# begin

> English word · Verb · IPA /bɪˈɡɪn/ · frequency rank #1,519

## Definitions
1. To start, to initiate or take the first step into something.
2. To come into existence.

## Etymology
From Middle English beginnen, from Old English beginnan (“to begin”), from Proto-West Germanic *biginnan, from Proto-Germanic *biginnaną (“to begin”), from be- + base verb *ginnaną also found in Old English onginnan.

## Easily confused with
- **ben** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/begin-vs-ben)
- **bin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/begin-vs-bin)
- **begs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/begin-vs-begs)
- **bein** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/begin-vs-bein)
- **Bern** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/begin-vs-bern)
- **Beit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/begin-vs-beit)
- **brin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/begin-vs-brin)
- **being** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/begin-vs-being)
- **brain** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/begin-vs-brain)
- **begun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/begin-vs-begun)
- **Benin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/begin-vs-benin)
- **Bevan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/begin-vs-bevan)
- **begum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/begin-vs-begum)
- **bogan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/begin-vs-bogan)
- **behind** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/begin-vs-behind)
- **begins** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/begin-vs-begins)
- **Berlin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/begin-vs-berlin)
- **benign** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/begin-vs-benign)
- **bergen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/begin-vs-bergen)
- **Bering** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/begin-vs-bering)

## Common misspellings (6)
`bbegin`, `beggin`, `beginn`, `begni`, `bgein`, `ebgin`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/begin