# How often



## isuda

How do you say “How often” in Arabic? 

To say “How often do you go to the library?”, is the following sentence correct?

كيف وغالبا ما تذهب إلى المكتبة؟


----------



## mu3taz

Hi.

Actually this is the correct translation: 

كم مرة تذهب إلى المكتبة؟


----------



## shafaq

mu3taz said:


> Hi.
> 
> Actually this is the correct translation:
> 
> *كم مرة تذهب إلى المكتبة؟*


I think this is phrase isn't the exact equivalent of "How often do you go to the library?" because it means "How many times you go to the library?" which is failing to be complete. When you directed this question to any one; soon s/he will look at you meaninglessly and ask "For what interval do you ask?".
.
I think * ما هو ارتياد زيارتك  ال مكتبة* or *ما هو ارتيادك في زيارة  ال مدرسة* may be a proper translation for that as well as
* بأى كثافة تزور  ال مكتبة*  which is more literal and of course there are many other ways.


----------



## mu3taz

shafaq said:


> I think this is phrase isn't the exact equivalent of "How often do you go to the library?" because it means "How many times you go to the library?" which is failing to be complete. When you directed this question to any one; soon s/he will look at you meaninglessly and ask "For what interval do you ask?".
> .
> I think * ما هو ارتياد زيارتك  ال مكتبة* or *ما هو ارتيادك في زيارة  ال مدرسة* may be a proper translation for that as well as
> * بأى كثافة تزور  ال مكتبة*  which is more literal and of course there are many other ways.



Hi.
in this sense the phrases:

*كم مرة تذهب إلى المكتبة في العادة؟*

or
*
كم مرة تذهب إلى المكتبة عادةً؟*

are more accurate.

Arabic is my mother tongue and i haven't frankly heard of any of the following:
*ما هو ارتيادك 
**ما هو ارتياد زيارتك*
*بأى كثافة تزور  ال مكتبة*


----------



## xebonyx

Actually, I agree with mu3taz's suggestion, but I personally would add something to it like "per/in a day, week, month, year," so that the answerer can contextualize it with given a time frame.


----------



## mu3taz

xebonyx said:


> Actually, I agree with mu3taz's suggestion, but I personally would add something to it like "per/in a day, week, month, year," so that the answerer can contextualize it with given a time frame.



yes...i agree....


----------



## shafaq

mu3taz said:


> Hi.
> in this sense the phrases:
> 
> *كم مرة تذهب إلى المكتبة في العادة؟*
> 
> or
> *
> كم مرة تذهب إلى المكتبة عادةً؟*
> 
> are more accurate.


My dear mu3taz! Your sentence still suffers the incompleteness which I mentioned above and still I think it isn't the real equivalent for “How often do you go to the library?”.
1-  To be complete; it has to contain something like “  *فى يوم*  in a day,   *فى  اسبوع* in a week,  *فى شهر*  in a month,  so on.....
2- The answer of  “*How often do you go to the library*?” is something like “*One a day!*” or “*Three in a week!*” or even “*None a day!*” so on .... Hence the *required* here is the “*frequency*” and not the “*number*”.
  But your version's answer *after completion of missing phrase (mentioned above) *is only a number like “One!”, “Three!” or any . 
.
 “*How often do you go to the library*?”.is a stand alone understandable sentence where “*How many times you go to the library?*” is a non-complete phrase needs some further explanation to be fully understandable hence answerable.
.
 From intellectual side; to convert the  “How often do you go to the library?” into “How many times you go to the library?” is a degradation beyond any simplification which (in my opinion) must be avoided here.




mu3taz said:


> Arabic is my mother tongue and i haven't frankly heard of any of the following:
> *ما هو ارتيادك
> **ما هو ارتياد زيارتك*
> *بأى كثافة تزور  ال مكتبة*


  I didn't discuss your level in Arabic and also I would like to hear from you about the correctness of my examples other than your familiarity with them. Surely they are the subject of any lingual criticism as long as nobody is perfect and I'm not nobody.


----------



## xebonyx

shafaq said:


> My dear mu3taz! ... “  *فى يوم*  in a day,   *فى  اسبوع* in a week,  *فى شهر*  in a month,  so on.....



I agree (as mentioned my post above). However, I don't think it's incomplete. It's just a matter of elaborating in order to elicit a specific response.



> I didn't discuss your level in Arabic and also I would like to hear from you about the correctness of my examples other than your familiarity with them. Surely they are the subject of any lingual criticism as long as nobody is perfect and I'm not nobody.


I know you didn't ask for my opinion, but just my thoughts:

*ما هو ارتيادك في زيارة  ال مدرسة *

This is used with the preposition *ل *, rather than*في* 
*
زيارة  *is implied in *ارتيادك *because it refers to frequenting a place, event, or whatever else. 

Also, seems that the wrong question phrase is used. I can't think of any sentence structure or combination of words in which I'd use "*ما هو*" + *noun* to mean "how often". I am aware, however, that there are a number of ways to say this and express it not so literally.



