Verb / Adj + 起来 (start to …)

"And then it started…"

Verb / Adj + (after a verb) indicating…起来qǐ lái can mean "start to (and keep going)".
everyone大家dà jiāto laugh笑xiào(after a verb) indicating…起来qǐ lái(completed / change)了le = "everyone started laughing"; weather天气tiān qìwarm暖和nuǎn huo(after a verb) indicating…起来qǐ lái(completed / change)了le = "the weather's warming up".
(after a verb) indicating…起来qǐ lái here marks the beginning of an action or change.

(after a verb) indicating…起来qǐ lái flags the onset of an action or a rising change.

everyone大家dà jiālaugh笑xiàostart to起来qǐ lái了le。

everyone大家dà jiāto laugh笑xiào(after a verb) indicating…起来qǐ lái(completed / change)了le = "everyone started laughing."

Practice

Everyone started laughing: 大家笑 ____ 了。

Practice

With an object, 起来 splits around it: 下起雨来.

down下xiàto rise起qǐ雨来yǔ lái (started raining): the object splits to rise起qǐ…to come来lái.

Explore

V/Adj + 起来 marks a start: the weather warms UP, laughter breaks OUT.

Practice

What does 起来 mark in 下起雨来?

Key idea

Verb / Adj + (after a verb) indicating…起来qǐ lái — "start to … (and continue)"
to laugh笑xiào(after a verb) indicating…起来qǐ lái · down下xiàto rise起qǐ雨来yǔ lái · warm暖和nuǎn huo(after a verb) indicating…起来qǐ lái
With an object it splits: down下xiàto rise起qǐ雨来yǔ lái