How to say "happen" in Japanese

• 起こるおこるJLPT N3approx.Common
  godan verb, intransitive verbThe plain word for 'happen': an event, incident, or accident occurs or takes place. It is the neutral choice when something simply occurs, with no nuance of beginning.
  あとで起おこったことはなお悪わるかった。↗

  What followed was still worse.
• 始まるはじまるJLPT N5approx.Common
  godan verb, intransitive verbReally the verb 'to begin': its 'happen' sense covers only something happening again or beginning anew. For an event that simply occurs, it is seldom the word you want — use 起こる.

For something simply occurring — an event, incident, or accident — use 「起こる」; 「始まる」 is really the verb 'to begin' and matches 'happen' only when something starts up again or begins anew.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 起こるおこるto occur
• 始まるはじまるto happen (again)
• 起きるおきるto occur (usu. of unfavourable incidents)
• 降りかかるふりかかるto befall
• あるto happen