STOP Using SOMETIMES, SELDOM & ALWAYS! (What EXPERT English Speakers Say Instead)

「停用」SOMETIMES、SELDOM 和 ALWAYS！（英語母語者換說什麼）

Eat Sleep Dreamers welcome back to another lesson with me Tom. Today I'm somewhere slightly

吃睡夢想家們（Eat Sleep Dreamers）， 歡迎跟我——Tom 回到另一個課程。 我今天有些地方稍微

different, I'm in Hong Kong. I've been out here for about a month teaching English. It's

不一樣，我在香港， 我已經在這裡待了大概一個月來教英語。

been an amazing time, I've loved it here and one of the great things about being out here

這對我來說是個美好的時光，我愛這個地方， 在這裡有個好處是——

is that I get to meet the Eat Sleep Dreamers around the world. So I've met a few Eat Sleep

我在全球各地都能跟吃睡夢想家們（Eat Sleep Dreamers）見面， 所以我在香港見到幾位

Dreamers in Hong Kong which has been amazing. But today I want to talk to you guys about

驚人的吃睡夢想家（Eat Sleep Dreamers）。 但今天我想跟夥伴你談

ten really useful expressions that you can use to talk about your every day lives. These

10個很實用的詞彙，讓你能用來表達你每天的生活。

are ten phrases that talk about the frequency of doing things. So we know about sometimes

這裡有10個片語，用來表達做事情的頻率， 而我們知道 sometimes、

and never and always but these are ten expressions that you might not know that are used so often

never 和 always，但這10個詞彙你可能不知道那常被

by native English speakers and I really want to share them with you today. So if you are

英語母語者拿來用，而我真的想在今天分享給你聽。 所以如果你準備好了，

ready, let's get going.

我們走吧！

Ok, number one 'whenever I get the chance'. So if someone says to you

好！第一個：「Whenever I get the chance.」。 （等我有機會。） 如果誰對你說：

'How of ten do you see your Mum and Dad?' you say 'whenever I get the chance'. It just

「How often do you see your Mum and Dad?」， 你說：「Whenever I get the chance.」，這就是

means there's no specific amount, it's not always or it's not every week but it's when

說那沒有明確的時間，並不都是這樣， 或不是每個星期，但當

you have the opportunity, that's when you'll do it. So whenever I get the chance. This

你有機會時，你就會去做（像是：see your Mum and Dad），所以我不會去管什麼時候會有機會，這

is great for someone who has a really busy schedule, let's say you are a parent and someone

對某些行程很滿的人來說很棒， 我們來說你是父母，而有人

says to you 'How often do you go running?' or 'How often do you workout?' you could say

跟你說：「How often do you go running?」， 或「How often do you workout?」， 你可能會說：

'whenever I get the chance'. Like, you are super busy, work, life, baby. So if you have

「Whenever I get the chance.」，就像你非常忙碌，工作、生活、小孩（嬰兒），所以如果你有（if you have）

the chance, when you have the chance, that's when you'll do it. So whenever I have the

機會（the chance）， 當你有機會時（you have the chance），你就會去做。 Whenever I have the (chance.)

chance. As we go through these phrases, think about how they link to your life. In what

(Whenever I have the) chance. 當我們通過（閱覽）這些片語， 想想這如何跟你的生活連結，還有在什麼

situations might you use this phrase 'whenever I get the chance'. Alright, let's get to number

情況下你會用這個片語： 「Whenever I get the chance.」。 好了！我們來看第二個，

two. Somewhat similar to that one 'not as often as I'd like'. That's telling you that

有點像（前面）那個：「Not as often as I'd like.」。 那是告訴你說

you want to do this activity more often but you don't have the opportunity so not as often

你想要更常做這種活動，但你沒有機會， 所以沒辦法跟你想要的

as I'd like. So again someone says to you 'How often do you do yoga?' You want to do

這麼頻繁做。所以一樣， 某人跟你說：「How often do you do yoga?」，你想

it more than you do now so you would say 'Not as often as I'd like.' I want to do it more

