There are 2 main translations of start in Spanish

: start¹ START²

start¹

principio, n.

Pronunciation /stɑrt/ /stɑːt/

See Spanish definition of principio

noun

1
- 1.1(beginning)
  principio masculine
  comienzo masculine
  at the start — al principio
  from the start — desde el principio / comienzo
  from start to finish — del principio al fin
  the start of the academic year — el comienzo del año escolar
  to make a start(on sth) — empezar algo
  at least we've made a start — por lo menos hemos empezado
  let's make a start on that painting job — empecemos a pintar de una vez
  to make an early start — empezar temprano
  to make a fresh / new start — empezar / comenzar de nuevo
  to get (sth) off to a good/bad start — empezar (algo) bien / con el pie derecho/mal / con el pie izquierdo
  to give sb a good start in life — darle a algn la base para un buen porvenir
  he didn't have a very good start in life — tuvo una infancia difícil
  From start to finish the whole operation was ill-conceived, hurriedly executed and bungled.
  The start and finish of this linear route are poorly served by public transport.
  From start to finish, the treatment of the defendants was a travesty of legal due process.
  When crunching, keep your abdominal muscles contracted from the start to finish of each move.
  The committee has no rigid rules for determining the start or finish of a business cycle.
  It was the close to the start of my first semester of my senior year at Sequioa High School.
  He makes a point of being on playground duty at the start and finish of the school day, so parents can bring any concerns to him.
  They are at the start of a long journey, and must be given the benefit of the doubt.
  It was an ill omen at the start of the journey, but the trek couldn't be postponed any longer.
  After plenty of rain over the preceding 24 hours, the start of play was delayed to allow a wet outfield to improve.
  After having accepted the invite, two hours before the start of the game he phoned me to say he wasn't coming.
  At the start of my third hour I suddenly recalled that I had not eaten for seven hours.
  Thirty hours after the start of treatment the cells were harvested and micronucleus slides were prepared.
  However, this would result in the balances being in a worse position than at the start of the financial year.
  What is needed is immediate end to confrontation and start of positive engagement.
  That is a pretty devastating turnaround from the initial outlook at the start of the year.
  Chelsea seized the initiative from the start, and might have scored in the seventh minute.
  This hole is the start of a project initiated to commemorate the millennium for the people of Trowbridge.
  At its Monday session, the Constitutional Court inaugurated the start of the case.
  The film will show the work from its start, through its construction to its delivery to the stadium.
2
Sport
- 2.1(of race)
  salida feminine
  false start — salida nula / en falso
  He ate, drank and stretched and at 9am lined up at the start, to begin his second marathon.
  However today my race was really over when I stalled the car at the start and had to begin my race from the pit lane.
  It begins with a mass start and the aim is simply to cross the finishing line first.
  The race start was delayed four times on the Saturday, as there was a complete lack of wind for the ships to sail.
  Anyone arriving later than 10.30 am is unlikely to get into the estate in time for the race start.
  John Pawson missed the start of the second race, having damaged his fin and forced to make a quick repair.
  There was a considerable delay to the start of the race due to a knock to First Row.
  It was a magnificent sight to see so many participants surging through the Claddagh at the start of the race.
  Injuries forced the lineup to change three times prior to the start of the race.
  It can get a bit crowded at the start of a race and the potential for a crash is significant.
  So last Saturday Fell Foot was a country traffic jam as 491 runners arrived at the race start.
  I was very aggressive at the start and during the race I tried to defend my second place and to not do any mistake.
  I flew up this morning from Philadelphia and just made it in time for the start of the race.
  Judging by the shape of the first corner, the start of the race could be interesting.
  I lost a lot of time at the start of the race and I tried to close the gap as much as possible.
  The exact course was a secret until about three hours before the start of the race.
  He bustled Ouija Board into fifth soon after the start and held his position until the field quickened down the back stretch.
  Participants are urged to arrive at least an hour before the start, and say parking will be available in a field at the hall.
  The heavy rain held up the start for an hour and a half and left sodden fairways and greens to add to the golfers' worries.
  The early evening kick-off saw a number of players stranded in rush hour traffic and the start was delayed.
  Cricket commitments meant that I was always going to be an hour late for the start.
- 2.2(lead, advantage)
  ventaja feminine
  this gave him a start over his competitor — esto le dio (una) ventaja con respecto a su contrincante
  Sulamani was not too well away and gave most of his rivals plenty of start.
  It world take forever to find the pair in town, especially with nearly an hour head start.
  His oldest brother, Tory, would give him an hour's head start before following in his car.
  The limit riders headed off with a 23 minute start, but were caught at about the half way mark several kilometres after Mokepilly.
  The senior race also climbs to this summit, the first of five they have to climb (the juniors only do one), and with a five minute start the first junior usually beats the first senior to the top.
- 2.3(starting line, gate)
  salida feminine
  línea de partida feminine
3
(jump)
to give a start — dar un respingo
- to give sb a start — darle / pegarle un susto a algn
- I woke up with a start — me desperté sobresaltado

