Word
often
Phoneticsof·ten, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɔfən/
UK/ˈɒfən/
Adverb of frequency
Definitions
01frequently
A1 · Beginner
adv. many times or on many occasions.
adv. occurring many times or at frequent intervals.
日本語:よく、しばしば※
“I often go for a walk in the park after I finish my dinner.”
“The researchers noted that participants who exercised often reported significantly higher levels of daily energy than those with sedentary lifestyles.”
Usage
Usually placed before the main verb, but after the verb 'to be' or auxiliary verbs.
Pitfall
I often am late for work.
I am often late for work.
Adverbs of frequency like 'often' usually go after the verb 'to be' but before other main verbs.
Synonyms
02frequent
C2 · Proficiency Archaic
adj. happening many times.
adj. occurring at short intervals or many times. This adjectival use is archaic and largely replaced by 'frequent' in modern English.
“In old stories, you might read about a person's often visits to a friend.”
“The poet wrote of his often sighs, a phrasing that sounds quite unnatural to the modern ear.”
Teaching tip
This sense is archaic; learners should use the adjective 'frequent' instead in modern contexts.
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “often” in context.
Real-World Examples
“A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into theorems” is a quote often attributed to the late Hungarian mathematician Paul Erdős.” Etymology
From Middle English often, alteration (with final -n added due to analogy with Middle English selden (“seldom”)) of Middle English ofte, oft, from Old English oft (“often”), from Proto-Germanic ufta, uftō (“often”). Cognates Cognate with Scots affen, aften, af'en, oaffen, oaften, oftin (“often”), North Frisian aaft, oftem, oofting (“often”), Saterland Frisian oafte (“often”), German, Luxembourgish and Pennsylvania German oft (“often”), Yiddish אָפֿט (oft, “often”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk ofte (“often”), Faroese, Swedish ofta (“often”), Icelandic oft (“often”), Gothic 𐌿𐍆𐍄𐌰 (ufta, “often”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Idioms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A1 · BeginnerOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/often
※ 機械で選んだ訳語です。ネイティブスピーカーによる確認はまだです。
「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0