# sometimes

/ˈsəmˌtaɪmz/ (US) · /sˈʌmtaɪmz/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. occasionally

adverb · CEFR A1

on some occasions or at certain times, but not always.

For teachers: occurring on some occasions or in certain circumstances; indicates a frequency between 'rarely' and 'often'.

- I sometimes walk to work when the weather is nice.
- Although the commute is usually reliable, the trains are sometimes delayed due to maintenance work on the main line.

Usage: As an adverb of frequency, it can be placed at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence for different from 'always' or 'never'.

Teaching tip: Learners often confuse 'sometimes' (frequency) with 'sometime' (at an unknown point in time) or 'some time' (a period of time).

## Examples

- I sometimes walk to work when the weather is nice.
- Even though he enjoys his job, he sometimes feels overwhelmed by the amount of paperwork he has to finish.
- While the software is generally reliable, it sometimes experiences minor glitches when processing large datasets during peak usage hours.

---

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.