once
gb/wˈʌns/ us/wˈʌns/
A2
Inglés
~ 1000
egyszer, egy alkalommal, valaha, egyszer sem, ha egyszer, amint, mihelyt, korábban, egykor
A2
1
egyszer
A1
Patrón de uso:
[someone/something] once [verb]
I once met a famous actor at the airport.
Egyszer találkoztam egy híres színésszel a repülőtéren.
She once lived in Paris before moving to London.
Londonba költözése előtt egy ideig Párizsban élt.
He once told me he wanted to be a pilot.
They once owned a small cafe in the city.
We once went camping in the mountains.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
I once saw a lion at the zoo.
Egyszer láttam egy oroszlánt az állatkertben.
She once worked in a big office.
Régebben egy nagy irodában dolgozott.
He once played football for his school.
We once ate dinner at that restaurant.
They once visited my house.
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes confuse 'once' with 'one time' in formal writing; 'once' is often preferred for brevity.
Significado
One single time in the past
Colocaciones
once before
|only once
|just once
|once again
|once more
Sinónimos
formerly (More formal, often referring to a previous state rather than a single event.)
Antónimos
often (Describes something happening many times instead of just one.)
Temas
time
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definición
Used to say something happened only one time before now.
Used to indicate that something happened on one occasion at some time in the past.
B1
2
Patrón de uso:
if/when [someone/something] once [verb]
Not once did he complain about the long hours.
Egyetlen egyszer sem panaszkodott a hosszú munkaidő miatt.
If she once trusts you, she will tell you everything.
Ha egyszer megbízik benned, mindent elmond majd neked.
Never once have I regretted my decision.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
I have not once been to Japan.
Még egyszer sem jártam Japánban.
He never once called me.
Soha, egyetlen egyszer sem hívott fel.
She has not once eaten sushi.
Error frecuente:
Learners may mistakenly use 'once' here to mean 'one time' when the meaning is 'at all before now'. Context decides.
Significado
At some point before now
Colocaciones
never once
|not once
|once in my life
Sinónimos
ever ('Ever' is more general and can refer to the past or future, while 'once' here is limited to the past.)
Antónimos
always (Means happening at all times instead of never or only at some past time.)
Temas
time
|core_vocabulary
Definición
Used to talk about any time before now, especially in negative sentences.
Used to mean 'at any time in the past', often in negative or conditional statements.
A2
3
Patrón de uso:
once [clause], [clause]
Once you finish your homework, you can watch TV.
Amint befejezed a házi feladatodat, nézhetsz tévét.
I knew I had made a mistake once I saw her face.
Amint megláttam az arcát, tudtam, hogy hibáztam.
Once the sun sets, it gets cold quickly.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
Once I eat, I feel happy.
Amint eszem valamit, jobb kedvem lesz.
You can play once you clean your room.
Játszhatsz, amint rendet raksz a szobádban.
Once we get there, we will rest.
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes confuse 'once' with 'one time' here. In this meaning, it connects two events in time.
Significado
As soon as something happens
Colocaciones
once you start
|once it is done
|once we arrive
Sinónimos
when ('When' is broader; 'once' emphasizes immediacy after the first event.)
Antónimos
before ('Before' indicates an earlier time instead of after.)
Temas
time
|core_vocabulary
Definición
Used to say something will happen right after another thing happens.
Used to mean 'as soon as' or 'from the moment that' something happens.
B1
4
Patrón de uso:
[someone/something] was once [adjective/noun]
She was once a celebrated singer, but now she lives quietly.
Korábban ünnepelt énekesnő volt, de most csendes életet él.
This area was once full of farms, but now it's all houses.
Ez a környék korábban tele volt gazdaságokkal, de ma már mindenütt házak állnak.
He was once my best friend.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
I was once very shy.
Korábban nagyon félénk voltam.
This place was once a park.
Ez a hely korábban park volt.
She was once my teacher.
Error frecuente:
Learners may confuse this with 'one time'; here it means 'in the past but not now'.
Significado
At a former time, not now
Colocaciones
once famous
|once beautiful
|once a leader
Sinónimos
formerly ('Formerly' is more formal and used mainly in writing.)
Antónimos
currently (Means true at present instead of only in the past.)
Temas
time
|core_vocabulary
Definición
Used to say something was true before but is not true now.
Used to refer to a situation that was true in the past but is no longer true.
Gramática
Forma de diccionario
once
AFI
GB/wˈʌns/
US/wˈʌns/
Sílabas y acento
once (1 sílaba)
Stress on 1st syllable (once)
Formas de la palabra
Noun
- Base: once
Familia de palabras
Expresiones
once and for all
1/wˈʌns ˈænd fɚ ˈɔl/
fixed phrase
finally and completely ending something
To do something one final time so it is finished forever.
Ejemplos
- Let’s settle this once and for all.
- He quit smoking once and for all.
once and for all
2/wˈʌns ˈænd fɚ ˈɔl/
fixed phrase
Finally and completely ending something
To do something so it will never need to be done again.
Ejemplos
- Let's settle this argument once and for all.
- He fixed the problem once and for all by replacing the whole system.
once in a while
1/wˈʌns ˈɪn ə wˈaɪl/
fixed phrase
Occasionally, not often
Sometimes, but not often.
Ejemplos
- We go out for dinner once in a while.
- I like to read a novel once in a while.
- Once in a while, I like to take a long walk alone.
- We meet for coffee once in a while to catch up.
once upon a time
1/wˈʌns əpˈɑn ə tˈaɪm/
fixed phrase
literary
Traditional story beginning phrase
A phrase used at the start of old stories to mean 'a long time ago'.
Ejemplos
- Once upon a time, there was a small village by the sea.
- Once upon a time, there was a little princess who loved to sing.
- Once upon a time, a brave knight lived in a faraway land.
- Once upon a time, people traveled by horse and carriage.
once bitten, twice shy
1/wˈʌns bˈɪtən | twˈaɪs ʃˈaɪ/
idiom
Cautious after bad experience
After something bad happens, you are careful not to let it happen again.
Ejemplos
- I won't lend him money again—once bitten, twice shy.
- I don’t lend money anymore—once bitten, twice shy.
- She avoids online shopping now; once bitten, twice shy.
- She avoided dating for years; once bitten, twice shy.
once bitten, twice shy
2/wˈʌns bˈɪtən | twˈaɪs ʃˈaɪ/
idiom
Cautious after bad experience
After something bad happens once, you are more careful next time.
Ejemplos
- I won't lend him money again—once bitten, twice shy.
- She was hurt in her last relationship and is now once bitten, twice shy.