transitive verb

1
(begin)
(conversation/journey/negotiations) empezar
(conversation/journey/negotiations) comenzar
(conversation/journey/negotiations) iniciar
(job/course) empezar
(job/course) comenzar
to start -ing, to start to + inf — empezar a + inf
the newspaper started life as a weekly magazine — el periódico comenzó / empezó siendo una revista semanal
- I start work at eight — empiezo / entro a trabajar a las ocho
- don't start that again! — ¡no vuelvas con eso!
- I should continue what I started and take more classes so I can get a certificate out of it.
- As we approached the coast we started to fly over buildings and roads, growing denser the closer we got to the airport.
- Riley starts to push me forward, but I turn around and push his hands off of me.
- The band, having recognised the song, started to play, building up to the crescendo.
- As we started to leave the building, we ran into Vince and had a brief meeting with him.
- The kids who live in the house next door to us have started to learn the recorder.
- As firefighters started to drag the door out of the way, there was a sudden ignition of petrol vapour causing a fireball.
- After the game, he told me he wanted to start weight training to be the best that he could be.
- As we started to travel to the beach I noticed a lake of over 4 acres on our left-hand side.
- Ronnie made his way to the bottom of the stairs and started to crawl up them.
- He started to move to the front door, but was stopped short as a coughing fit hit him.
- The baby starts kicking and Claire moves her hand on to her stomach.
- I've also started job hunting, and there's an incredible choice of jobs in this city.
- I am happy to go back to Canada and start furnishing and living in our new house.
- He started attending drama classes at 19 while working in a factory job he hated.
- As soon as the envelope arrived, Logan had started planning how he'd spend the money.
- Dylan turned around, took a deep breath, and surprised Riley by starting to cry.
- Jason jumped up and started to go upstairs to his room with the box of shoes in his hand.
- To her surprise, the nobleman started to laugh and he continued to laugh for some time.
- Stas and Anton came running out of the building and we started to run towards what I think was Juhani's place.
- They are set to start work today and will follow recommendations from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
- And now the man who started cutting hair as a boy is beginning to out-Sassoon Vidal.
- She started night classes in 1997 and quickly developed a taste for medieval and early modern history.
- She starts kindergarten today at Riverside Presbyterian Day School.
- For someone who started her serious acting career as a mother, Suhasini has no regrets.
- Trouble continued on the land in Ireland when Gladstone started his second ministry in 1880.
- The card is aimed at fresh university graduates or those starting their first jobs.
- Jin called and told me he's starting third grade in a week or two and that he wished I was there to make him feel better.
- Most of the members started their Guiding careers in the Brownies, and Marjorie is no exception.
- And it also makes me worry, because he was starting his postdoc when I was barely in my thesis lab.
- Undergraduates starting their studies at York St John College are worried about the lack of junior posts available to complete their training.
- Lisa has just started her third level studies in Galway and is wished every success.
- The state pools the money and invests it, then pays tuition when the child starts college.
- The girls all want to start part-time work to begin saving for overseas travel.
- Sally Tomkins, 43, is a full-time mother from Bolton who wanted to buy a computer for her son before he starts university in October.
- When her children started school she began to look for a job in the tourism area.
- Best wishes also to all who are going to Third Level, starting an Apprenticeship or beginning a new job.
- This week primary school teacher Mrs Trainor held a meeting for parents of children who will be starting primary school in September.
- However, I really should catch up with the girls before they start their promising careers.
- The scheme is aimed at alleviating some of the initial costs people face when they start work after a period of unemployment.
2
(cause to begin)
(race) dar comienzo a
(race) largar Southern Cone, Mexico
(fashion) empezar
(fashion) iniciar
(fire/epidemic) provocar
(argument/fight) empezar
(war/country) empezar
