czasem

Czasem is a Polish adverb meaning "sometimes" or "occasionally." It denotes that an action or situation happens at irregular or non-fixed intervals.

Etymology: The word is derived from czas (time) with the adverbial suffix -em and is attested in historical Polish. In modern usage it remains a common, everyday term.

Usage: Czasem indicates non-regular frequency and can modify verbs or whole clauses. It typically appears before the verb, as in: "Czasem chodzę do kina" (Sometimes I go to the cinema). It can also appear at the beginning or end of a sentence: "Chodzę do kina, czasem." or "Czasem bywa chłodno" (Sometimes it is cold). The expression is widely used in informal speech and is less formal than some synonyms that convey a similar idea.

Synonyms and nuances: "od czasu do czasu" (from time to time) suggests a somewhat regular, repeated pattern; "niekiedy" is somewhat more literary; "sporadycznie" is more formal and can imply rarer occurrences. All convey occasionality, but with different stylistic shades.

Examples: "Czasem spotykam starego przyjaciela na ulicy" – Sometimes I meet an old friend on the street. "Czasem trzeba odpocząć" – Sometimes you have to rest.

Translations: The primary English equivalents are "sometimes" and "occasionally." See also: od czasu do czasu; niekiedy; sporadycznie.