A veces hablo mal en público.

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Breakdown of A veces hablo mal en público.

• en: in
• hablar: to speak
• a veces: sometimes

Questions & Answers about A veces hablo mal en público.

Why is there no yo in the sentence? In English we say I sometimes speak badly in public, but in Spanish it’s just A veces hablo mal en público.

Spanish usually omits subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows who the subject is.
Hablo can only mean I speak, so yo is not needed.

If you say Yo a veces hablo mal en público, it’s still correct but it adds emphasis, like I sometimes speak badly in public (as opposed to other people).

What’s the difference between a veces, algunas veces, de vez en cuando, and a menudo?

All of them talk about frequency, but with slightly different nuances:

• a veces = sometimes. Very common and neutral.
• algunas veces = sometimes / on some occasions. A bit more specific or careful; often interchangeable with a veces.
• de vez en cuando = from time to time / every now and then. Suggests it happens less frequently.
• a menudo = often / frequently. It means more frequent than a veces.

In Latin America, a veces and de vez en cuando are extremely common. A menudo is understood everywhere but is less common in some areas, where people might say seguido or muy seguido instead.

Can a veces go in other places in the sentence, or does it have to be at the beginning?