E-Answer.Net

Yes, you could probably say, "sometimes" instead. Or "not that often." If you asked someone, "do you work out?" And they respond, "every once in a while", they are really just saying, "No, not really. Sometimes, not all that often."

I would agree that "occasionally" or "sometimes" is a good alternative to this. It's a very relative phrase as "a while" is not really a definite amount of time. If you wanted to break it down you don't really need the "every" part. It's just something people say. "Once in a while" is the actual phrase that you need the definition to. So basically it's saying something happens one time out of "a while" which is an unspecified amount of time. In other words, sometimes.

Well "once in a while" is simple and easy to the people in that country lol. As a foreigner it is understandable that it would be harder to comprehend, but once you get used to hear it, it will be easy to understand. Good Luck, God Bless, and Good Day.

if someone says that it means "Yes, but only sometimes."



it implies (means) that the opportunity does come up, but only rarely is it pursued.



im sorry i hope that it helpful, not sure though.

there and now, ever so often, sometimes, rarely, once every month or two or year etc

Frequently, Sometimes, On few occasions, Barely miss the chance, Least often.

Yeah, good point.

Try "occasionally".

Sometimes but not always perhaps.

like it would be every other day witch would be today not tomorrow but the next day

Sometimes.

Sometimes.

now and then, sometimes, occasionally

SOMETIMES

Every one time in a long time, but not all the time

it means sometimes

it's another way to say "whenever I feel like it"

every once

every now and then..

sometimes

Once in a blue moon.



Occasionally.

sometimes

ocassionally



cp

what does, ( what does"every once in a while" mean?

Are you serious? You must go to public school.



Sometimes.

Sometimes is ok. or now and then, or not too often.

Not to often...maybe once a month or once a year???

Something likethat

not alot. rare.

"once in a long time"

periodically.

It means occasionally; other ways of saying it:



"Now and then"



or



"From time to time"

not very often, but occasionally

somwtimes

exactly what it says... every once in a while

very little