doim / baʼzan / koʻpincha

How Often

Level 3

Say how often with doim (always), koʻpincha (often, mostly), baʼzan (sometimes) and hech qachon (never): Baʼzan kinoga boraman (I sometimes go to the cinema).

How It Works

These words say how often something happens. From most to least often:

  • doim, har doim, doimo: always. Har doim can also mean "every time".
  • koʻpincha: often, mostly, most of the time.
  • tez-tez: often, frequently.
  • baʼzan: sometimes.
  • kamdan-kam: rarely.
  • hech qachon: never, with a negative verb.

Word order. The frequency word normally comes after the subject and before the object and verb: Men doim choy ichaman (I always drink tea). It can also open the sentence for emphasis: Baʼzan kinoga boraman.

Tense. A present habit uses the present-future tense, not the -yap form, which is for what is happening right now. See right now vs usually. For past habits, use -ar edi: Bolaligimda doim shu yerda oʻynar edim (As a child I always used to play here).

Never. Hech qachon needs a negative verb, just like "nobody" and "nothing" in Uzbek: Men hech qachon kofe ichmayman (I never drink coffee).

Sometimes ... sometimes. Repeat baʼzan to contrast two things: Baʼzan uyda, baʼzan kafeda ishlayman (Sometimes I work at home, sometimes at a café).

Exact numbers. To count how many times, use marta: haftasiga ikki marta (twice a week).

Spelling. Baʼzan is written with the apostrophe sign ʼ.

Examples (6)

  1. Men doim choy ichaman.

    I always drink tea.

    Word by Word: I always tea drink-I.

    A habit, so the present-future tense.

  2. Baʼzan kinoga boraman.

    I sometimes go to the cinema.

    Word by Word: Sometimes cinema-to go-I.

    The frequency word can open the sentence.

  3. Dam olish kunlari koʻpincha uyda boʻlaman.

    At weekends I'm usually at home.

    Word by Word: Rest days mostly home-at am-I.

    Koʻpincha: most of the time.

  4. U har doim kech qoladi.

    He is always late.

    Word by Word: He every time late stays.

    Har doim: always, every time.

  5. Biz tez-tez gaplashamiz.

    We talk often.

    Word by Word: We often talk-we.

    Tez-tez: often, frequently.

  6. Men hech qachon kofe ichmayman.

    I never drink coffee.

    Word by Word: I never coffee drink-not-I.

    Hech qachon needs a negative verb.

Common Mistakes

  • Using hech qachon with a positive verb.

    Men hech qachon kofe ichaman.
    Men hech qachon kofe ichmayman.

    Uzbek "never" works like "nobody" and "nothing": the verb must be negative too.

  • Leaving out the apostrophe sign in baʼzan.

    Bazan kinoga boraman.
    Baʼzan kinoga boraman.

    Baʼzan is spelled with the apostrophe sign ʼ between a and z.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

doim / baʼzan / koʻpinchaLevel 3How Often

Learn This First

Builds on Right Now vs Usually and Every.

Words in This Pattern

doimbaʼzankoʻpinchatez-tez