कभी कभार (kabhii kabhaar)
adverb
An adverb meaning 'once in a while, occasionally' -- a folksy-sounding echo pair built on कभी (kabhii, 'sometimes').
Sense
1
:
occasionally, once in a while
adverb
Synonyms: कभी कभी (kabhii kabhii), इधर उधर (idhar udhar, rare in this sense), यदा कदा (yadaa kadaa, literary)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the kind of phrase you hear when someone is being a little self-deprecating: मैं कभी कभार सिगरेट पी लेता हूँ (main kabhii kabhaar sigret pii letaa hoon, 'I smoke every once in a while') sounds gentler and more confessional than a flat statement of habit. The repetition-with-variation pattern (कभी...कभार) is a common flavor in Hindi adverbs, similar in spirit to इधर उधर (idhar udhar) or आगे पीछे (aage piichhe).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for कभी कभी (kabhii kabhii) by default -- both are fine and mean almost the same thing, but कभी कभार (kabhii kabhaar) has a slightly more colloquial, chatty feel, like something you'd say about a habit you're mildly confessing to. 2) It describes frequency over time (how often something happens), not a single occasion -- it can't replace कभी (kabhii) meaning 'ever' or 'at some point.'
Sample Sentences:
मैं कभी कभार सिगरेट पी लेता हूँ।
I smoke every once in a while.
(main kabhii kabhaar sigret pii letaa hoon।)
वह कभी कभार ही फ़ोन करती है।
She calls only once in a while.
(vah kabhii kabhaar hii fon kartii hai।)
हम कभी कभार साथ में फ़िल्म देखने चले जाते थे।
We used to go watch a movie together once in a while.
(ham kabhii kabhaar saath men film dekhne chale jaate the।)
कभी कभार बाहर खाना खा लिया करो, घर में ही मत बैठे रहो।
Eat out once in a while, don't just keep sitting at home.
(kabhii kabhaar baahar khaanaa khaa liyaa karo, ghar men hii mat baithe raho।)
अगर तुम कभी कभार जिम चले जाओ, तो फ़ायदा होगा।
If you go to the gym once in a while, it'll do you good.
(agar tum kabhii kabhaar jim chale jaao, to faaydaa hogaa।)
अगर वह कभी कभार मुझसे बात कर लेता, तो मुझे इतना बुरा नहीं लगता।
If he had talked to me once in a while, I wouldn't have felt so bad.
(agar vah kabhii kabhaar mujhse baat kar letaa, to mujhe itnaa buraa nahiin lagtaa।)
मुझे कभी कभार अकेले घूमना अच्छा लगता है।
I like going out alone once in a while.
(mujhe kabhii kabhaar akele ghoomnaa achchhaa lagtaa hai।)
दफ़्तर में सब ठीक है, बस कभी कभार थोड़ा तनाव हो जाता है।
Everything's fine at the office, just once in a while there's a bit of stress.
(daftar men sab thiik hai, bas kabhii kabhaar thodaa tanaav ho jaataa hai।)
आपको कभी कभार अपनी सेहत का भी ध्यान रखना चाहिए।
You should also take care of your health once in a while.
(aapko kabhii kabhaar apnii sehat kaa bhii dhyaan rakhnaa chaahie।)
पुराने दोस्तों से कभी कभार ही मुलाक़ात हो पाती है, फिर भी रिश्ता वैसा ही रहता है।
I only manage to meet old friends once in a while, yet the bond stays just the same.
(puraane doston se kabhii kabhaar hii mulaaqaat ho paatii hai, phir bhii rishtaa vaisaa hii rahtaa hai।)