Saying an Action Starts or Finishes

1. Vocabulary List

Structure: verb stem + 始めます / 始めました

Japanese	Romaji	English
毎日ジムに行き始めました。	Mainichi jimu ni iki hajimemashita.	I've started going to the gym every day.
けんとさんとつき合い始めました。	Kento-san to tsukiai hajimemashita.	I've started going out with Kento.
人々は飛行機にのり始めました。	Hitobito wa hikouki ni nori hajimemashita.	People started getting on the plane.
飛行機は動き始めました。	Hikouki wa ugoki hajimemashita.	The plane started moving.
となりの人は本を読み始めました。	Tonari no hito wa hon wo yomi hajimemashita.	The person next to me started reading a book.
空が明るくなり始めました。	Sora ga akaruku nari hajimemashita.	The sky started getting brighter.

Structure: verb stem + 終わります / 終わりました

Japanese	Romaji	English
私たちはまんがを読みおわりました。	Watashitachi wa manga wo yomi owarimashita.	We've finished reading the manga.
人々は座席に座り終わりました。	Hitobito wa zaseki ni suwari owarimashita.	People have finished sitting in their seats.
人々は機内食を食べおわりました。	Hitobito wa kinai shoku wo tabe owarimashita.	People finished eating their in-flight meals.
パイロットは話し終わりました。飛行機は飛び始めました。	Pairotto wa hanashi owarimashita. Hikouki wa tobi hajimemashita.	The pilot finished talking. The plane started flying.

Structure: verb stem + おわったら = "when you finish doing…"

Used to make requests or describe what happens after completing an action.

ペンを使いおわったら、私に貸してください。(Pen wo tsukaiowattara, watashi ni kashite kudasai.) — "If you've finished using the pen, please lend it to me."
このお酒を飲みおわったら、赤ワインをおねがいします。(Kono osake wo nomiowattara, aka wain wo onegaishimasu.) — "When I finish this alcoholic drink, could I have a red wine, please?"
ヘッドホンを使いおわったら、ここに入れてください。(Heddohon wo tsukaiowattara, koko ni irete kudasai.) — "When you finish using the headphones, please put them here."

Structure: verb stem + おわると = "when (someone) finishes…, [automatic result]"

パイロットが話し終わると、飛行機は止まりました。(Pairotto ga hanashi owaru to, hikouki wa tomarimashita.) — "When the pilot finished speaking, the plane stopped." (The pilot finished speaking first.)

Structure: plain past form + 後で

映画を見おわった後で、音楽を聞きました。(Eiga wo miowatta ato de, ongaku wo kikimashita.) — "After finishing watching a film, I listened to music."

Combined: 機内食 = "eating inside the plane" = in-flight meal

Tip: Knowing individual kanji meanings can help you guess the meaning of unfamiliar compound words!

Grammar Focus: Verb stem + 始める (start doing) and verb stem + 終わる (finish doing) — two highly productive patterns attached to any verb stem.
Combinations: Both patterns work with たら (requests/sequences) and と (automatic consequences), and with 〜た後で (after doing).
Context: All examples set on a flight to Japan — boarding, meals, headphones, in-flight movies, and arrival.
Cultural Note: Japanese flight attendants use very polite forms of these expressions when making in-cabin announcements and requests.