sometimes

The word “sometimes” means on certain occasions but not always. In plain terms, now and then, but not every time.

“Sometimes” is pronounced SUHM-tymz (/ˈsʌm.taɪmz/ in IPA).

Here is “sometimes” used in a sentence: “Sometimes I walk to work instead of driving.”

“Sometimes” is an adverb.

“Sometimes” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

Sometimes means occasionally or now and then — 'I sometimes walk to work.' Sometime (one word) means at an unspecified point in time — 'Let's meet sometime next week.' 'Some time' (two words) means a period of time — 'It took some time.' The confusion comes from the shared spelling but the meanings are quite distinct.

Sometimes is neutral and works in both formal and informal writing. It fits reports, essays, and everyday conversation equally well. In very formal or academic prose, writers may prefer 'occasionally' or 'on occasion,' but sometimes is never wrong and remains one of the most natural ways to express irregular frequency.

The clearest opposites are 'always' and 'never,' which sit at the two extremes of frequency. Sometimes falls in the middle, meaning neither constantly nor not at all. Words like 'rarely' and 'often' are near-opposites in a looser sense, shifting the balance toward less or more frequent occurrence.

You might say, 'Sometimes I read before bed, but other nights I fall asleep straight away.' The word signals that something happens on certain occasions without being a fixed rule. It often pairs naturally with a contrast, showing what happens the rest of the time.