शुरुआत (shuruaat)

noun A single-sense everyday noun meaning 'beginning' or 'start' -- one of the most common ways to talk about starting anything in Hindi, from a movie to a relationship to a business.
Sense 1 : the beginning, start, outset
noun, feminine Commonly used in the phrase शुरुआत करना (shuruaat karnaa, 'to make a start/to begin') and शुरुआत होना (shuruaat honaa, 'for the beginning to happen, i.e. for something to start').
Synonyms: आरंभ (aarambh, formal), आगाज़ (aagaaz, literary), शुरू (shuroo, used mainly as adverb/verb-partner rather than a standalone noun)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll hear शुरुआत करना (shuruaat karnaa) constantly in motivational contexts -- new jobs, New Year's resolutions, business ventures -- almost like the English 'to take the first step.' It pairs naturally with से (se) to mark a starting point, as in शुरुआत से (shuruaat se, 'from the beginning').
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for शुरू (shuroo) as a noun (e.g. trying to say 'the start of the movie' as फ़िल्म का शुरू (film kaa shuroo)), but शुरू (shuroo) functions as an adverb/predicate ('film shuru hui', 'the film started'), not as a standalone noun taking का/की/के -- शुरुआत (shuruaat) is the noun you want for 'the beginning of X'. 2) Because it ends in आत (aat), some learners guess it's masculine like आराम (aaraam) -- it is feminine, so it takes की (kii) not का (kaa): फ़िल्म की शुरुआत (film kii shuruaat, 'the beginning of the film').
Sample Sentences:
हर काम की एक अच्छी शुरुआत ज़रूरी होती है। A good beginning is necessary for every task.
(har kaam kii ek achchhii shuruaat zaroorii hotii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसने अपने करियर की शुरुआत एक छोटी कंपनी से की। He began his career at a small company.
(usne apne kariyar kii shuruaat ek chhotii kampnii se kii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
चलो, आज से एक नई शुरुआत करते हैं। Come on, let's make a fresh start from today.
(chalo, aaj se ek naii shuruaat karte hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मुझे पूरी कहानी शुरुआत से बताओ। Tell me the whole story from the beginning.
(mujhe poorii kahaanii shuruaat se bataao।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर शुरुआत ही गलत हो, तो आगे सब कुछ बिगड़ जाता है। If the very beginning is wrong, then everything ahead falls apart.
(agar shuruaat hii galat ho, to aage sab kuchh bigad jaataa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
कंपनी ने अगले महीने से नई परियोजना की शुरुआत करने का फैसला किया है। The company has decided to start the new project from next month.
(kampnii ne agle mahiine se naii pariyojnaa kii shuruaat karne kaa phaislaa kiyaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
समारोह की शुरुआत मुख्यमंत्री के भाषण से की जाएगी। The ceremony will be started with the chief minister's speech.
(samaaroh kii shuruaat mukhymantrii ke bhaashan se kii jaaegii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Passive
अगर उसकी शुरुआत बेहतर होती, तो वह आज बहुत आगे होता। If his beginning had been better, he would be far ahead today.
(agar uskii shuruaat behtar hotii, to vah aaj bahut aage hotaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
यह तो अभी शुरुआत है, आगे और भी मुश्किलें आएँगी। This is just the beginning, more difficulties will come ahead.
(yah to abhii shuruaat hai, aage aur bhii mushkilen aaengii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
नए साल की शुरुआत में लोग अक्सर नए संकल्प लेते हैं। At the start of the new year, people often make new resolutions.
(nae saal kii shuruaat men log aksar nae sankalp lete hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
हर बड़ी सफलता की शुरुआत एक छोटे से कदम से होती है। Every great success begins with a small step.
(har badii saphaltaa kii shuruaat ek chhote se kadam se hotii hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): शुरुआत (shuruaat)
(sg.f.oblique): शुरुआत (shuruaat)
(pl.f.direct): शुरुआतें (shuruaaten)
(pl.f.oblique): शुरुआतों (shuruaaton)