Adverbs of frequency tell us how often something happens and guide listeners in imagining typical routines or rare events. This guide covers common expressions from very frequent to very rare, with useful examples for each.
Lifetime Adverbs
Lifetime adverbs like immer and oft describe actions that happen regularly and help establish someone's habitual behavior.
| German Adverb | English Adverb | |
|---|---|---|
| immer | always | |
| normalerweise | normally | |
| oft | often | |
| häufig | frequently | |
| manchmal | sometimes |
He always arrives punctually to work.
Sentence Adverbs
Sentence adverbs such as manchmal and selten can appear at the beginning or end of a sentence, adding flexibility and emphasis to when an action occurs.
Adverbs for Rare Events
Adverbs like selten and kaum signal that something happens infrequently, useful for highlighting exceptions or unusual occurrences.
| German Adverb | English Adverb | |
|---|---|---|
| selten | rarely | |
| kaum | hardly | |
| fast nie | almost never | |
| nie | never |
Position
In German, frequency adverbs typically come directly after the conjugated verb in main clauses, but they can move for emphasis or style, especially when placed at the sentence start.
Time Expressions
Phrases like einmal pro Woche or dreimal im Monat give precise information about frequency and are often used for schedules or planned routines.
| German Expression | English Expression | |
|---|---|---|
| einmal pro Woche | once a week | |
| zweimal im Monat | twice a month | |
| dreimal im Jahr | three times a year | |
| jeden Tag | every day |
Summary
Frequency adverbs shape our sense of how often actions occur, with short adverbs for typical habits and time expressions for exact counts. Position them after the verb for natural German word order.
Examples
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025