toisinaan

Toisinaan is a Dutch adverb meaning occasionally or sometimes. It describes events that occur at irregular intervals rather than with a fixed frequency. The word is part of standard Dutch and appears in both written and spoken language, though it is often perceived as somewhat more formal or literary than the everyday synonym soms.

Usage and nuance: Toisinaan can appear at the beginning of a clause or in the middle: “Toisinaan regent het hier in april.” “Toisinaan moet je geduld hebben.” It typically modifies the verb or the action described, rather than an adjective. In everyday speech, speakers may choose occasions such as soms or af en toe depending on tone and emphasis; toisinaan can add a sense of infrequent or irregular recurrence.

Examples:

Toisinaan regent het hier in april.

Toisinaan moet je geduld hebben.

Ik ga toisinaan naar de bibliotheek.

Etymology and note: The exact origin of toisinaan is not well documented. The form is an established part of Dutch and is commonly found in modern usage, though it carries a slightly more formal or literary register than some synonyms.

See also: Soms, Af en toe, Frequente adverbiale uitdrukkingen.