empezar
/empeˈθaɾ/ · A1 · verb
to start, begin, to get started
🏁 em + pieza: to put the first piece in, so to begin
From Old Spanish em- (in) + pieza (piece): to begin was to cut or set the first piece of something. English piece is the same root, so empezar is literally to en-piece a task: you take the first piece and the job has started.