L
Lingvero

Empezar Present Perfect Practice

Empezar (to start, to begin) in the present perfect: 14 free exercises with an explanation after every answer, plus the full conjugation table.

14 exercisesStem-changing e→ieB1 – B2 level
IWhat to watch for

The participle of empezar is empezado — regular, with the z intact. The z→c change only happens before an e (empecé, empiece), and the participle ends in -ado, so nothing changes: he empezado, has empezado, ha empezado.

This is one of the tenses where Spain and Latin America differ most. El partido ha empezado hace diez minutos is entirely normal in Spain; much of Latin America would say empezó. Both appear here, but the exercises follow the Spanish pattern of using the perfect for anything inside a period that has not closed.

IIConjugation
empezarPresent Perfect
yo
he empezado
has empezado
él / ella / usted
ha empezado
nosotros
hemos empezado
vosotros
habéis empezado
ellos / ustedes
han empezado
e→ie in the present (empiezo) plus a z→c spelling change before e: empecé, empiece.
IIIPractice exercises

Practice.

Answer first, then read the explanation. Don't skip it — that's the whole point.

Exercise 01 of 14Tag: Unfinished period
Fill in the blank

Ya _____ el curso de italiano esta misma semana. (empezar)

I have already started the Italian course this very week.

Exercise 02 of 14Tag: Ya
Fill in the blank

¿_____ ya la novela que te presté en verano? (empezar)

Have you started the novel I lent you in the summer yet?

Exercise 03 of 14Tag: Él form
Fill in the blank

La obra _____ con dos meses de retraso sobre lo previsto. (empezar)

The building work has started two months later than planned.

Exercise 04 of 14Tag: Todavía no
Fill in the blank

Todavía no _____ a preparar las cajas de la mudanza. (empezar)

We still haven't started getting the moving boxes ready.

Exercise 05 of 14Tag: Ellos form
Fill in the blank

Los niños _____ el colegio esta mañana con mucha ilusión. (empezar)

The children started school this morning full of excitement.

Exercise 06 of 14Tag: Nunca
Fill in the blank

Nunca _____ un proyecto con tan poca información. (empezar)

I have never started a project with so little information.

Exercise 07 of 14Tag: Recent past
Fill in the blank

El partido _____ hace apenas diez minutos. (empezar)

The match started barely ten minutes ago.

Exercise 08 of 14Tag: Empezar con buen pie
Fill in the blank

Hoy _____ la semana con muy buen pie. (empezar)

Today you have got the week off to a very good start.

Exercise 09 of 14Tag: Nosotros form
Fill in the blank

Esta semana _____ a organizar el archivo del despacho. (empezar)

This week we have started organising the office archive.

Exercise 10 of 14Tag: Ellos form
Fill in the blank

Los precios _____ a bajar por fin este trimestre. (empezar)

Prices have finally started to come down this quarter.

Exercise 11 of 14Tag: Últimamente
Fill in the blank

Últimamente _____ a levantarme bastante más temprano. (empezar)

Lately I have started getting up considerably earlier.

Exercise 12 of 14Tag: Vosotros form
Fill in the blank

¿_____ vosotros ya con el trabajo de grupo? (empezar)

Have you made a start on the group project yet?

Exercise 13 of 14Tag: Impersonal subject
Fill in the blank

Nadie _____ a recoger las sillas todavía. (empezar)

Nobody has started putting the chairs away yet.

Exercise 14 of 14Tag: Unfinished period
Fill in the blank

Este mes _____ tres series y no has acabado ninguna. (empezar)

This month you have started three series and haven't finished any of them.

Every answer is explained

Not just a green check. A short paragraph telling you why.

No gamification

No streaks, no points, no leaderboards. Just questions.

No signup

Runs in your browser. Bookmark the topics you want to come back to.

VKeep practicing