Alkaa ^{(Verb type1)}

1. (transitive, auxiliary, + 1st infinitive/+ illative of 3rd infinitive) to begin (to do something), start (doing something)

   Hän alkoi itkeä./Hän alkoi itkemään.

   He started to cry.

   Alan olla väsynyt.

   I'm starting to feel tired.

2. (intransitive) to initiate, set in, be initiated, originate, be originated, take its origin

   Tulevaisuus alkaa tänään.

   The future begins today.

   Polku alkaa tästä.

   The trail starts here.

The present, imperfect, perfect, and pluperfect (past perfect) tenses in English correspond to "speaks", "spoke", "has spoken", and "had spoken".

The conditional present and perfect moods in English typically correspond to "would" and "would have".