Adverbs of frequency are adverbs of time that are used to indicate routine or repeated activities. They describe how frequently something occurs, how often a certain action takes place.

Most of the Hebrew adverbs of frequency that specify an exact time frame are patterns of two words. They begin with the prepositions כָּל (kol) or מִדֵּי (mi-dey), both means every, to create the pattern every + time period: every year, every month, etc. The preposition כָּל plus the time word שָׁבוּעַ (week), for example, creates the adverb every week, weekly.

For example:

אֲנִי חוֺזֵר הַבַּיְתָה כָּל עֶרֶב בְּשָׁעָה 19:00.

I’m home every evening at 7 pm.

תְּפִילַּת מוֺדֶה אֲנִי נֶאֱמֶרֶת כָּל בֹּוקֶר, מִיָּד לְאַחַר הַהַשְׁכָּמָה.

Modeh Ani prayer is recited every morning upon waking.

כָּל שָׁבוּעַ אֲנִי הוֹלֵךְ לַחֲדַר כֹּשֶׁר.

I go to the gym every week.

סִקְרֵי שׁוּק נֶעֱרָכִים מִדֵּי חוֺדֵשׁ.

Market surveys are being conducted monthly.

תּוּכְנִיּוֹת הַלּׅימוּדׅים בְּבֵית הַסֵּפֶר מִתְעַדְכְּנוֹת מִדֵּי שָׁנָה.

School’s curriculums update every year.

 

Other adverbs of frequency describing an action occurring consistently in a fixed time begin with the word פַּעַם (pa-am), meaning once. A time word follows the word פַּעַם,  to create the pattern once + time period. פַּעַם + חוֺדֵשׁ, for example, means פַּעַם בְּחוֺדֵשׁ, once a month.

פַּעַם בְּחוֺדֵשׁ אֲנִי מַרְשֶׁה לְעַצְמִי כּוֹס יַיִן.

Once a month I allow myself a glass of wine.

אֲנִי מוֹצִיא אֶת הַכֶּלֶב פַּעֲמַיִים בְּיוֺם.

I take the dog for a walk twice a day.

פַּעֲמַיִים בְּשָׁבוּעַ אֲנִי רָץ עַל חוֺף הַיָּם.

Twice a week I run on the beach.

הַנֶּכֶד שֶׁלָּהּ מְבַקֵּר אוֹתָהּ לְפָחוֹת פַּעַם בְּשָׁבוּעַ.

Her grandchild visits her at least once a week.

 

Most of the adverbs of frequency don’t specify an exact time frame:

For example:

בְּדֶרֶךְ כְּלָל אֲנִי נִמְצָא בַּמִּשְׂרָד, פֹּה וָשָׁם יֵשׁ לׅי פְּגׅישָׁה בַּחוֺץ.

Usually I am in the office, sometimes I have a meeting outside.

לְעִיתִּים הַסְּקָרׅים טוֺעׅים.

Sometimes the polls are wrong.

אֲנִי מְשָׂחֵק בְּרִידְג’ בְּאֹופֶן קָבוּעַ.

I play bridge regularly.

לִפְעָמִים חֲלוֹמוֹת מִתְגַּשְּׁמִים.

Sometimes dreams come true.

הוּא תָּמִיד מִתְחַשֵּׁב בַּאֲחֵרִים.

He is always considerate of others.

חוֹבְבֵי קוֹלְנוֹעַ צוֺפׅים בּׅסְרָטׅים לְעִיתִּים קְרוֹבוֹת.

Film buffs often watch movies.

אֲנִי כָּל הַזְּמַן בַּדְּרָכִים: פַּעַם בְּשָׁבוּעַ אֲנִי נוֹסֵעַ צָפוֹנָה וּפַעֲמַיִים דָּרוֹמָה.

I constantly on the road: once a week I drive north and twice a week south.

 

Use these adverbs of frequency to create your own sentences, and share them in the comments below.

Keep Calm and Learn Hebrew!

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