What is the difference between de vez en cuando and a menudo?

How often. De vez en cuando is now and then, not on a schedule: voy al cine de vez en cuando (I go to the cinema now and then). A menudo is often: como fuera a menudo (I eat out often). A veces (sometimes) sits near de vez en cuando; cada dos por tres (constantly) sits at the top.

What does cada dos por tres mean?

Constantly, every five minutes. The words (every two by three) give no clue, so it has to be learned whole, and it usually carries a grumble: me llama cada dos por tres (he/she rings me every five minutes). Do not confuse it with cada dos días (every two days), which is plain counting.

Are de repente, de pronto and de golpe the same?

De repente and de pronto are interchangeable: de repente empezó a llover (suddenly it started to rain). De golpe adds force, all at once: lo entendió todo de golpe (he/she understood it all at once). For speed rather than surprise, say enseguida (straight away).

Spanish Idioms of Time and Frequency: de vez en cuando

Q: How do I say for now and from now on in Spanish?

For now is de momento or por ahora: de momento me quedo aquí (for now I am staying here). From now on is a partir de ahora: a partir de ahora estudio más (from now on I will study more). A partir de also takes a date: a partir del lunes (from Monday on).

Q: How do you say for the first time in Spanish?

Por primera vez, with no article: lo vi por primera vez en 2020 (I saw it for the first time in 2020). The same goes for the last time: por última vez. Por la primera vez is an English speaker's mistake.

By Michael McGettrick and Sergio Linares-HernandesUpdated 12 October 2026

Spanish says how often, how suddenly and when with fixed chunks, and the pieces rarely add up to the meaning:

Quick check

Three quick questions on what you have just read. The full practice is further down.

Spot the mistake

0/3

Each sentence has one mistake. Tap it.

. - I go to the cinema now and then.
. - He/she rings me every five minutes.

Time and frequency phrases at a glance

The phrases learners reach for most. Each one is a chunk: learn it whole.

how often?how suddenly or how fast?when?What do the colours mean?

Spanish	English	Answers
	rarely	how often?
	now and then	how often?
	often	how often?
	constantly	how often?
	again and again	how often?
	suddenly	how suddenly?
	straight away	how fast?
	little by little	how fast?
	for now	when?
	from now on	when?
	sooner or later	when?
	nowadays	when?
	for the first time	when?

How often: from rara vez to cada dos por tres

Put the frequency phrases on one line and they sort themselves:

How often?

Hardly everAll the time

rara vezrarely
de vez en cuandonow and then
a menudooften
cada dos por tresconstantly

Phrase	Spanish	English
	`.`	I rarely eat meat.
	`.`	I go to the cinema now and then.
a	`.`	I eat out often.
	`.`	He/she rings me constantly.
y	`.`	He/she tells me over and over.

A (sometimes) sits near . and are rarer twins of :

. - We see each other every so often.

is pure idiom, usually with a grumble in it. Do not confuse it with + a number, which is plain counting:

countingthe idiomWhat do the colours mean?

. - I ring my mother every two days.
. - My brother rings every five minutes.

Suddenly and quickly: de repente, enseguida

Three ways to say suddenly, and the phrases for speed and its opposite:

Phrase	Spanish	English
	`.`	Suddenly it started to rain.
	`.`	Suddenly the lights went out.
	`.`	He/she understood it all at once.
	`.`	I'll be right back.
	`.`	Ring me as soon as you can.
a	`.`	We' learning little by little.

and swap freely. adds force: all at once, in one blow. A door that slams shut closes :

. - The door slammed shut.

Two more for getting things done:

. - Finish it once and for all.
. - We decided as we went along.

The blink of an eye is a long chunk: y , literally "in an opening and closing of eyes".

. - He/she finished in the blink of an eye.

When: de momento, a partir de, tarde o temprano

These phrases place an action on the time line, from what has happened so far to what will happen one day:

hasta ahora: so far
de momento: for now
a partir de ahora: from now on
tarde o temprano: sooner or later
a la larga: in the long run

Phrase	Spanish	English
	`.`	So far everything is fine.
	`.`	For now I'm staying here.
a	`.`	From Monday on I'll study more.
o	`.`	Sooner or later you'll get it.
a	`, .`	In the long run, the plan is good.
	`.`	Nowadays everyone has a phone.

means the same as . is different: right now, this second.

for the time beingthis secondWhat do the colours mean?

