Learn Hardcore Japanese: watasi ha tokidoki hayame ni sigoto wo owarasemasu.

は marks the topic: “as for me.” It frames what you’re talking about and sounds neutral here. が would emphasize or identify the subject (“It’s I who…”) and is used when contrasting with others or answering “who?” Using 私が here would feel contrastive: “I (not someone else) sometimes finish work early.”

Can I drop 私? When is it necessary?

Yes. If it’s clear you’re talking about yourself, just say ときどき早めに仕事を終わらせます。 Keep 私 when introducing yourself, contrasting with others, or when the subject could be ambiguous.

What does ときどき mean compared with たまに and よく?

ときどき: sometimes/occasionally (neutral mid-frequency).
たまに: once in a while (less frequent; can feel rarer).
よく: often/frequently (high frequency).

Can ときどき go in different positions?

Yes. All of these are natural:

ときどき、早めに仕事を終わらせます。
私はときどき早めに仕事を終わらせます。
私は早めにときどき仕事を終わらせます。 (less common; adverbs of frequency usually sit early)

What nuance does 早めに have?

早めに means “on the early side,” i.e., earlier than usual/scheduled, with a soft, measured tone. It implies a reference point (normal time, schedule, deadline) and aims slightly earlier than that.

Why 早めに and not 早く? Are they interchangeable?

Not exactly. 早く can mean “early (in time)” or “quickly (in speed),” so 早く仕事を終わらせます can sound like “I finish my work quickly.” 早めに reduces ambiguity and highlights finishing earlier than the usual/scheduled time.

Why is there a に after 早め?

Because 早め is a noun-like form (the suffix –め turns adjectives into “on the … side” nouns). You add に to make it adverbial: 早めに. Similar patterns: 多めに入れる (add a bit more), 大きめに切る (cut on the bigger side), and as a noun modifier: 早めのランチ.

What does を in 仕事を do?

を marks 仕事 as the direct object of the verb: it’s the thing being finished. Without を, you’d be using the intransitive verb (e.g., 仕事が終わります “the work ends”).

What’s the difference between 仕事を終わらせます, 仕事を終えます, and 仕事が終わります?

仕事を終わらせます: transitive “(I) finish the work” (everyday, colloquial).
仕事を終えます: transitive “(I) complete the work” (a bit more formal/concise).
仕事が終わります: intransitive “the work ends/gets finished” (event-focused, no explicit agent).

Is 終わらせます a causative form? Am I “making” the work finish?

Yes, it’s the causative of 終わる, but it’s lexicalized and commonly used simply as “to finish (something).” You’re not forcing a person; you’re bringing the task to completion. Compare: 宿題を終わらせる (finish homework) vs 子どもを走らせる (make/let a child run).

Could I say 早めに仕事を終える instead? Which sounds better?

早めに仕事を終える is correct and sounds slightly more formal/written. 終わらせる is very common in conversation; use either depending on tone.

Can 早めに go after 仕事を, like 仕事を早めに終わらせます?

Yes. Both 早めに仕事を終わらせます and 仕事を早めに終わらせます are natural. The first front-loads the “earlier-than-usual” idea; the second keeps the object and adverb closer to the verb.

Are the spaces normal? How would this usually be written?

Spaces are for learners. Normally you’d write: 私は時々早めに仕事を終わらせます。

How do I read each word?

私 (わたし)
ときどき / 時々 (ときどき)
早めに (はやめに)
仕事 (しごと)
終わらせます (おわらせます)

If I mean “I sometimes leave work early,” is this the right verb?

Not exactly. 仕事を早めに終わらせます focuses on finishing tasks early. For leaving early, say ときどき早退します, ときどき早めに退社します, or 定時より早く帰ります.

What does the ます-form mean here—present or future?

It’s non-past and, with ときどき, expresses a habitual action: “I sometimes finish work early.” Context or time words handle future: 明日は早めに仕事を終わらせます (I’ll finish early tomorrow).

Can I add は to ときどき for emphasis (時々は)?

Yes: 時々は早めに仕事を終わらせます adds a contrastive “at least sometimes” nuance, implying not always, but sometimes, yes.

Is 早くに acceptable here, like 早くに仕事を終わらせます?

Generally avoid it here. 早くに tends to pair with time-point events and can sound literary (e.g., 早くに亡くなった). For this sentence, use 早めに or 早く depending on the nuance you want.