<p>If you understand the English words, you should have no problem with choosing which words in what context</p>
<ul>
<li><p>&quot;<strong>经常</strong>&quot; = &quot;<strong>often</strong>&quot;: once in a while or once every few days is considered &quot;often&quot;</p>
</li>
<li><p>&quot;<strong>一般</strong>&quot; = &quot;<strong>normally</strong>&quot;: when you are not doing it, it is considered abnormal, in other words, you do it almost every time but with occasional exceptions</p>
</li>
<li><p>&quot;<strong>总是</strong>&quot; = &quot;<strong>always</strong>&quot;: you are expected to do it every time, extremely rare to have exceptions</p>
</li>
<li><p>&quot;<strong>通常</strong>&quot; = &quot;<strong>usually</strong>&quot;: when you are not doing it, it is considered unusual, in other words, you do it almost every time but with occasional exceptions</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>通常(usually/ normally) ; 一般(normally)</p>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;I usually study at the library&quot; = &quot;我通常在图书馆学习&quot;</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-12-17T08:39:51.150Z
Out of interest, how do you differentiate "usually" and "normally"?
Curiosity
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-12-17T08:49:52.473Z
"usually" and "normally" are about the same frequency. See my edition
Tang Ho
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2023-12-17T08:08:37.053Z
2023-12-17T08:48:24.873Z
2023-12-17T08:48:24.873Z
Tang Ho
<p>(a) 我<strong>经常</strong>在图书馆学习。</p>
<p>(b) 我<strong>一般</strong>在图书馆学习。</p>
<p>(c) 我<strong>总是</strong>在图书馆学习。</p>
<p>What is the difference between <strong>经常, 一般, 总是</strong>?</p>
<p>The word <strong>经常</strong> is for frequency, the same as &quot;often&quot;. In sentence (a), it modifies the verb &quot;学习&quot;. It answers a question like &quot;不上课的时候，你在学校<strong>干什么</strong>?&quot; = &quot;What do you do in school when there is no class&quot;?</p>
<p>The word <strong>一般</strong> modifies the phrase 在图书馆. Sentence (b) answers a question like &quot;你平常在<strong>哪里</strong>学习?&quot; = &quot;Where do you study usually?&quot;</p>
<p>The word <strong>总是</strong> also modifies the phrase 在图书馆 but it implies that the fact is exclusively true. Sentence (c) could be in a dialogue like &quot;我每次到你的教室找你，你都不在.&quot; =  &quot;I could not meet you every time I go to your classroom&quot;?</p>
<p>In many situations, people use these words interchangeably. As you may see, language is not always exact.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-12-18T02:42:14.520Z
2023-12-18T03:00:42.477Z
2023-12-18T03:00:42.477Z
PdotWang
<p>I can't tell the difference in meaning between the following since to me they all define doing something frequently:
a)我经常在图书馆学习。
b)我一般在图书馆学习。
c）我总是在图书馆学习。
If I want to say,&quot;I usually study at the library&quot;,do all the above apply or is there a nuanced difference in meaning?</p>

<grammar>
Differentiating the adverbs of frequency
# Differentiating the adverbs of frequency

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-12-17)

I can't tell the difference in meaning between the following since to me they all define doing something frequently:
a)我经常在图书馆学习。
b)我一般在图书馆学习。
c）我总是在图书馆学习。
If I want to say,"I usually study at the library",do all the above apply or is there a nuanced difference in meaning?

**Tags:** grammar


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2023-12-17. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

If you understand the English words, you should have no problem with choosing which words in what context

* "**经常**" = "**often**": once in a while or once every few days is considered "often"
* "**一般**" = "**normally**": when you are not doing it, it is considered abnormal, in other words, you do it almost every time but with occasional exceptions
* "**总是**" = "**always**": you are expected to do it every time, extremely rare to have exceptions
* "**通常**" = "**usually**": when you are not doing it, it is considered unusual, in other words, you do it almost every time but with occasional exceptions

通常(usually/ normally) ; 一般(normally)

> "I usually study at the library" = "我通常在图书馆学习"

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Out of interest, how do you differentiate "usually" and "normally"?  
> **username_1**: "usually" and "normally" are about the same frequency. See my edition  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2023-12-18. Score: 0

(a) 我**经常**在图书馆学习。

(b) 我**一般**在图书馆学习。

(c) 我**总是**在图书馆学习。

What is the difference between **经常, 一般, 总是**?

The word **经常** is for frequency, the same as "often". In sentence (a), it modifies the verb "学习". It answers a question like "不上课的时候，你在学校**干什么**?" = "What do you do in school when there is no class"?

The word **一般** modifies the phrase 在图书馆. Sentence (b) answers a question like "你平常在**哪里**学习?" = "Where do you study usually?"

The word **总是** also modifies the phrase 在图书馆 but it implies that the fact is exclusively true. Sentence (c) could be in a dialogue like "我每次到你的教室找你，你都不在." = "I could not meet you every time I go to your classroom"?

In many situations, people use these words interchangeably. As you may see, language is not always exact.


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