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Time & Tense

Frequency (時々、いつも)

Master frequency expressions in Japanese. Learn how to say 'always,' 'often,' 'sometimes,' 'never' and express how often actions occur.

What are Frequency Expressions?

Frequency expressions describe how often something happens. Japanese has many adverbs to express different levels of frequency, from "always" to "never."

いつも勉強する
"I always study"

時々映画を見る
"I sometimes watch movies"

全然行かない
"I never go"

Common Frequency Adverbs

Always/Usually (100% - 80%)

いつも - always
常に - always (formal)
必ず - without fail/always
毎回 - every time

いつも朝ごはんを食べる
"I always eat breakfast"

必ず宿題をする
"I always do homework without fail"

Often/Frequently (70% - 50%)

よく - often
しょっちゅう - frequently/all the time
頻繁に - frequently (formal)

よく本を読む
"I often read books"

しょっちゅう会う
"We meet frequently"

Sometimes (40% - 20%)

時々 (ときどき) - sometimes
たまに - occasionally
時には (ときには) - sometimes

時々映画を見る
"I sometimes watch movies"

たまに外食する
"I occasionally eat out"

Rarely/Seldom (10% - 5%)

たまに - occasionally (can mean rarely in context)
めったに〜ない - rarely/seldom
あまり〜ない - not often

めったに行かない
"I rarely go"

あまり食べない
"I don't eat often"

Never (0%)

全然〜ない - never/not at all
一度も〜ない - never (not even once)
決して〜ない - never (emphatic)

全然行かない
"I never go"

一度も食べたことがない
"I've never eaten it (not even once)"

Frequency Scale

100% いつも/常に (always)
 90% ほとんどいつも (almost always)
 80% だいたい (usually)
 70% よく (often)
 50% 時々 (sometimes)
 30% たまに (occasionally)
 10% めったに〜ない (rarely)
  5% ほとんど〜ない (hardly ever)
  0% 全然〜ない (never)

Placement in Sentences

Frequency adverbs typically come before the verb:

Subject + Frequency + Verb

私はいつも朝ごはんを食べる
"I always eat breakfast"

彼はよく本を読む
"He often reads books"

時々映画を見ます
"I sometimes watch movies"

With Negative Verbs

めったに〜ない (rarely)

めったに外食しない
"I rarely eat out"

めったに遅刻しない
"I rarely arrive late"

めったに会わない
"We rarely meet"

あまり〜ない (not much/often)

あまり飲まない
"I don't drink much"

あまり行かない
"I don't go often"

あまり話さない
"I don't talk much"

全然〜ない (not at all/never)

全然わからない
"I don't understand at all"

全然行かない
"I never go"

全然食べない
"I don't eat at all"

一度も〜ない (not even once/never)

一度も行ったことがない
"I've never been (not even once)"

一度も見たことがない
"I've never seen it"

一度も会ったことがない
"I've never met (them)"

Asking About Frequency

どのくらい (how often)

どのくらい運動しますか？
"How often do you exercise?"

どのくらい日本に行きますか？
"How often do you go to Japan?"

よく (often - in questions)

よく映画を見ますか？
"Do you often watch movies?"

よくここに来ますか？
"Do you come here often?"

Specific Frequency

Every [time period]

毎日 (まいにち) - every day
毎週 (まいしゅう) - every week
毎月 (まいつき) - every month
毎年 (まいとし) - every year
毎朝 (まいあさ) - every morning
毎晩 (まいばん) - every evening

毎日運動する
"I exercise every day"

毎週映画を見る
"I watch movies every week"

Times per Period

1日に3回 - 3 times a day
週に2回 - twice a week
月に1回 - once a month
年に1回 - once a year

週に2回ジムに行く
"I go to the gym twice a week"

月に1回会う
"We meet once a month"

Common Conversations

Example 1: Exercise Habits

A: どのくらい運動しますか？
   "How often do you exercise?"

B: 週に3回ぐらい運動します
   "I exercise about 3 times a week"

A: 何をしますか？
   "What do you do?"

B: よく走ります
   "I often run"

Example 2: Meeting Friends

A: 友達とよく会いますか？
   "Do you often meet with friends?"

B: はい、週末はいつも会います
   "Yes, I always meet on weekends"

A: 平日は？
   "What about weekdays?"

B: たまに会います
   "I occasionally meet"

Example 3: Eating Habits

A: よく外食しますか？
   "Do you often eat out?"

B: いいえ、あまりしません
   "No, not much"

A: 週に何回ぐらい？
   "About how many times a week?"

B: 月に1回ぐらいです
   "About once a month"

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Wrong particle with frequency

Wrong: 週に2回で行く ❌
Right: 週に2回行く ✓
"I go twice a week"

Mistake 2: Forgetting ない with negative frequency

Wrong: めったに行く ❌
Right: めったに行かない ✓
"I rarely go"

Mistake 3: Wrong word order

Less natural: 勉強するいつも ⚠️
Natural: いつも勉強する ✓
"I always study"

Combining Frequency Expressions

Multiple Adverbs

ほとんどいつも
"almost always"

たいてい/だいたい
"usually/generally"

ほとんど〜ない
"hardly ever"

With Time Periods

平日はいつも仕事する
"I always work on weekdays"

週末はたまに出かける
"I occasionally go out on weekends"

朝はよく走る
"I often run in the morning"

Formal vs Casual

Casual

よく - often
時々 - sometimes
たまに - occasionally
全然〜ない - never

Formal

頻繁に - frequently
時には - sometimes
稀に - rarely
決して〜ない - never

Special Expressions

たびに (every time)

会うたびに
"every time we meet"

行くたびに
"every time I go"

見るたびに
"every time I see"

いつでも (anytime)

いつでも来てください
"Please come anytime"

いつでも電話していい
"You can call anytime"

いつまでも (forever)

いつまでも友達
"friends forever"

いつまでも覚えている
"I'll remember forever"

Emphasizing Frequency

本当に (really)

本当によく会う
"We really meet often"

本当に全然わからない
"I really don't understand at all"

とても (very)

とてもよく勉強する
"I study very often"

Regional Variations

Standard

よく - often
時々 - sometimes

Kansai

よう - often
たまに - sometimes

Practice Sentences

High Frequency

いつも早く起きる
"I always wake up early"

毎日日本語を勉強する
"I study Japanese every day"

よく本を読みます
"I often read books"

しょっちゅう会う
"We meet frequently"

Medium Frequency

時々映画を見る
"I sometimes watch movies"

たまに外食します
"I occasionally eat out"

週に2回ジムに行く
"I go to the gym twice a week"

Low Frequency

めったに行かない
"I rarely go"

あまり食べません
"I don't eat much"

ほとんど使わない
"I hardly ever use it"

Never

全然わからない
"I don't understand at all"

一度も行ったことがない
"I've never been"

決して忘れない
"I'll never forget"

Questions

どのくらい運動しますか？
"How often do you exercise?"

よく映画を見ますか？
"Do you often watch movies?"

毎日勉強しますか？
"Do you study every day?"
  • Time Words - Specific time expressions
  • Duration - How long
  • Present Tense Usage - Habitual actions
  • Adverbs - Adverb usage
  • Negative Forms - Negation patterns
  • Counters - Counting times