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〜始める・〜終わる・〜続ける

start, finish, keep (doing)

Verb ます-stem + 始める / 終わる / 続ける

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Three verbs attach to the ます-stem to mark where an action is:

  • 始める: start doing: 雨が降り始めた, "it started to rain"
  • 終わる: finish doing: 本を読み終わった, "I finished reading the book"
  • 続ける: keep doing: 三時間歩き続けた, "we kept walking for three hours"

Each one then conjugates as usual: 始めました, 終わったら, 続けています.

For things you start doing on purpose, 〜出す is a livelier alternative at N3 (降り出す, 走り出す).

Compare the て-form + しまう, which is about completion with a feeling attached. 読み終わる is a plain fact: the reading is done.

Examples

  • あ、雨あめが降ふり始はじめました。

    Oh, it's started raining.

  • やっとこの本ほんを読よみ終おわりました。

    I've finally finished reading this book.

  • 三時間さんじかんも歩あるき続つづけました。

    We kept walking for three whole hours.

  • 日本語にほんごを勉強べんきょうし始はじめたのは去年きょねんです。

    It was last year that I started learning Japanese.

  • 食たべ終おわったら、お皿さらを洗あらってください。

    When you've finished eating, please wash your plate.

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