比你現在還更常去做， 所以你會說：「Not as often as I'd like.」。 （不像我想的那麼常（做）。） 我想要更常去做，

but I don't have the opportunity. Not as often as I'd like. Two nice phrases here to mean

但我沒有機會。 Not as often as I'd like. 這兩個好片語可以表示

sometimes. We've got 'every now and then' and 'from time to time'. Both mean sometimes.

sometimes。我們得到：「Every now and then.」和「From time to time.」。 （「時不時」和「偶爾」。） 都是表示 sometimes。

So 'how often do you go shopping?' 'Every now and then' or 'From time to time'. So sometimes.

那麼「How often do you go shopping?」 「Every now and then.」或「From time to time.」， 所以 sometimes。

These are nice alternatives to sometimes. Every now and then, from time to time. I love

這些是不錯的 sometimes 替代用語—— Every now and then、From time to time。我愛

this phrase 'not as often as I used to.' So here we are saying we don't do the activity

這個片語——「not as often as I used to.」。 （不像我以前那麼常（做）。） 所以這是我們在說我們不像過去

as much as in the past. In the past we did this activity a lot more frequently but now

那麼常做活動，我們以前更常做這個活動，但現在

not so much. Not as often as I used to. For example 'Do you still go to concerts?' 'Not

沒那麼常做了。 Not as often as I used to. 舉例：「'Do you still go to concerts?」， 「Not (as often as I used to.)

as often as I used to.' So in the past i used to go to concerts a lot and now not so much.

(Not) as often as I used to.」， 所以在過去我習慣經常去音樂會，而現在沒有了。

So it's a nice way to contrast your present activity and frequency of doing something

所以這是個好辦法，可以對照你過去的活動和以前多常

to the past. Not as often as I used to. Two nice phrases to talk about high-frequency

做什麼。 Not as often as I used to. 兩個好片語可以用來說很頻繁的

of doing something. All the time. So for example 'How often do you see Jack these days?' "I

在做什麼事。 All the time.（無時無刻不（做）。） 那例如：「How often do you see Jack these days?」，

see him all the time, he lives right next to me.' So high-frequency 'all the time'.

「I see him all the time, he lives right next to me.」， 這麼頻繁「All the time.」。

And if you want to show that something is a regular habit you could say, nearly every

而如果你想秀什麼平常的習慣，你能說：「nearly every...」（幾乎每……），

and then the time so 'nearly every day' 'nearly every week' or 'nearly every month'. So you

接著像這樣：「nearly every day」、「nearly every week」或「nearly every month」，所以

are showing that it's pretty habitual, that you do it frequently and you do it consistently,

就表示那是相當平常的，你常去做，你一直在做，

nearly every week. 'How often do you call your Grandma?' 'Nearly every week.' So consistently,

幾乎每週都是。 How often do you call your Grandma? Nearly every week. 如此一致，

almost every week, not quite every week but nearly every week. Here's a great phrase for

幾乎是每個星期；不是每週，但幾乎每週。 如果你想

if you want to show that your answer is a bit surprising, that maybe it's not the answer

表示出有點會讓人吃驚的， 也許別人預想不到你會怎麼說的回應，

that the other person expected you to say. So for example 'How often do you cook?' You

這是個很棒的片語。 那麼像是：「How often do you cook?」，

might say 'Not that often actually.' The actually there is showing surprise, it's showing that

你可能會說：「Not that often actually.」， 那的確是在秀驚喜，就是你

the answer that you are saying is probably surprising to the person you are speaking

秀個回應，可能會讓聽你說的那個人覺得驚訝，

to. They may expect you to say quite often or all the time. So you are saying not that

他們可能以為你會說 often 或 all the time， 而你說：「not that

often, so low-frequency and then the actually part is showing that you are understand that

often」，那麼不頻繁，實際上有部分表示你知道

it could be surprising information to the other person. So 'how often do you cook?'

它對其他人來說會是出乎意料的訊息。 How often do you cook?

