Introduction
Iniciar means “to begin, to start”, and it is one of the verbs you will use again and again in Spanish. Iniciar means to begin or to start, and it is the formal partner of empezar: iniciar un proyecto, iniciar sesión, iniciar una conversación. It is common in work, computing and formal writing, and it takes a noun as its object: iniciar el trabajo, iniciar el curso. This page shows iniciar in real sentences, in short dialogues, and in the mistakes learners make most often, and it finishes with a ten-question quiz so you can test yourself. Every sentence below comes with its English translation, and every form is the correct present-tense form unless the sentence is clearly marked as past or future. For a first taste: “Inicio un proyecto nuevo en enero.” — I begin a new project in January.
Iniciar in real example sentences
The twelve sentences below are grouped by how iniciar is used. Read each one out loud, then read the translation. If a sentence feels useful, copy it into your own notebook with one small change — a different time, a different person, a different place — and you have a new sentence of your own.
In the present: everyday use
These sentences use iniciar in the present tense, which is how you will meet it most often: routines, facts, and things happening now.
“Inicio un proyecto nuevo en enero.” — I begin a new project in January.
“¿Inicias sesión en el ordenador?” — Do you begin a session on the computer?
“Inicia una conversación con el jefe.” — He/she begins a conversation with the boss.
“Nosotros iniciamos el curso el lunes.” — We begin the course on Monday.
Talking about the past
The present is not the only tense you need. These sentences show iniciar in the past, so you can talk about what already happened.
“Ayer, yo inicié un proyecto nuevo en enero.” — Yesterday, I began a new project in January. (preterite)
“Antes, él iniciaba sesión en el ordenador.” — Before, he used to begin a session on the computer. (imperfect)
Plans and things already done
These sentences look forward, or look back at something already finished. Notice how the verb form changes while the meaning of iniciar stays the same.
“Mañana, nosotros iniciaremos una conversación con el jefe.” — Tomorrow, we will begin a conversation with the boss. (future)
“¿Tú has iniciado el curso el lunes?” — Have you begun the course on Monday? (present perfect)
More everyday uses
Four more present-tense sentences, covering the remaining persons, so you can see the whole table in action.
“Vosotros iniciáis un proyecto nuevo en enero.” — You begin a new project in January.
“Ellos inician sesión en el ordenador.” — They begin a session on the computer.
“Yo inicio una conversación con el jefe.” — I begin a conversation with the boss.
“Mi padre inicia el curso el lunes.” — My father begins the course on Monday.
Iniciar in context
Single sentences teach you the forms. Dialogues teach you when to use them. Read the short conversation below, then the paragraph that follows, and notice how iniciar appears naturally, without anyone stopping to think about conjugation.
A short dialogue
Marta: “¿Tú inicias sesión en el ordenador?” — Do you begin a session on the computer?
Pedro: “Sí, yo inicio un proyecto nuevo en enero.” — Yes, I begin a new project in January.
Marta: “Nosotros iniciamos el curso el lunes.” — We begin the course on Monday.
Pedro: “Y ellos inician sesión en el ordenador.” — And they begin a session on the computer.
Marta: “Vosotros iniciáis una conversación con el jefe.” — You begin a conversation with the boss.
Pedro: “Sí, y él inicia un proyecto nuevo en enero.” — Yes, and he begins a new project in January.
A short paragraph
Inicia un proyecto nuevo en enero, y nosotros iniciamos el curso el lunes. Yo inicio sesión en el ordenador, y ellos inician una conversación con el jefe. Iniciar is part of everyday life, because begin, to start is something people do in work, at home and with friends, in the present, the past and the future.
Common mistakes with iniciar
These are the errors learners actually make with iniciar. Each one shows the wrong version, the right version, and why the correction matters.
Wrong: “Yo inicia un proyecto nuevo en enero.” Right: “Yo inicio un proyecto nuevo en enero.” Why: The person matters: inicia is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is inicio. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
Wrong: “Ayer yo inicio sesión en el ordenador.” Right: “Ayer yo inicié sesión en el ordenador.” Why: The present and the preterite are different tenses: inicio is happening now, while inicié is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
Wrong: “Treating iniciar and empezar as identical in every context.” Right: “Iniciar means to begin, to start, while empezar means to begin, the everyday synonym.” Why: They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: iniciar fits sentences such as Inicio un proyecto nuevo en enero, while empezar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
Wrong: “Yo soy iniciado sesión en el ordenador.” Right: “Yo he iniciado sesión en el ordenador.” Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he iniciado, has iniciado, ha iniciado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
Wrong: “De niño, yo inicié una conversación con el jefe todos los días.” Right: “De niño, yo iniciaba una conversación con el jefe todos los días.” Why: For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (iniciaba), not the preterite. The preterite (inicié) is for one finished action.
