Not every day but almost vs Often

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Not every day but almost

Beyond 10,000 (less common)

Often

Top 1,000 (very common) A1 adverb

Most common: Often

	Not every day but almost	Often
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //nɒt ˈɛvri deɪ bʌt ˈɔːlməʊst// 🇺🇸 //nɑt ˈɛvri deɪ bʌt ˈɔlmoʊst//	🇬🇧 /["/ˈɒfn//ˈɒftən/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈɔːfn//ˈɔːftən/"]/
Meaning	Not every day, but nearly every day.	Many times; frequently.
Example	I go jogging not every day but almost.	I often go to the park on weekends.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Beyond 10,000 (less common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	-	A1
Part of speech		adverb
Collocations	not every day but almost, visit not every day but almost, do not every day but almost	often seen, often heard, often used, often considered, often overlooked
Antonyms	-	seldom, rarely, infrequently
Common mistakes	Confused with 'sometimes' or 'every day'., Using it in too formal contexts can sound awkward.	Using 'often' in place of 'seldom' (confusing frequency), Misplacing 'often' in a sentence (e.g., 'I often go' vs 'I go often'), Confusing 'often' with 'always' or 'never'
Usage notes	Use this phrase to indicate that something happens frequently, but not every day. It’s suitable for both spoken and written contexts but is more conversational.	Use 'often' to describe actions that happen regularly. It's neutral and appropriate in most contexts, but avoid using it in very formal writing where terms like 'frequently' might be better.

See it in real clips

I sent her letters, not every day, but almost.

Not every day but almost

The Lord Of The Rings › The Fellowship Of The Ring

As often as I can spare them.

The Sopranos › S1 E1

Life is often good.

He hasn't shown up? He often doesn't.

The Lord Of The Rings › The Fellowship Of The Ring

As often as I can spare them.

The Sopranos › S1 E1

Life is often good.

Often

Frequently asked questions: Not every day but almost vs Often

What's the difference between Not every day but almost and Often?

Not every day but almost: Not every day, but nearly every day. Often: Many times; frequently.

Which is more common: Not every day but almost and Often?

Often is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Not every day but almost: I go jogging not every day but almost. Often: I often go to the park on weekends.

Can I use Not every day but almost and Often interchangeably?

Not always. Not every day but almost and Often are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.