once
word
/ˈwəns/
WUNS
/wˈɒns/
WONS
Definition
At one time in the past or on one occasion. It can also mean 'as soon as' or 'when' in some contexts.
Usage & Nuances
Commonly used in both past time expressions and conditional phrases like 'once you finish'. It is informal and formal. Do not confuse with 'one' or 'once in a while' which has a different meaning.
Spanish: una vez - una ocasiónPortuguese (BR): uma vez - logo quePortuguese (PT): uma vez - logo queChinese (Simplified): 一次 - 曾经Chinese (Traditional): 一次 - 曾經Hindi: एक बार - कभीArabic: مرة واحدة - ذات مرةBengali: একবার - যখনRussian: однажды - как толькоJapanese: 一度 - 一旦Vietnamese: một lần - khiKorean: 한 번 - 일단Turkish: bir kez - bir zamanlar - bir defa - olur olmazUrdu: ایک بار - جبIndonesian: sekali - begitu
Example Sentences
Once you finish your homework, you can watch TV.
natural
She only met him once, but she remembers it clearly.
natural
Once upon a time, there was a brave knight.
natural
I saw him once in the park.
basic
You only need to press this button once.
basic
She told me this story once before.
basic