Quiz: iniciar in use
Ten questions on iniciar in real sentences. Choose the correct answer for each one, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained.
1. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ______ un proyecto nuevo en enero.” (You begin a new project in January.)
- (a) iniciáis
- (b) inicio
- (c) inicias
Answer: iniciáis — The vosotros/as form of iniciar in the present tense is iniciáis.
2. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ______ sesión en el ordenador.” (They begin a session on the computer.)
- (a) inicias
- (b) inician
- (c) inicio
Answer: inician — The ellos/ellas/Uds. form of iniciar in the present tense is inician.
3. Complete the sentence (preterite): “Ayer yo ______ un proyecto nuevo en enero.” (Yesterday I began a new project in January.)
- (a) iniciaste
- (b) inició
- (c) inicié
Answer: inicié — In the preterite, the yo form of iniciar is inicié.
4. Complete the sentence (imperfect): “Antes, él ______ sesión en el ordenador.” (Before, he used to begin a session on the computer.)
- (a) iniciaba
- (b) inicio
- (c) iniciabas
Answer: iniciaba — In the imperfect, the él/ella/Ud. form of iniciar is iniciaba.
5. Complete the sentence (future): “Mañana, nosotros ______ una conversación con el jefe.” (Tomorrow we will begin a conversation with the boss.)
- (a) iniciarás
- (b) iniciaremos
- (c) iniciaré
Answer: iniciaremos — In the future, the nosotros/as form of iniciar is iniciaremos.
6. What does iniciar mean in English?
- (a) to begin, to start
- (b) to enter, to be admitted
- (c) to begin, the everyday synonym
Answer: to begin, to start — Iniciar means “to begin, to start”. The other options are the meanings of different verbs.
7. Which sentence is correct?
- (a) Yo inicia un proyecto nuevo en enero.
- (b) Ellos inicia sesión en el ordenador.
- (c) Yo inicio un proyecto nuevo en enero.
Answer: Yo inicio un proyecto nuevo en enero. — “Yo inicio un proyecto nuevo en enero.” is correct. The other two sentences contain the mistakes explained in the section above.
8. How do you say “I begin a new project in January.” in Spanish?
- (a) Mi padre inicia el curso el lunes.
- (b) Inicio un proyecto nuevo en enero.
- (c) Inician un proyecto nuevo en enero.
Answer: Inicio un proyecto nuevo en enero. — “Inicio un proyecto nuevo en enero.” is the correct translation.
9. What is the nosotros form of iniciar in the present tense?
- (a) inicio
- (b) inicias
- (c) iniciamos
Answer: iniciamos — The nosotros form is iniciamos.
10. Which of these sentences is in the present tense?
- (a) Mañana, nosotros iniciaremos una conversación con el jefe.
- (b) Inicio un proyecto nuevo en enero.
- (c) Ayer, yo inicié un proyecto nuevo en enero.
Answer: Inicio un proyecto nuevo en enero. — “Inicio un proyecto nuevo en enero.” is in the present tense. The other two are in the preterite and the future.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'I begin a new project in January' in Spanish?
Say 'Inicio un proyecto nuevo en enero'. For a routine, add a time expression: 'Inicio un proyecto nuevo en enero todos los días'.
How do you say 'He begins a session on the computer' in Spanish?
Say 'Él inicia sesión en el ordenador'. The subject comes first, and the verb agrees with it: él takes inicia.
What is the difference between iniciar and empezar?
Iniciar means to begin, to start, while empezar means to begin, the everyday synonym. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use iniciar when you mean to begin, to start, as in 'Inicio un proyecto nuevo en enero', and use empezar for to begin, the everyday synonym.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of iniciar — every tense of iniciar in one place.
- Iniciar in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Spanish verbs — the hub for every Spanish verb on VerbFlow.
- Verb quiz — test yourself on iniciar and other verbs.
- Conjugation practice — drill the forms of iniciar until they are automatic.