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HSK 2.0 Level 4+ HSK 3.0 Level 4+ 6 min read

Frequency Adverbs 往往 and 偶尔

Describe what usually happens in a given situation with 往往, say “once in a while” with 偶尔, and know when 常常 is the right choice instead.

Pattern

situation / time + 往往 + verb phrase; 偶尔 (+ 也/会) + verb

往往 sums up a pattern you have noticed, so it never works for plans or requests; use 常常 for those.

周末他往往在家看书。

When to use Frequency Adverbs 往往 and 偶尔

Both go right before the verb. 往往 means “usually, tends to”: it sums up what has regularly happened in a certain situation, so the sentence normally names that situation: 周末他往往在家看书. 偶尔 means “occasionally, once in a while”: 我偶尔喝咖啡. Because 往往 describes a pattern you have noticed, it is not used for plans, wishes or requests.

天气不好的时候，路上往往堵车。

When the weather is bad, there are usually traffic jams.

我偶尔喝咖啡。

I drink coffee once in a while.

她偶尔会给我打电话。

She calls me now and then.

第一次做的事情往往比较难。

Things you do for the first time tend to be hard.

Common traps

  • Don’t use 往往 for plans or requests: 以后我会常常来看你, not 以后我会往往来看你.
  • Give 往往 a situation: 下雨天他往往不出门 sounds right, while a bare 他往往不出门 sounds incomplete.
  • For one lucky meeting say 我偶然遇到了他, not 我偶尔遇到了他: 偶然 is “by chance”, 偶尔 is “once in a while”.

Targeted drill

Practice this exact pattern before moving on.

他周末 去图书馆，十次有八次在那里

He usually goes to the library on weekends, about eight times out of ten
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