saying this is the
(hajimeru)   FIRST TIME someone does something?
(verb)           |           |
                YES          NO
                 |            |
                 v            v
           Use 初めて      Rethink —
           (hajimete)    maybe use 初めて
           (adverb)      or a different word