JLPT N3 grammar
〜出す vs 〜始める — Meaning & Examples
出す = sudden, uncontrolled burst (泣き出す = burst into tears). 始める = neutral commencement (勉強し始める). 出す fits badly with planned actions.
〜出す vs 〜始める
Both mean "start," but the feeling is completely different.
〜出す = sudden, unexpected, often uncontrolled. Something bursts out.
赤ちゃんが突然泣き出した。
= The baby suddenly burst into tears.
急に雨が降り出した。
= It suddenly started raining.
彼女は笑い出した。
= She burst out laughing.
〜始める = neutral, often deliberate. An action simply commences.
日本語を勉強し始めました。
= I started studying Japanese.
7時に食べ始めます。
= We start eating at 7.
The contrast:
泣き出す = burst into tears 😭 (no control, no warning)
泣き始める = start crying (neutral description)
Because 〜出す implies suddenness, it fits badly with plans:
❌ 来年、日本語を勉強し出します。
✅ 来年、日本語を勉強し始めます。
〜続ける and 〜終わる are the bookends:
3時間歩き続けた。 = I kept walking for three hours.
やっと読み終わりました。 = I finally finished reading it.
Practice questions
Try these 2 questions on 〜出す vs 〜始める. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. 赤ちゃんが突然泣き出した means?
- The baby stopped crying
- The baby suddenly burst into tears
- The baby kept crying
- The baby cried completely
Show answer
Answer: The baby suddenly burst into tears
〜出す = sudden, uncontrolled onset. 泣き出す = burst into tears, with no warning.
2. Why is 来年、日本語を勉強し出します unnatural?
- 出す implies suddenness, which clashes with a plan
- 出す cannot follow する
- It needs the past tense
- 勉強 cannot take compound verbs
Show answer
Answer: 出す implies suddenness, which clashes with a plan
出す means something bursts out unexpectedly. A planned future action needs 始める: 勉強し始めます.
Practise 〜出す vs 〜始める in the free app
This point is part of the “🔧 Compound Verbs — 〜出す・〜続ける・〜きる・〜かける” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N3 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N3 grammar points
From the same lesson: 🔧 Compound Verbs — 〜出す・〜続ける・〜きる・〜かける
- 〜きる / 〜きれないDo completely, to the limit: 食べきる = eat it all, 言いきる = declare flatly.
- 〜かけるStarted but unfinished: 読みかけの本 = a half-read book.
- 〜直すRedo properly: 書き直す (rewrite), やり直す (redo), 考え直す (reconsider), 出直す (come back later).
- 〜合うDo mutually: 話し合う (discuss), 助け合う (help each other), 知り合う (get acquainted → 知り合い = acquai…
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜出す vs 〜始める mean?
出す = sudden, uncontrolled burst (泣き出す = burst into tears). 始める = neutral commencement (勉強し始める). 出す fits badly with planned actions.
Is 〜出す vs 〜始める on the JLPT N3 test?
〜出す vs 〜始める is taught in the JLPT N3 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “🔧 Compound Verbs — 〜出す・〜続ける・〜きる・〜かける”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise 〜出す vs 〜始める?
Open the “🔧 Compound Verbs — 〜出す・〜続ける・〜きる・〜かける” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N3 mock exams, with no ads.