Can someone help explain the difference between Hajimeru and Hajimaru?


What is the difference between 始める{はじめる} (hajimeru) and 始まる{はじまる} (hajimaru)?

Would appreciate some advice on this.

Thanks




In a nutshell, both _hajimeru_ and _hajimaru_ mean "to start".

More specifically, _hajim **e** ru_ is transitive -- "to start _something_ ".
Meanwhile, _hajim **a** ru_ is intransitive -- it cannot take an object, so "
_something_ starts (on its own)".

There are several verb pairs like this, all with _-m **e** ru_ / _-m **a** ru_
endings: _hirom **e** ru_ "to widen something" vs. _hirom **a** ru_ "something
widens (on its own)"; _katam **e** ru_ "to harden something" vs. _katam **a**
ru_ "something hardens on its own"; _osam **e** ru_ "to quell something, to
put something under control" vs. _osam **a** ru_ "something quells, something
becomes under control", etc. etc.




In a nutshell, both _hajimeru_ and _hajimaru_ mean "to start".

More specifically, _hajim **e** ru_ is transitive -- "to start _something_ ".
Meanwhile, _hajim **a** ru_ is intransitive -- it cannot take an object, so "
_something_ starts (on its own)".

There are several verb pairs like this, all with _-m **e** ru_ / _-m **a** ru_
endings: _hirom **e** ru_ "to widen something" vs. _hirom **a** ru_ "something
widens (on its own)"; _katam **e** ru_ "to harden something" vs. _katam **a**
ru_ "something hardens on its own"; _osam **e** ru_ "to quell something, to
put something under control" vs. _osam **a** ru_ "something quells, something
becomes under control", etc. etc.

