How to say "sometimes" in Japanese

• 時々ときどきJLPT N5approx.Common
  adverb, no-adjectiveCovers the plain, all-purpose sense of 'sometimes': things that happen occasionally or from time to time. The natural choice for neutral statements about habits or the weather, such as saying you sometimes work late.
  ジェーンはときどき学校がっこうまで走はしっていく。↗

  Jane sometimes runs to school.
• 時折ときおりJLPT N1approx.Common
  adverbMeans essentially the same as 時々: something happens occasionally, at intervals, on occasion. When you simply want to say 'sometimes', this is a safe alternative, suiting events that recur here and there.
  私は時ときおり学校がっこうで彼かれに会あう。↗

  I meet him at school now and then.
• 往々おうおうCommon
  adverbGlossed as both 'sometimes' and 'often', and it really leans toward the latter: things that happen frequently. For the plain occasional sense of 'sometimes' this is seldom the word you want.
• 時としてときとしてCommon
  adverbCovers the 'in some cases' sense of 'sometimes': it presents the occurrence as happening on particular occasions rather than as a general rule — 'there are times when...'.
  天才てんさいは時ときとして態度たいどが粗野そやなことがある。↗

  A genius can sometimes have rude manners.

For plain 'sometimes' use 時々 or the near-equivalent 時折; 往々 really leans toward 'often'; 「時として」 suits 'in some cases', presenting something as happening on particular occasions.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 時々ときどきsometimes
• 時折ときおりsometimes
• 往々おうおうsometimes
• 時としてときとしてin some cases
• 寄り寄りよりよりsometimes
• 往々にしておうおうにしてsometimes
• どうかするとsometimes
• 間々ままoccasionally
• 時にときにsometimes