JLPT N4 Grammar – Difference between “〜出す” and “〜始める”

Table of Contents

1. Difference between “〜出だす” and “〜始はじめる”
2. 〜出だす
3. 〜始はじめる
4. Let’s Compare
5. Summary
6. Quiz
7. Similar Articles
8. Comment

Q: Do “〜出だす” and “〜始はじめる” have the same meaning?

A: Both can be used to indicate that some action or phenomenon has started. Let’s look at cases where they can be used interchangeably and where they cannot.

〜出だす (JLPT N4)

[Meaning]
To start suddenly

[Rules]
[V] Verb stem form＋出だす

[Commonly used verbs]
（雨あめが）降ふる (to rain)・泣なく(to cry)・笑わらう(to laugh)・走はしる(to run)・動うごく(to move)　etc.

[Examples]
急きゅうに雨あめが降ふり出だしたので、コンビニで傘かさを買かいました。
Suddenly it started to rain, so I bought an umbrella at the convenience store.

子供こどもが泣なき出だしてどうすればいいか分わかりませんでした。
The child started crying and I didn’t know what to do.

母ははは私わたしの話はなしを聞きいて笑わらい出だしました。
My mother started laughing after hearing my story.

〜始はじめる (JLPT N4)

[Meaning]
Something starts

[Rules]
[V] Verb stem form＋始はじめる

[Commonly used verbs]
食たべる(to eat)・変かわる(to change)・咲さく(to bloom)・通かよう(to commute)・利用りようする (to use), etc.

[Examples]
外国がいこく人じんの友達ともだちが日本にほんに住すみ始はじめました。
My foreign friend started living in Japan.

桜さくらの咲さき始はじめると春はるを感かんじます。
When the cherry blossoms start to bloom, I feel the arrival of spring.

最近さいきん、オンラインで英語えいごの勉強べんきょうをし始はじめました。
Recently, I started studying English online.

Let’s Compare

[出だす]

It indicates the sudden start of an action that cannot be controlled by a person’s will.
Therefore, it cannot be used with sentences that express the speaker’s intention, requests, commands, or instructions. It is often used together with “急きゅうに” (suddenly) or “とつぜん” (suddenly).

[Examples]
急きゅうに雨あめが降ふり出だしたので、コンビニで傘かさを買かいました。
Suddenly it started to rain, so I bought an umbrella at the convenience store.
⇒ The rain cannot be controlled by the speaker’s will. It indicates that the rain started suddenly.

お腹なかが空すきすぎて、ご飯はんを食たべ出だすと止とまらなくなりました。
I got so hungry that once I started eating, I couldn’t stop.
⇒ Although it is about the speaker, they could not control the will to eat, so “出だす” can be used.

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[始はじめる]

It indicates the start of an action that has a beginning and an end, something that begins naturally, or a habit that has started. It can be used with verbs that express the speaker’s intention and can also connect with sentences that express requests, commands, or instructions. However, it cannot be used with motion verbs or instantaneous verbs like “行いく” (to go), “来くる” (to come), or “帰かえる” (to return).

[Examples]
夕日ゆうひが沈しずみ始はじめました。
The sun has started to set.
⇒ It indicates the start of the natural phenomenon of the sun setting.

ヨガに通かよい始はじめました。
I have started going to yoga classes.
⇒ It is a habitual activity, and it indicates the beginning of this habit.

〇まだ山本やまもとさんが来きていませんが、食たべ始はじめましょうか。
× まだ山本やまもとさんが来きていませんが、食たべ出だしましょうか。
Mr. Yamamoto is not here yet, but shall we start eating?
⇒ Since the end of the sentence is a request expression, “始はじめる” is used.

Summary

[出だす]

• It indicates the sudden start of an action that is not related to a person’s intention.
• It cannot be used to express the speaker’s intention, request, command, or instruction.

[始はじまる]

• It indicates the start of an action that has a beginning and an end, something that begins naturally, or a habit that has started.
• It can be used with verbs that express the speaker’s intention and can connect with sentences that express requests, commands, or instructions.

Quiz

Read the following sentence and choose the expression that fits the context from the options provided in the parentheses.

Click on the question to check the answer.

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