. - For now I don't have a car.
. - Come right now.

(for the first time) has no article, and nor does :

2020. - I saw it for the first time in 2020.

A (at the same time) and a (in the long run) look alike and mean nothing alike:

at the same timein the long runWhat do the colours mean?

. - I can't talk and eat at the same time.
, . - In the long run, you save money.

Not time, but close: how much

A few chunks of the same kind measure amount rather than time:

Phrase	Spanish	English
o	`.`	It's about three o'clock.
a	`.`	I only just made it in time.
	`.`	It's nowhere near the best.
	`.`	I didn't like it at all.

looks like "absolutely" and, in everyday Spanish, means "not at all". More traps of that kind are on false friends, part 2.

Mistakes English speakers make

Wrong	Right	Why
		no article
a		the chunk is fixed
		always singular

What to do next

Learn the four phrases on the scale in order.
Do the story and the sort below.
Then hace, desde and desde hace for "for", "since" and "ago".

Practise: test yourself

Complete the story

0/4

Choose the phrase that fits each gap.

Lucía's flatmate

Mi compañero de piso pone música , a todas horas. , ayer no hubo música. me di cuenta: se había ido de vacaciones. estoy sola en el piso, pero vuelve el lunes.

Gap 1 of 4

Sort into groups

0/8

Which question does each phrase answer?

Tap a word, then the group it belongs in.

Spot the mistake

0/3

Each sentence has one mistake. Tap it.

Fill in the blank

0/4

Complete the fixed phrase.

Como fuera a . (often)
Hoy en todo el mundo tiene móvil. (nowadays)
Aprendemos poco a . (little by little)
A de ahora estudio más. (from now on)

Pick the right one

0/4

Choose the phrase that matches the English.

Hazlo . (straight away)
Termina . (once and for all)
Hablan y comen . (at the same time)
El plan es bueno . (in the long run)

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between and a ?

How often. is now and then, not on a schedule: (I go to the cinema now and then). A is often: a (I eat out often). A (sometimes) sits near ; (constantly) sits at the top.

What does ?

Constantly, every five minutes. The words (every two by three) give no clue, so it has to be learned whole, and it usually carries a grumble: (he/she rings me every five minutes). Do not confuse it with (every two days), which is plain counting.

Are , and the same?

and are interchangeable: a (suddenly it started to rain). adds force, all at once: (he/she understood it all at once). For speed rather than surprise, say (straight away).

How do I say for now and from now on in Spanish?

For now is or : (for now I am staying here). From now on is a : a (from now on I will study more). A also takes a date: a (from Monday on).

How do you say for the first time in Spanish?

, with no article: 2020 (I saw it for the first time in 2020). The same goes for the last time: . is an English speaker's mistake.

Spanish Idioms of Time and Frequency: de vez en cuando

Quick check

Spot the mistake

Time and frequency phrases at a glance

How often: from rara vez to cada dos por tres

Suddenly and quickly: de repente, enseguida

When: de momento, a partir de, tarde o temprano

Not time, but close: how much

Mistakes English speakers make

What to do next

Practise: test yourself

Complete the story

Sort into groups

Spot the mistake

Fill in the blank

Pick the right one

Practice worksheets and infographics

Free for members

Frequently asked questions

Spanish Idioms of Time and Frequency: de vez en cuando

Quick check

Spot the mistake

Time and frequency phrases at a glance

How often: from rara vez to cada dos por tres

Suddenly and quickly: de repente, enseguida

When: de momento, a partir de, tarde o temprano

Not time, but close: how much

Mistakes English speakers make

What to do next

Practise: test yourself

Complete the story

Sort into groups

Spot the mistake

Fill in the blank

Pick the right one

Practice worksheets and infographics

Free for members

More grammar on this course

Frequently asked questions