often

IPA/ˈɒfn/
KK[ˈɔfən]IPA/ˈɔːfn/

often — 副詞

1. on a great number of separate occasions, with only short gaps in between, so the

1.副詞A1
釋義

經常；常常

在一段時間內次數很多

on a great number of separate occasions, with only short gaps in between, so the action or event keeps coming back into your daily life — for example, eating noodles three nights a week, or calling your mother every Sunday.

例句

Maya often walks her dog in the park before breakfast.

Maya 經常在早餐前帶她的狗去公園散步。

subject + often + verb (mid-position)

How often does the bus to Tainan stop at this corner?

去台南的公車多久會在這個轉角停一次？

question form: how often + auxiliary

常見搭配
  • very often
  • quite often
  • so often
  • more often
  • how often
  • as often as
同義詞
  • frequently

    more formal; common in writing and reports

  • regularly

    stresses an even, repeating pattern, not just a high count

  • a lot

    informal, end-position only: 'she travels a lot'

反義詞
  • rarely

    almost never happens

  • seldom

    more formal counterpart of 'rarely'

文法句型

verb + often

often + verb

how often + question

用法筆記

Default mid-position before the main verb but after auxiliaries (she often forgets / she has often forgotten). Distinguish from sense 2: this sense answers 'how many times?' and can be modified by 'very / quite / so / more'.

常見錯誤

I go often to the gym.
I often go to the gym.
adverbs of frequency normally sit before the main verb, not after it.
She has often not been late.
She has not often been late.
in negatives, place 'not' before 'often'.

2. in a large share of the situations or examples that you are talking about — mean

2.副詞A2
釋義

往往；多半

在許多情況下都成立的通則

in a large share of the situations or examples that you are talking about — meaning the thing is typical or true for a big proportion of people, places, or events, though not for every single one.

例句

Children of professional musicians are often quite musical themselves from an early age.

職業音樂家的孩子往往從小就很有音樂天分。

generalisation about a group: noun + often + adjective

Dr. Tanaka often tells her students that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Tanaka 醫師常常告訴她的學生，早餐是一天當中最重要的一餐。

named subject + often + that-clause for a generalisation

常見搭配
  • often the case
  • often said
  • often described as
  • often considered
  • often mistaken for
同義詞
  • typically

    stronger claim about what is normal for a category

  • commonly

    shared across many cases; slightly more formal

  • in many cases

    explicit phrase for academic or report writing

反義詞
  • rarely

    true only in a small share of cases

文法句型

often + adjective

it is often + past participle

often + the case (that)

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1 (MANY TIMES): this sense does not count repetitions of one event; it labels a broad share of cases. You cannot replace it with 'many times' — 'Children of musicians are many times musical' is wrong. 'Frequently' fits sense 1 better than this sense.

常見錯誤

Italians are often eating pasta for dinner.
Italians often eat pasta for dinner.
for general truths, use the simple present, not the progressive.
It is often that people forget passwords.
People often forget passwords.' or ✅ 'It is often the case that people forget passwords.
bare 'It is often that…' is unnatural.
慣用語

every so often

idiom

from time to time but not on any fixed schedule, with long quiet stretches between each instance.

偶爾；不時

Every so often Aunt Rosa sends us a postcard from a new country.

The old kettle still works, but every so often it makes a strange clicking sound.

as often as not

idiom

in roughly half or more of the times something happens, so it is not at all surprising when it does.

往往；十之八九

When Marcus cooks dinner, as often as not he forgets to turn off the rice cooker.

The 7 a.m. train is late as often as not, so commuters leave home earlier.

more often than not

idiom

in more than half of the times a situation happens, so the result you are describing is the usual outcome.

通常；多半

More often than not, the night market in Tainan stays busy until after midnight.

Lina checks the weather app before leaving, but more often than not she still gets caught in rain.

once too often

idiom

one extra time after several earlier times, so this latest time finally brings trouble or punishment.

再一次就糟了；終於玩過頭

The young fox raided the henhouse once too often and was finally caught by the farmer.

Tomas has lied to his coach once too often, and now he has been dropped from the team.

as often as not | more often than not

idiom

This phrase means that something happens most of the time.

通常；多半

More often than not, Maya finishes her homework before dinner.

As often as not, the train arrives on time.

同根字

常見搭配

名詞搭配

  • often the case
  • often the reason
  • often the result

副詞搭配

  • very often
  • quite often
  • so often
  • too often
  • more often
  • less often

常用片語

介系詞搭配

  • as often as
  • more often than