# often

/ˈɔfən/ (US) · /ˈɒfən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/often
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. frequently

adverb · CEFR A1

many times or on many occasions.

For teachers: occurring many times or at frequent intervals.

- 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.

### 2. frequent

adjective · CEFR C2 · Archaic

happening many times.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- I often walk to work in the morning.
- We often visit our grandparents on the weekend because they live in the same city.
- While the symptoms are often mild at first, they can become more severe if the patient does not rest and stay hydrated.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.