Telkens

Telkens is a Dutch adverb that means “every time” or “on every occasion.” It is used to emphasize that something happens at each occurrence or every time a situation arises, rather than occasionally or only once.

Origin and usage notes

Telkens is of Dutch origin and is common in both the Netherlands and Flanders. It often appears in clauses that set up a recurring condition, such as with when or as: telkens wanneer, telkens als. The word conveys a sense of repetition that is stronger than simply “often” and is closer to “each time.”

Typical constructions

Telkens wanneer ik langsga, is hij er altijd. (Every time I pass by, he is there.)

Telkens als ze probeert, lukt het niet. (Every time she tries, it doesn’t work.)

Telkens can stand alone for emphasis, but is most natural in combination with a conditional or temporal clause.

Nuances and synonyms

Telkens implies a pattern of repetition across multiple instances, not merely a one-off event. It is closely related to elke keer (each time) and can be translated as “each and every time” in English, though the latter comes with a stronger emphatic tone. Another related term is weer, which means “again” or “again and again” but lacks the full repetitive emphasis of telkens in its standard use.

Regional usage

The term is widely used in both Dutch-speaking regions, including the Netherlands and Flemish-speaking parts of Belgium, and is considered standard rather than regional slang. It also has cognate forms in related Dutch varieties and, to some extent, in Afrikaans.