> *بأى كثافة تزور  ال مكتبة*


I don't think this is exactly correct, especially adding *كثافة *, it sounds a little heavy and unnecessary in this context. I've come across "*ب**أ**ي وتيرة **تزور  المكتبة*" before, but I'm not sure how often it's used to mean this. Hopefully a native speaker can enlighten us.

Perhaps we can add to the list: 
*"كم من وقتك تقضي في المكتبة؟" *


----------



## mu3taz

shafaq said:


> I didn't discuss your level in Arabic and also I would like to hear from you about the correctness of my examples other than your familiarity with them. Surely they are the subject of any lingual criticism as long as nobody is perfect and I'm not nobody.



Sorry if i caused you any irritation...

as far as i know, your examples lacked correctness...

Although it is correct to specify the interval like:

كم مرة تذهب إلى المكتبة في الأسبوع؟
answer: مرة واحدة

it is still correct to say: 

كم مرة تذهب إلى المكتبة؟
and the answer could be: 
مرة في الأسبوع


----------



## shafaq

xebonyx said:


> I know you didn't ask for my opinion, but just my thoughts:


Any one is well come here and any where in this forum as long as s/he has a say related with the purpose of the forum. Here; isn't my father's property... Isn't so?




xebonyx said:


> *ما هو ارتيادك في زيارة  ال مدرسة *
> 
> This is used with the preposition *ل *, rather than*في*
> *
> زيارة  *is implied in *ارتيادك *because it refers to frequenting a place, event, or whatever else.


Yes! I think you are right . With this; I think my way too is sensible here.



xebonyx said:


> Also, seems that the wrong question phrase is used. I can't think of any sentence structure or combination of words in which I'd use "*ما هو*" + *noun* to mean "how often". I am aware, however, that there are a number of ways to say this and express it not so literally.


  ما هو doesn't represent "how often" here; but the " ما هو ارتيادك " represents this *notion* non-literally.



xebonyx said:


> I don't think this is exactly correct, especially adding *كثافة *, it sounds a little heavy and unnecessary in this context. I've come across "*ب**أ**ي وتيرة **تزور  المكتبة*" before, but I'm not sure how often it's used to mean this. Hopefully a native speaker can enlighten us.



  كثافة  means "intensity" (as other meanings for it as "concentration, thickness, density") which means "ratio/amount of anything per a given unit. The  كثافة  in Arabic and its equivalent "intensity" in English both are used for fictive units as well as materials. And the expected answer is the same as of the original “How often do you go to the library?”.

 وَتِيرَة  means "manner, mode, method" and in my opinion is fitable here. But I discarded it above, thinking that it is so many metaphoric.




xebonyx said:


> Perhaps we can add to the list:
> *"كم من وقتك تقضي في المكتبة؟" *


Your try is correct grammatically and complete in meaning. Again; I think it isn't the equivalent of " How often do you go to the library? " neither literally nor metaphorically because it relates the "time you spend in the library" but not the frequency of being there... 
Imagine that one says "I go to the library once a day and spend ten hours there."  
and an other 
"I go to the library bi-daily and spend five minute for each time there." 
As you see both are totally different notions and independent from each other; hence are not interchangeable.
  At the end I would like to say that all these are my opinions and widely open for any discussion as well as any suggestion .
  Let us all have good times.


----------



## xebonyx

shafaq said:


> Any one is well come here and any where in this forum as long as s/he has a say related with the purpose of the forum. Here; isn't my father's property... Isn't so?



Haklısın. Biz hep birşeyler öğrenmek istiyoruz. 



> Your try is correct grammatically and complete in meaning. Again; I think it isn't the equivalent of " How often do you go to the library? " neither literally nor metaphorically because it relates the "time you spend in the library" but not the frequency of being there...
> Imagine that one says "I go to the library once a day and spend ten hours there."
> and an other
> "I go to the library bi-daily and spend five minute for each time there."
> As you see both are totally different notions and independent from each other; hence are not interchangeable.


I agree that they are independent from each other in their literal meanings. However, it still conveys the same exact thing: you're asking X to sum up how much time is consumed with Y. X goes through a process of elimination to limit that activity within a specific time frame. That then gives us an exact understanding of how often, whether it be through calculating other activities excluded or stating the exact amount. 

Which leads me to this:



> ما هو doesn't represent "how often" here; but the " ما هو ارتيادك " represents this *notion* non-literally.


My evaluation of your sentence was as you critiqued mine. I knew what you were going for, but was actually commenting on common question introductions for this context. Maybe this is just me, but with " ما هو/هي " meaning "what is", you're therefore seeking a definition rather than time clarification.  The only thing I can think of that could follow it would have to be something signifying time or degree, but at that point it'd be over complicating a question that's very simple in nature.



> كثافة means "intensity" (as other meanings for it as "concentration, thickness, density") which means "ratio/amount of anything per a given unit.


I know the definition of كثافة , which is why I still think it doesn't fit here. I'm not a native speaker, but since it doesn't work this way in English, I'd assume similar rules apply with the concept of "consistency". It is used more with physical and non-physical matter (weight, thickness, etc), as opposed to something that's a regular occurrence. 



