Start doing

This pattern marks the beginning of an action or a change in state. It's equivalent to saying "to start doing..." or "to begin to be..." in English.

Formation

Attach -기 시작하다 directly to the stem of a verb or an adjective.

Verb stem + -기 시작하다

먹다 (to eat) → 먹기 시작하다 (to start eating)

공부하다 (to study) → 공부하기 시작하다 (to start studying)

Adjective stem + -기 시작하다

아프다 (to be sick/painful) → 아프기 시작하다 (to start hurting)

배고프다 (to be hungry) → 배고프기 시작하다 (to start getting hungry)

Tense

The tense (past, present, future) is always applied to the final verb, 시작하다, not the verb it's attached to.

Past: 시작했어(요) - Most common usage

Present: 시작해(요) or 시작한다

Future: 시작할 거야/거예요

비가 오기 시작해. / 한국어를 공부하기 시작했어요. / 배가 아프기 시작했어.

A key feature of -기 시작하다 is that it works smoothly with both action verbs and descriptive verbs (adjectives).

With Action Verbs

This is the most straightforward usage. It marks the beginning of a tangible action.

운동하기 시작했어. (I started exercising.)

아기가 울기 시작했어요. (The baby started crying.)

With Adjectives (Descriptive Verbs)

When used with adjectives, it describes the onset of a state, feeling, or quality. In English, this often translates to "started to get..." or "started to feel...".

배고프기 시작했어. (I started getting hungry.)

머리가 아프기 시작했어요. (My head started hurting.)

그를 좋아하기 시작했어. (I started liking him.)

저녁을 먹기 시작했어. / 배가 아프기 시작했어요. / 그를 좋아하기 시작했어.

To sound more natural, you can combine this pattern with time expressions and understand its specific nuance.

Common Time Expressions

-기 시작하다 often appears with words that specify when the action began.

~부터: from (a point in time)

어제부터 머리가 아프기 시작했어요. (My head started hurting from yesterday.)

최근에: recently

최근에 운동하기 시작했어요. (I started exercising recently.)

Nuance: A Process, Not an Instant

This pattern implies an action or change that has started and is expected to continue for some time. It's not used for instantaneous, one-off actions.

Natural: 비가 오기 시작했다. (It started raining.) - Rain is a process.

Awkward: 문을 열기 시작했다. (He started opening the door.) - Unless opening the door is a very slow, dramatic process, you would just say 문을 열었다 (He opened the door).

작년부터 한국어를 공부하기 시작했어요. / 3시부터 눈이 내리기 시작했어요. / 최근에 걱정하기 시작했어요.

The politeness level of this pattern is determined by the ending you choose for 시작하다.

Casual Language (반말)

Use -기 시작했어 when talking to close friends, family, or people younger than you. This is the informal, non-polite form.

잔소리하기 시작했어. (He started nagging.)

Polite Language (해요체)

Use -기 시작했어요 in most everyday situations with adults, colleagues, or people you don't know well. This is the standard polite form.

잔소리하기 시작했어요. (He started nagging.)

Notice how the only change is from 했어 to 했어요. The first part of the pattern, -기 시작하-, remains the same.

후회하기 시작했어. / 후회하기 시작했어요. / 사람들이 모이기 시작했어. / 사람들이 모이기 시작했어요.