Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "売ります" vs "始まる"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
売ります
うります (urimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
始まる
はじまる (hajimaru)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 売ります and 始まる are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
売ります (うります (urimasu)) represents "to sell" (Level: N5) and typically represents Polite form of 売る.
On the other hand, 始まる (はじまる (hajimaru)) translates to "to begin, to start (intransitive)" (Level: N4) and is used for Intransitive verb. Used for things that start by themselves or a process starting. The transitive form is 始める. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "売ります"
この店は古い本を売っています。
This store sells old books.
Bilingual Sentence for "始まる"
授業は9時に始まります。
Class starts at 9 o'clock.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "この店は古い本を売っています。" (Meaning: "This store sells old books.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "売ります" fits here because it represents "to sell" in the context: "This store sells old books.".