Abstract: The invention relates to a method for starting a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine (1), especially of a motor vehicle. The position of a piston (2) in a cylinder (3) of the engine (1) is determined and fuel is injected into a combustion chamber (4) of that cylinder (3) whose piston (2) is disposed in a work phase. In order to make possible a start of the internal combustion engine (1) as reliable as possible without an electro-motoric starter, it is suggested that the inlet and/or outlet valves (5) of at least one cylinder (3), whose piston (2) is disposed after top dead center (TDC), is brought into a position corresponding to a work phase in advance of the starting operation.