'Not that often actually.' Here's one I've wanted to address for a long time. Now in

Not that often actually. 這裡有個我很久以前就想說的，現在在

Hong Kong, when I hear students speaking they'll often use the word 'seldom' which means not

香港，當我（以前）聽到學生們說他們常常會用「seldom」——就是只很

very often, yeah? Between sometimes and never it's in between there. Now seldom for me is

不常，對吧？在 sometimes 和 never 間， 它就在那中間。現在 seldom 對我來說是個

quite a formal word and I see it most in written English. I don't generally hear it spoken

很正式的字，我通常在書面英文看到， 普遍上我不會聽到

so much. In spoken English I would say 'hardly ever'. So 'how often do you eat chocolate?'

多少人唸它。 在英語口語我會說：「hardly ever」（幾乎不）， 那麼：「How often do you eat chocolate?」，

'Hardly ever'. You are saying almost never, not quite but instead of saying seldom which,

「Hardly ever.」。你會說 almost never（幾乎沒有）、 not quite（不太（做）），取代說 seldom——

as I say I think is quite a formal word mostly in written English, hardly ever is perfect

跟我說的一樣，我想這就是個很正式的書面英文用字， 用在英語口語幾乎不（hardly ever）

for spoken English. Sounding very natural, like a native English speaker. So hardly ever,

怎麼好。 自然的說，就像個英語母語者：hardly ever；

perfect phrase. And let's finish off with a fun one to say that you basically never

完美的片語。而我們用個有趣的來結尾， 那用來說你基本上沒

do this. You could say 'once in a blue moon'. Because blue moons are rare, they don't happen

做過，你能說：「Once in a blue moon.」。 因為藍月亮很罕見，並不太常

very often so you might say 'once in a blue moon' to say that you basically never do it,

發生，所以你可能會說：「Once in a blue moon.」， 來說你基本上沒做過，

maybe once in a while. That's also another phrase 'once in a while'. So 'how often do

也許偶爾（once in a while）會做， 那也是另一個片語——「once in a while」。 那麼「How often do

you go to a fancy restaurant?' Once in a blue moon.' So not very often at all. Alright guys,

you go to a fancy restaurant?」， 「Once in a blue moon.」，所以完全不是很常（去）。 好了夥伴！

ten super useful phrases to expand your vocabulary, bring some variety and ten ways to express

十個超實用的片語來擴充你的詞彙量， 帶來一些變化，而且這十種能讓你

your ideas in slightly different ways. I hope you found that useful guys, if you did find

用稍微不同的方式表達你的想法。 我希望夥伴你覺得有用，如果夥伴你覺得

that useful guys give me a big thumbs up and let me know in the comments below. And if

有用，請給我一個大讚， 並在底下留言讓我知道。而如果

you can make an example sentence with any of those phrases i'd love you to do that and

你能用那些任何一個片語造個例句，我會喜歡你去做，

I'll pop down and I'll comment on your comment. Remember to check me out on Instagram guys,

我會跳出來，我會回覆你的留言。 夥伴，記得看看我的 Instagram，

I've got Instagram stories where i try and put regular English content and you get to

我在 Instagram 有貼故事（一系列的貼文）， 我在那試著經常發英語內容，而你能去

see behind the scenes of Eat Sleep Dream English. You will have followed my trip in Hong Kong

看 Eat Sleep Dream English 的幕後花絮。 如果你已經在跟 Instagram 故事，

if you have been on Instagram stories and of course I'm on Facebook as well. I put videos

也當然一樣在我的 Facebook 專頁， 你將能跟著我的香港之旅。我在

out every Tuesday and every Friday to help you to take your English to the next level

每週二、每週五發布影片， 來幫助你讓英語提升到下個水平，

and achieve your life goals whatever they may be. Thank you so much for hanging out

並達成你的生活目標——不管到底是什麼。 非常感謝夥伴你

with me guys, this is Tom, the Chief Dreamer, saying goodbye.

花時間陪我（英語教學），我是 Tom——首席夢想家（the Chief Dreamer），說再見！