What’s the Difference Between ‘Usually’ and ‘Often’?

The ambiguous use of similar words is part of what makes English so complicated for learners and native speakers alike. For instance, take the adverbs “often” and “usually.” Both words indicate something that happens a lot. You might say, “I often take the train when it rains.” If you replace “often” with “usually,” the overall meaning remains roughly the same. However, there is a nuance to these terms that seems to have been lost in modern conversation. The key distinction lies in the frequency called for.

According to Merriam-Webster, there’s a distinct difference between the usage of these adverbs. “Usually” refers to things that occur “most often” or “as a rule,” while “often” is less strict, meaning “many times” or “frequently” — the activity in question isn’t necessarily occurring on a set schedule.

Consider these two examples: “We usually go for a walk after dinner” and “She usually reads on the train ride home.” Each of these activities is recurring and regular. In contrast, when something happens “often,” it may not be habitual, even if it occurs frequently. For instance, “They often go to the movies on the weekend” suggests that they go frequently, but it’s not an expected activity. If going to the movies is a weekly ritual, you might instead say, “They usually go to the movies on Saturday night.”

A worksheet for an “English as a Second Language” class from Portland Community College provides more precise explanations as to the percentage of time an activity must occur for a frequency adverb to apply. When something happens 100% of the time, “always” is the adverb to use. “Usually” comes in at 80%, “often” at 60%, “sometimes” at 40%, “seldom” and “rarely” at 20%, and if something occurs 0% of the time, that’s the time for “never.”While this mathematical parsing isn’t a strict rule, it might aid in visualization, helping you choose the perfect adverb for your context.