(war/incident) desencadenar
to start sb on sth/-ing
to start sb -ing
stop hitting her! — she started it — ¡deja de pegarle! — fue ella la que empezó
- don't (you) start anything with me! — ¡no te metas conmigo!
- Fire chiefs believe the blaze may have been started by arsonists.
- A Hampshire firefighter became an arsonist so that he would be called out to the blazes he had started himself.
- There were also more than 2,000 rubbish blazes started by firebugs in Bradford.
- The blaze was started by a cigarette which had not been properly extinguished in the smoking room.
- South Wales Police believe the blaze may have been started deliberately after finding two separate seats to the fire.
- The blaze was accidentally started by welders working on the building.
- The developers want to start work on the site at the end of this year, with a view to opening in 2006.
- Developers will start work on skateparks in Braintree and Witham in less than two weeks.
- Developers can start work on the site once they have met the conditions of their application.
- A caretaker has been praised after he tackled one of three suspicious blazes which were started at a secondary school.
- The blaze had been inadvertently started by a mountain climber trying to burn toilet paper on Sunday.
- The blazes are believed to have been deliberately started by children.
- This approval means we can start work on developing the service to make this a reality.
- Wherever they take their instruments and PVC trousers, these Bond dames seem to start trouble.
- Yet what Petronzi knew was that many others would use the Heysel link as an excuse to start trouble.
- My father would never start trouble, only try to defend himself if he was in danger.
- This means you are the one who starts and continues the conversation.
- We could all participate by not starting, or continuing, a conflict with our family, neighbours or work colleagues.
- Prior to starting transmission, the device would monitor the radio environment for a radar's presence.
- It's no surprise then that he starts most of the fights, and suffers most of the insults, at the hands of his fellow bandmates.
- I was a bit worried that it might all get too hot and start a fire before then.
- Then he starts a Slam Dunk competition between Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady.
- She took centre stage when starting last year's junior race before joining in to raise more cash for Francis House.
- He started the first running race and cheered the young athletes on in the warm sunshine.
- The De Nardi Colpack rider was not allowed to start the Tour of Lombardy World Cup race.
3
(establish)
(business) abrir
(business) montar
(business) poner
(organization/charity) fundar
(plan) poner en marcha
his father started him in his own business — el padre le montó / le puso un negocio
- I need $20,000 to get me started — necesito 20.000 dólares para empezar
- Now, a sports column is nothing more than a springboard, a gig that starts you on your way to becoming a multimedia star.
- It was no doubt the arrival of the ZX Spectrum that started him on his career.
- She credits childhood reading of Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov for starting her on her career.
- Willynilly is the game that originally started me writing this book.
4
(cause to operate)
(engine/dishwasher) encender
(engine/dishwasher) prender Latin America
(car) arrancar
(car) poner en marcha
(car) hacer partir Chile
- It's quite amazing; the merest hint of a parking ticket is enough to start car engines at almost a hundred metres.
- You'd be surprised at what can be done to make the flight safer before starting the engine
- He seemed to be having some trouble starting the little cutting machine up.
- I heard the car being started and I hurried back to find Herself backing down the driveway.
- One woman said she had a sense of foreboding while the aircraft was still on the ground because the pilot had trouble starting one of the engines.
- The owner of the vehicle heard it being started and gave chase in another car.
- Deuterium Boy belted himself in as Chris started the motor and began backing out.
- They targeted luxury cars which, thanks to modern security devices, could not be started without the car keys.
- Water gushed into the hold space and the captain ordered the pumps started.
- I know the ignition was in the on position but to be honest I don't remember the engine being started.
- The system also allows for the car to be started by simply pressing a button on the dash.

