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raramente

rah-rah-MEN-teh/raɾaˈmente/

“raramente” means “rarely” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

rarely

Also: seldom, infrequently
A single blooming flower in a vast field of dry, yellow grass.

📝 In Action

Raramente como carne roja porque prefiero el pescado.

A1

I rarely eat red meat because I prefer fish.

En esta ciudad raramente nieva durante el invierno.

A2

In this city, it seldom snows during the winter.

Es un tipo de flor que raramente se ve en esta parte del mundo.

B1

It is a type of flower that is rarely seen in this part of the world.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • pocas veces (few times)
  • infrecuentemente (infrequently)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • suceder raramente – to happen rarely
  • verse raramente – to be rarely seen
  • raramente usado – rarely used

strangely

Also: oddly
A cat wearing a tiny top hat and colorful polka-dot bow tie.

📝 In Action

Esa noche, el perro se comportó raramente.

B1

That night, the dog behaved strangely.

Me miró raramente antes de irse.

B2

He looked at me oddly before leaving.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "raramente" in Spanish:

infrequently→oddly→rarely→seldom→strangely→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: raramente

Question 1 of 3

Which sentence correctly uses 'raramente' to mean 'seldom'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
raro(strange or rare) — Adjective
rareza(rarity or strangeness) — Noun
enrarecer(to make thin or rare (like air)) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Spanish adjective 'raro' (stemming from Latin 'rarus', meaning loose-textured, scanty, or thin) combined with the Latin suffix '-mente' (originally 'mente', the ablative of 'mens', meaning 'with a mind' or 'in a manner').

First recorded: 15th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: rarelyFrench: rarementItalian: raramente

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'raramente' always mean 'rarely'?

Most of the time, yes. However, because it comes from 'raro' (which can mean 'strange'), it can occasionally mean 'strangely,' though 'extrañamente' is more common for that meaning.

Can I use 'raramente' at the end of a sentence?

Yes! You can say 'Él sale raramente' or 'Raramente él sale.' Both are grammatically correct, but putting it at the start adds emphasis.

Is 'raramente' formal?

It is neutral. You can use it in a college essay or when chatting with a friend, though friends might say 'pocas veces' more often.