أحيانا
ʔaḥyānan/ʔaħ.jaː.nan/Egyptian Arabic
The English word "sometimes" is translated into Arabic as أحيانا (ʔaḥyānan), which is the default form. Wiktionary also lists أَحْيَانًا (ʔaḥyānan) and سَاعَات (sāʕēt).
Meaning: on certain occasions, but not always (adv)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| أحيانا | ʔaḥyānan | /ʔaħ.jaː.nan/ | Egyptian Arabic |
| أَحْيَانًا | ʔaḥyānan | ||
| سَاعَات | sāʕēt | Egyptian Arabic | |
| أَوْقات | awʔāt | Egyptian Arabic |
The term is used as an adverb to describe actions that occur on certain occasions, but not always.
Which one should you use?
While أحيانا is the standard adverb for "sometimes", the word أوقات (literally "times") can also be used in a similar sense to mean "at times" or "sometimes" in certain dialects.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egyptian Arabic, the word سَاعَات (literally "hours") is commonly used to mean "sometimes". The word أَوْقات (literally "times") can also be used in a similar sense in certain dialects. The form أحيانا is also used in Egyptian Arabic.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced as ʔaḥyānan. It has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- The formal word أحيانا is actually built from the root for 'life', meaning 'at times of life' or 'living times'.
- In spoken dialects, using ساعات instead of أحيانا reflects a cultural tendency to use concrete measurements of time, like hours, to describe abstract frequency.
- The word أحيانا ends with a 'tanwin' (double vowel) in its formal written form, which signals its role as an adverb in the sentence.
Examples in context
- أحياناً تعد أختي العشاء.My sister sometimes makes our dinner.This sentence shows how to use أحيانا to describe a recurring action.Tatoeba #418931 by saeb, translation #245555 by CK
- يبدو ياني مجنونا أحيانا.Yanni sounds nuts sometimes.This sentence demonstrates the placement of أحيانا at the end of a sentence.Tatoeba #11683637 by dididodo, translation #10092425 by Amastan
- إنك تشعرني بالخوف أحيانا.Sometimes you scare me.This sentence shows how أحيانا can be used to describe a feeling.Tatoeba #3665093 by Alaakhalid, translation #1533182 by Chevere33
- في بعض الأحيان، أشعر بالمللSometimes, I feel bored.
- أحيانًا بين الحين والآخر أشعر بالمللSometimes, every now and then, I feel bored.
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Omar and Nour are talking about their exercise habits at home.
- عمر Omarبتتمرني في الجيم أحيانا؟bet-tam-mari fil gym ahyanan?Do you sometimes exercise at the gym?
- نور Nourأيوة، أحياناً بروح الصبح.aywa, ahyanan barouh el sob-h.Yes, sometimes I go in the morning.
- عمر Omarأنا أحياناً بكسل أروح.ana ahyanan bak-sal arouh.I sometimes feel too lazy to go.
- نور Nourكلنا كدة يا عمر.kol-lena keda ya Omar.We are all like that, Omar.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sometimes” translations and entries أحيانا, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries أحيانا, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