intransitive verb

1
- 1.1(begin)
  (school/term/meeting) empezar
  (school/term/meeting) comenzar
  (school/term/meeting) iniciarse formal
  (noise/pain/journey/race) empezar
  (noise/pain/journey/race) comenzar
  to start by -ing — empezar por + inf
  
  you can start by reading this
  to start from sth
  the tour starts from the station at two o'clock
  starting (from) next January
  when can you start? — ¿cuándo puede empezar / comenzar?
  the day started badly — el día empezó mal
  the party starts at eight — la fiesta empieza / comienza a las ocho
  prices start at $30 — cuestan a partir de 30 dólares
  to start again or (US also) over — volver a empezar
  The film starts at 7.45 pm and there will be a smoking ban during the performance.
  Training camp for officials begins Friday, and the regular season starts Nov. 2.
  The gates will open at 4.45 pm, one hour before the concert starts.
  The New Wimbledon Theatre's own summer season starts at the end of August, with a two-week run of The King and I.
  ‘The season starts now,’ he says, before reeling off the names of almost his entire squad.
  With plenty of stretching and running the players will be fit and raring to go when the season starts at Old Trafford in August.
  Because fires can start anywhere smoke alarms are ideal for early detection.
  My brother kept the vehicle going, and the storm eased as suddenly as it had started.
  The rain stops as suddenly as it started but the streets still swirl with water.
  As suddenly as it had started, the music stopped and there was a babble of conversation.
  There was some time left before the lesson started and an idea suddenly occurred to me.
  Psoriatic arthritis can start suddenly or slowly, and may affect only one joint or many.
  Sliding Sands Trail starts at the Haleakala Visitor Center parking lot and drops 2,500 feet in 4 miles.
  In February demolition work started, and the building was gutted, leaving just the shell.
  Ideally, you should decide your lighting scheme before any building work has started.
  Excavation at the Seymour site is expected to start by the end of this month.
  The blaze started at 8pm, when it appears Eddie accidentally put a magazine on top of a lit candle.
  Each ride will start at Pendle Leisure Centre in Colne at 11 am and will include a cafe-stop.
  Mr Hainsworth said a £5.2 million refurbishment would start at the store in October.
  The 20 mph zone will start at the point in North Street, where the road meets Bryans Close Road.
2
- 2.1(originate)
  (fashion/custom) empezar
  (fashion/custom) originarse
  it all started from an idea I had as a student — todo surgió de una idea que tuve cuando era estudiante
  the fire started in an upstairs room — el incendio empezó en una habitación del piso alto
- 2.2(be founded)
  ser fundado
  the business/society started some years ago — la empresa/la sociedad fue fundada / se fundó hace algunos años
3
(set out)
to start back — emprender el regreso
- to start up/down the stairs — empezar a subir/bajar la escalera
- it's time we started (for) home — es hora de volver a casa
- we start from the hotel at six — salimos del hotel a las seis
- Gently closing the door behind her she started down the stairs rubbing her eyes free from sleep as she did so.
- Renfrew started forward, suddenly aware that he had not just been talking to himself.
- I started towards the double doors, thinking that I should explain in person.
- As he starts up the stairs, Harrison asks him where he is going.
- Satisfied, Arlie started back up the stairs, but curiosity got the better of her.
- The loud silver Chevy arrived and the two girls jumped out and started for the truck he was in.
- Suddenly curious, Rayne starts forward, eager to discover what the shop contained.
- Rick started toward the door of the medical bay and entered the white room.
- He started up the stairs, with me in tow, bags and all.
