occasional
gb/ɔkˈeɪʒənəl/ us/ɔkˈeɪʒənəl/
B1
English
~ 3000
időnkénti, alkalmi, szórványos, kiegészítő, különleges alkalomra való
B1
1
Usage pattern:
[something] is occasional
We have the occasional barbecue in our backyard.
Időnként grillezünk a hátsó kertben.
She makes the occasional mistake, but overall her work is excellent.
Néha elkövet egy-egy hibát, de összességében kiváló a munkája.
He enjoys an occasional glass of wine with dinner.
The town sees occasional flooding during heavy rains.
I get the occasional email from my old classmates.
Learner examples
I take an occasional walk in the park.
Időnként sétálok egyet a parkban.
We have occasional visitors at home.
Időnként vannak nálunk látogatók.
She drinks coffee only on occasional mornings.
There are occasional buses to the village.
He makes occasional calls to his parents.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'occasional' with 'special', but 'occasional' refers to frequency, not importance.
Meaning
Happening from time to time
Collocations
occasional visitor
|occasional meeting
|occasional trip
|occasional problem
|occasional use
Synonyms
infrequent (More formal and emphasizes rarity rather than irregularity.)
|
sporadic (Suggests unpredictability and scattered occurrence.)
Antonyms
frequent (Happens often or at short intervals, opposite of occasional.)
|
regular (Occurs at consistent intervals.)
Themes
daily life
|time
|frequency
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Happening sometimes, but not often or regularly.
Happening or done sometimes, but not regularly or frequently.
B2
2
Usage pattern:
[something] is occasional [object]
We bought an occasional table for the living room.
Vettünk egy lerakóasztalt a nappaliba.
That chair is an occasional piece we use when guests visit.
Az a szék csak kiegészítő bútordarab; akkor használjuk, amikor vendégek jönnek.
The hotel lobby had several occasional chairs for visitors.
She placed the vase on an occasional table by the sofa.
Learner examples
I put the lamp on an occasional table.
A lámpát egy lerakóasztalra tettem.
We have an occasional chair in the corner.
Van egy kiegészítő szék a sarokban.
He bought an occasional table for the hall.
The room has an occasional chair near the window.
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'occasional table' means a table used rarely, but it actually means a small table for special use.
Meaning
For a special event or purpose
Collocations
occasional table
|occasional chair
Synonyms
special-purpose (Emphasizes being made for a particular use.)
Antonyms
everyday (Used regularly, opposite of something made for special occasions.)
Themes
objects
|daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Made or used for a special event or time.
Designed or intended for use on a particular occasion or for a specific purpose.
Grammar
Dictionary form
occasional
IPA
GB/ɔkˈeɪʒənəl/
US/ɔkˈeɪʒənəl/
Syllables & stress
oc - ca - sion - al (4 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ca)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: occasional
Word family
Core family
occasion
noun B1
occasionally
adverb A2
Expressions
occasional basis
1/ɔkˈeɪʒənəl bˈeɪsɪs/
fixed phrase
Only from time to time
Only at some times, not regularly.
Examples
- She works for the company on an occasional basis when they need extra help.
- Volunteers are accepted on an occasional basis for special events.
occasional table
1/ɔkˈeɪʒənəl tˈeɪbəl/
fixed phrase
Small table used as needed
A small table used for special times or purposes, not every day.
Examples
- He placed the drinks on the occasional table beside the couch.
- We bought an occasional table for the hallway.