> وَتِيرَة means "manner, mode, method" and in my opinion is fitable here. But I discarded it above, thinking that it is so many metaphoric.


 Thanks for your thoughts about using this.


----------



## Abu Rashid

shafaq,

selamun aleykum,



> 1-  To be complete; it has to contain something like “  *فى يوم*  in a day,   *فى  اسبوع* in a week,  *فى شهر*  in a month,  so on.....



I don't think these are required in either Arabic or English.

In English you can quite easily ask "How often do you goto the library?" and the answer could be "often" or "quite often" or "not often" or "regularly" or "hardly ever" and so on.

To be more precise you could add those clauses, but it's not necessary at all, and in relation to such a question, I doubt such precision is really necessary anyway.


----------



## shafaq

Abu Rashid said:


> shafaq,
> 
> selamun aleykum,
> 
> 
> 
> I don't think these are required in either Arabic or English.
> 
> In English you can quite easily ask "How often do you goto the library?" and the answer could be "often" or "quite often" or "not often" or "regularly" or "hardly ever" and so on.


Wa aleykum selaam Abu Rashid !
What I said is that "How often do you goto the library?" is complete and doesn't need any further explanatory part to be understood where "How many times you go to the library?" does. 
My quoted say is on the second phrase which "How many times you go to the library?".
The answer for the "How often do you goto the library?" may be "Often!", "quite often!" even "Rare!" but at this time the answer will be incomplete to be undestandable. Because you will feel a necessity to explain your answer saying something like "... like once in a week..." or inquirer will demand it.




Abu Rashid said:


> To be more precise you could add those clauses, but it's not necessary at all, and in relation to such a question, I doubt such precision is really necessary anyway.


If I correctly got it; you firstly say "it's not necessary at all." and then say "I doubt such precision is really necessary anyway."

Over all, either one (probably both) of us is missing something but who; really confused ?


----------



## xebonyx

I guess I already stated my case, but just to reiterate: it's not incorrect to add في الأسبوع , في الشهر ...nor is it to leave it out. It's a matter of preference in one's choice to elaborate. 

Also, let's think of it this way. What makes one so sure that using في الأسبوع won't elicit a "never" or "rarely"? In other words, it's just as dependent on the circumstances of the responder.


----------



## shafaq

Assuming we are talking strictly on the "*How often do you goto the library?*"; and your answer as "often" or something in this manner; I say expressions like "often, rare and its derivatives" are vague and indefinite to comply the interrogative "How .... ?" which sooner or later an explanation will be required where "Never!" is definite and discarded. Besides; as far as I comprehend, it isn't a proper answer for this question; instead, "None!" is.


----------



## Abu Rashid

> What I said is that "How often do you goto the library?" is complete and doesn't need any further explanatory part to be understood where "How many times you go to the library?" does.



My apologies I thought you were referring to how often, not how many times there.


----------



## minederien

Hello all,
How would you say "how often" in Arabic?


----------



## Milad__7

Hi all... often means (many times, or repeatedly, etc...)... Can we say "how usual" or "how rare" ... theoretically Yes! but we don't see such thing in English, maybe in books but sure not in news or magazines... what I'm trying to say is that my Arab fellows were trapped in a try of finding similar genral form that asks about the number of times regardless of the number itself! while keeping mind the "many" number that "Often" refers to, they forgot that "How often?" is actually and only asking about "how many times do you do smth?" English use of "how often" assumes no presumed number of repeated times though the word itself implies a big number of repeated actions "often!"
it's simply like this : "Often" does not relate to "How often?" , the 1st means "many times" the 2nd used for any number of times high or low. coz you can answer by "once a month" or " every day"...
so the translation for "Often" alone is كثيرا but for "how often?" it is simply كم مرة؟ ... 
now if you still insisting on "Often as too much or much" then just say أكثيرا ما تذهب إلى المكتبة؟ but then the other way around translation could and would be "Do you go much to ...? or Do you often ...? 
But... if I ask about "how little" in Arabic I would say أقليلا ما تذهب ألى المكتبة؟ then the English translation can never be "How often?" !!! can it !!! 

Arabic is more complicated than English... One expression in English can be equal to many expressions in Arabic ... but the other way around is rare... so it's the English that lacks specification in this matter not Arabic ... It would be crazy if you say; give me one translation for "You"... English use it for all 1,2, 3... males, females, ... but Arabic uses a dozen of different You's ...

so the translation of "How often do you go to the library?" is كم مرة تذهب إلى المكتبة ؟ or هل من المعتاد أن ترتاد المكتبة؟
but if you have some idea about the person you're talking to you can expect the number then you can say:
أكثيرا ما تذهب إلى المكتبة؟ or هل من المعتاد أن تذهب إلى المكتبة؟ if you think that he/she goes very "often"...
أقليلا ما تذهب إلى المكتبة؟ or هل نادرا ماتذهب للكتبة؟ if you expect that he/she doesn't go much ...
the environment and the person you're asking controls what the proper question is.
Take it easy


----------

