sometimes

/ˈsʌmtaɪmz/

//ˈsʌmtaɪmz// adv

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"sometimes" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“sometimes” is in the everyday core of English, ranked #533 in English word frequency and used as an adverb.

#533
frequency rank, English
9
letters
13
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - On some occasions, over some periods, or in certain circumstances, but not always.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

sometimes vs sometime
89% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for sometimes
PropertyValue
Headwordsometimes
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/ˈsʌmtaɪmz/
Letters9
Frequency rank#533
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “sometimes” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). sometimes lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for sometimes is 9 letters long, classified as an adverb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈsʌmtaɪmz/. Corpus data places it at rank #533 in overall English word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for sometimes, with forms such as "osmetimes", "smoetimes", and "soemtimes". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "sometime", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English sumtymes, somtymes, som tymes, equivalent to sometime + -s (adverbial suffix). Compare West Frisian somstiden (“sometimes”), Dutch somtijds, somwijlen (“sometimes”). The correct English form is sometimes, spelled S-O-M-E-T-I-M-E-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    On some occasions, over some periods, or in certain circumstances, but not always.
  2. 2
    On a certain occasion in the past; once.

Etymology

From Middle English sumtymes, somtymes, som tymes, equivalent to sometime + -s (adverbial suffix). Compare West Frisian somstiden (“sometimes”), Dutch somtijds, somwijlen (“sometimes”).

This word in other languages

a veces(Español)parfois(Français)manchmal(Deutsch)às vezes(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: osmetimes,smoetimes,soemtimes,someitmes,sometiems,sometimess,sometimmes,sometimse,sometmies,somettimes,sommetimes,somteimes,ssometimes

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of sometimes - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

osmetimes2smoetimes2soemtimes2someitmes2sometiems2sometimess1sometimmes1sometimse2
Edit distance from "sometimes"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "sometimes"?
"sometimes" is spelled S-O-M-E-T-I-M-E-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsʌmtaɪmz/.
What does "sometimes" mean?
As an adverb, "sometimes" means: On some occasions, over some periods, or in certain circumstances, but not always.
What words are commonly confused with "sometimes"?
"sometimes" is commonly confused with "sometime". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "sometimes"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "sometimes" is /ˈsʌmtaɪmz/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "sometimes"?
From Middle English sumtymes, somtymes, som tymes, equivalent to sometime + -s (adverbial suffix). Compare West Frisian somstiden (“sometimes”), Dutch somtijds, somwijlen (“sometimes”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “sometimes”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-O-M-E-T-I-M-E-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈsʌmtaɪmz/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “sometime” - see the side-by-side comparison. sometimes vs sometime
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list