- Daren moved and then got up and started toward the door not saying anything to Kristen.
- He started up the stairs, leaving Gabrielle, obviously expecting her to follow.
- She starts for the stairs and this time, she hears their footsteps behind her.
- I opened it and saw all the food and scooped it into my arms and started toward the stairs.
- She had started toward the stairs when she saw her father asleep in his favorite chair.
- She took one last look at her bedroom, before starting down the stairs.
- The tall man reached the stairs and started down them, both Nisren and Elleen in tow.
- Moira nodded in agreement and we both started down the stairs to talk to the guys.
- However, just as the twins were starting down the stairs, a cry roared down the hall.
- He followed her out the door and grabbed her arm before she started down the stairs.
- Closing the door he started down the stairs once more, planning to go out to the tree house.
4
(begin to operate)
(car) arrancar
(car) partir Chile
(dishwasher) empezar a funcionar
(dishwasher) ponerse en marcha
the car won't start — el coche no arranca
- Soon, she heard the engine starting and the sound of the Land Rover rolling out of the driveway.
- They returned to their nearby home, went to bed and shortly afterwards, the car alarm started.
- The caboose starts suddenly, then eases to a gentle roll.
- Several showers of sparks later I made the correct connection and the car started.
- Just as the cart was starting, Kirsten jumped out of the cart.
- Push the gas down and the engine starts instantly and off you go.
- The engine starts at the same revs it was doing before.
- The diesel engine starts easily and the first impression of the car is how quiet it is.
- What he can do is enter a special code, and the car's engine will not start.
- One day I turned the key, the ignition light came on but the engine didn't start.
- There was a muted roar combined with a yelp from Happy as the Turbo jet engine started.
- The mechanic had the engine started, peered in and listened to the noise with closed eyes.
- You just potter about quite normally, completely unaware that the engine is starting and stopping constantly.
- According to reports, the engine wouldn't start and they couldn't swim to the vessel against the current.
- Twenty seconds later Wendy heard the faint sound of a car engine starting.
- Then the engine started and I saw him back out of the driveway and squeal off down the road.
- Once he was inside the sedan, she heard the engine starting and the next moment the car zoomed away.
- He was already to his Hummer and the engine started when she came out onto the porch and watched him speed off.
- The engine finally started by the time the troops were about to jump onto the plane.
- She was only vaguely aware of the sound of car engines starting and the flash of headlights illuminating them as they drove by.
5
(move suddenly) dar un respingo
(be frightened) asustarse
(be frightened) sobresaltarse
I started (up) from my chair — me levanté de la silla de un salto
- she started at the noise — el ruido la sobresaltó / la asustó
- she started out of her dream — se despertó de su sueño sobresaltada
- tears started to her eyes — los ojos se le llenaron de lágrimas
- Everyone started, surprised, until they realised it had been the Queen speaking.
- She started and jumped up, looking at Tobias with an expression that was close to fright.
- Cinaed started slightly in surprise as he heard the door he had set his back to start to open.
- When we broke apart the next time, she started suddenly, as if coming out of a dream.
- The closed door opened suddenly and Angel started but it was only a rather small woman.
6
(protrude)
(eyes) salirse de las órbitas
- Then she came wriggling back, with repentant doleful eyes starting upward and a knife behind her back.
- She looked at me with her round eyes starting from her face, and then turned over her shoulder to see if her gasp had alerted anyone.