In a method for starting a self-igniting internal combustion engine at low temperatures, a first fuel amount is injected into the combustion chamber during a compression stroke of the internal combustion engine by a fuel pre-injection, so as to form a partially homogenous pre-mixture in the combustion chamber; a main fuel amount is then injected into the combustion chamber during a main injection and the fuel/air mixture is combusted by self-ignition, the injection start of the pre-injection being selected such that the partially homogenous pre-mixture can be ignited after a very short ignition delay, and an injection start of the main injection is selected such that the main fuel amount is injected into the combustion chamber either during a combustion phase or directly after a combustion phase of the ignited pre-injection mixture