begun: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
HighNeutral (used in all registers from formal to informal)
Quick answer
What does “begun” mean?
The past participle of the verb 'begin'.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The past participle of the verb 'begin'; indicates that an action, process, or state has been started in the past and may still be ongoing or relevant to the present.
Used to describe the initiation or commencement of an activity, era, process, or relationship, often emphasizing the state resulting from that start. It frequently appears in perfect tenses (have/had begun) and passive constructions.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The grammatical rule requiring an auxiliary verb (have/has/had) with 'begun' is strictly observed in both standards.
Connotations
Identical.
Frequency
Equally frequent and core in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “begun” in a Sentence
[sb] has/have/had begun [sth][sth] has/have/had begun[sb] has/have/had begun to INFINITIVE[sb] has/have/had begun V-ingVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “begun” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The film has already begun.
- They had begun renovations before the planning permission expired.
- Have you begun reading the report?
- Winter has begun early this year.
American English
- The game has just begun.
- She had begun her career in finance before switching to tech.
- Has the meeting begun yet?
- A new era in space exploration has begun.
adjective
British English
- a newly begun project
- the recently begun inquiry
American English
- a barely begun task
- the just-begun process
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The quarterly audit has begun.
Academic
Data collection for the longitudinal study had begun prior to ethical approval.
Everyday
I've just begun watching that new series.
Technical
The polymerization reaction had begun before the catalyst was fully dispersed.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “begun”
- Using 'begun' without an auxiliary verb (e.g., 'I begun the work' - INCORRECT).
- Confusing 'began' (simple past) with 'begun' (past participle).
- Using 'begun' after modal verbs (e.g., 'I will begun' - INCORRECT; correct is 'I will begin' or 'I will have begun').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Began' is the simple past tense and does not need an auxiliary verb (e.g., 'It began yesterday'). 'Begun' is the past participle and must be used with an auxiliary verb like 'have', 'has', or 'had' (e.g., 'It has begun').
No, 'begun' is a past participle and cannot function as the main verb in a sentence on its own. It always requires an auxiliary verb (have/has/had) to form perfect tenses or to be used in the passive voice.
No, that is incorrect. The correct form for the past perfect tense is 'I had begun'.
Yes, the form, pronunciation, and grammatical usage of 'begun' are identical in both British and American English.
The past participle of the verb 'begin'.
Begun is usually neutral (used in all registers from formal to informal) in register.
Begun: in British English it is pronounced /bɪˈɡʌn/, and in American English it is pronounced /bɪˈɡʌn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “well begun is half done”
- “begun to see the light (started to understand)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: You need a helper (have/has/had) to get things BEGUN. 'Began' stands alone, but 'begun' needs a friend.
Conceptual Metaphor
BEGINNING IS A JOURNEY (We have begun our trek), BEGINNING IS BIRTH (A new phase has begun), BEGINNING IS OPENING (A window of opportunity has begun).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence is grammatically correct?