De temps en temps
Example: Je vais au cinéma de temps en temps avec mes amis.
Definition
"De temps en temps" is an adverbial phrase meaning occasionally or from time to time. It describes actions or events that happen irregularly but at intervals, such as going to the movies sometimes but not regularly, as in "Je vais au cinéma de temps en temps avec mes amis."
Etymology
The phrase "de temps en temps" literally translates to "from time to time" in English. It originates from the French words "temps" meaning time, used twice for emphasis. This repetitive structure is common in French expressions to convey periodicity or occasional occurrence.
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"De temps en temps" appears in the Vocaplus list "French - General - (A2) - set 2", containing 116 commonly used words.
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