How to say "occasionally" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- adverbCovers 'occasionally' as 'once in a while': something happens infrequently but does happen. Its plain, conversational feel suits everyday talk about habits and routines.
- 時々ときどきadverb, no-adjectiveThe broad, neutral choice for 'sometimes; occasionally': things happen from time to time without emphasis. It fits both speech and writing when you simply state that something occurs intermittently.
- 折々おりおりadverbAlso means 'occasionally; now and then,' but with a literary, reflective flavor; it is at home in written prose rather than casual speech, so it is seldom the word for everyday conversation.
- 時折ときおりadverbMeans 'occasionally; at intervals,' with a composed, slightly written feel; it suits narration describing something that recurs intermittently rather than casual chat about habits.
- 時にはときにはexpression, adverbMeans 'at times; occasionally' and, because of the contrastive は, highlights that there are occasions when something holds true, often against a usual state of affairs.
These five all render 'occasionally' with overlapping senses: 時々 is the neutral default, 「たまに」 the casual 'once in a while,' while 折々 and 時折 carry a written flavor and 「時には」 a contrastive one.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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