What does “once” mean?
- 1
adverbone time only
I’ve only been to Paris once.
- 2
adverbat some time in the past
This building was once a school.
- 3
conjunctionas soon as or after something happens
Once you finish, you can go home.
Once at a glance
- Part of speech
- adverb & conjunction
- CEFR level
- A2 (elementary)
- Pronunciation
- /wʌns/ · WUNS
How to use “once” correctly
“At once” means immediately or at the same time. After “once” for the future, use the present: “Once I get home,” not “Once I will get home.”
Common phrases with “once”
- at once
- once a week
- once again
- once upon a time
Idioms with “once”
- Once in a blue moon: Very rarely.
“once” is on these word lists
Learn these words next
- already adverbA2before now, or earlier than expected
- ever adverbA2at any time, used mostly in questions and negative sentences
- finally adverbA2after a long time or a lot of waiting
- recently adverbA2not long ago
- still adverbA2continuing until now and not finished
- suddenly adverbA2quickly and without warning
- yet adverbA2until now; used in questions and negatives
- again adverbA1one more time; another time