iniciar

to initiate, to start

verb ee-nee-SYAHR Common

Usage Note

Iniciar is more formal than empezar or comenzar; it is common in technical, bureaucratic, and journalistic language. The reflexive iniciarse en means 'to take up, to begin learning' a skill or activity: se inició en la fotografía ('she took up photography'). The related noun is inicio and the adjective is inicial.

Examples

"El presidente iniciará la reunión a las diez."

Natural Translation

The president will start the meeting at ten.

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