Japanese Conversation · Level 7
90 words
Japanese word
たまに
Pronunciation
Romajitamani
Meaning
- adverbsometimes
Example
たまに本を読みます。ta ma ni hon o yo mi ma su
I sometimes read books.
More examples
週末はたまに料理をします。shū matsu wa ta ma ni ryō ri o shi ma su
I sometimes cook on weekends.
Core concept
Presents an action or event as an infrequent occurrence rather than a usual one.
Common phrases
たまに会うta ma ni a u
meet occasionally
たまに行くta ma ni i ku
go occasionally
Similar words
時々tokidoki: An action or event recurs occasionally without following a fixed schedule.
Definition in Japanese
行為や出来事の起こる回数が少なく、時折あるさま。kō i ya de ki goto no o ko ru kai sū ga suku na ku toki ori a ru sa ma
Word origin
The word たまに (tamani) comes from たま (tama, "rare") followed by に (ni), an adverb-forming element.
Usage tips
- たまに (tamani) is common in casual conversation when a speaker says that an activity is part of life but not a regular habit.
Opposites
- いつもitsumoalwaysadverb