ofte, malofte, kelkfoje
How Often
Most frequency words end in -e and can stand before the verb.
How It Works
| Word | How often |
|---|---|
| ĉiam | every time, always |
| ofte | many times, often |
| kelkfoje | some times, sometimes |
| malofte | few times, rarely |
| neniam | no time, never |
Malofte is mal- plus ofte, so it means the opposite of often. Kelkfoje is built from kelk- (some), foj- (time) and -e. Neniam already says no, so it needs no ne. To say not always, write ne ĉiam.
These words describe the verb, so most of them use -e. The adjective ofta describes a noun. Ĉiam and neniam come from the table words for time, which end in -am, like kiam and tiam.
Examples (5)
- Mi ofte legas gazetojn en Esperanto.
I often read newspapers in Esperanto.
Ofte answers how often.
- Pedro malofte vizitas la klubon.
Pedro rarely visits the club.
Malofte is the opposite of ofte.
- Kelkfoje Ana kaj Lars trinkas teon kune.
Sometimes Ana and Lars drink tea together.
Kelkfoje means on some occasions.
- Kofi ne ĉiam respondas rapide.
Kofi does not always answer quickly.
Ne ĉiam means not every time.
- Ni neniam parolas la anglan en la klubo.
We never speak English in the club.
Neniam already says no, so the verb is not negated again.
Common Mistakes
Using the adjective instead of the adverb.
Mi ofta legas.Mi ofte legas.A word that describes the verb ends in -e. The -a ending describes a noun.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Ofte and the other frequency words are time adverbs, and malofte is built with mal-.
Related Patterns
- ĉio, ĉiu, ĉie, ĉiamEverything, Everyone, Everywhere, Always
Ĉiam is one of the frequency words.
Level 3 - nenio, neniu, nenie, neniamNothing, Nobody, Nowhere, Never
Neniam is the other end of the scale.
Level 3 - -eAdverbs End in -e
The ending of ofte, malofte and kelkfoje.
Level 2 - ĉiutage / ĉiusemajneEvery Day, Every Week
Words that say how often with a time word.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice ofte, malofte, kelkfoje in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Esperanto lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
