这些动词均含有“开始”之意。
begin : 最常用词，含义广泛，其反义词是end，多用于行动、工作等的开始。
- What time does the concert begin?
音乐会什么时候开始？ - The bridge was begun five years ago and the estimated cost has already doubled.
这座桥5年前开始建造，到现在为止估计成本已经翻了一番。 - The film they want to watch begins at seven.
他们要看的电影7点开场。 - The meeting began promisingly, but then things started to go wrong.
会议开场很不错，可后来出了问题。
start : 在许多场合可与begin通用，但start侧重动作的起点。
- When do you start your course/your new job?
你什么时候开始你的课程／新工作？ - We'll be starting (the session) at six o'clock.
我们将在6点钟开始（议程）。 - Can you start (= begin a new job) on Monday?
星期一你能开始工作吗？ - They started building the house in January.
他们1月份动工盖这所房子。 - I'd just started to write a letter when the phone rang.
我刚开始写信，电话铃就响了。
commence : 可与begin换用，但commence系书面正式用词，语气庄重，特指有正式程序或一定仪式，或某种正式行动的“开始”。
- We will commence building work in August of next year.
我们将于明年8月开始破土动工。 - Shall we let the meeting commence?
我们开始开会，好吗？ - Unfortunately, he commenced speaking before all the guests had finished eating.
遗憾的是，没等所有客人都吃完，他就开始讲话了。
initiate : 指创始或发起，侧重某过程的第一步，不考虑结束，强调起始。
- Who initiated the violence?
谁先使用暴力的？ - to initiate legal proceedings against sb
对某人提起诉讼 - The government has initiated a programme of economic reform.
政府已开始实施经济改革方案。
inaugurate : 指正式而隆重的开始。
- The European Community inaugurated the Single European Market in 1993.
欧洲共同体于1993年正式启动欧洲单一市场。 - The moon landing inaugurated a new era in space exploration.
登陆月球开创了太空探索的新纪元。
