Pronunciation: [vˈɛɹɪ ˈɒfən] (IPA) 
The phrase "very often" is commonly used in everyday speech to mean "frequently." In IPA phonetic transcription, it is spelled as /ˈvɛri ˈɒf(ə)n/, with the stress on the first syllable of each word. The "v" sound is voiced and the "th" sound is replaced by the "v" sound in the word "very." The "o" vowel sound in the word "often" is pronounced with the "a" sound, making it sound like "offen" instead of "oft-en."
"Very often" is an idiomatic expression that denotes a high frequency or regularity of occurrence. It indicates that a particular event, action, or situation happens frequently or repeatedly. It implies a pattern or tendency of something happening or being done quite often or with significant regularity.
When describing the frequency of an action or event, "very often" suggests a level of consistency and predictability in its recurrence. It implies that the frequency is noticeably higher than merely "often" or "frequently." It implies that the event or action is likely to happen repeatedly or commonly, possibly on a regular basis.
The term "very often" is subjective, as its precise meaning may vary depending on the context and individual perspectives. However, it generally conveys a heightened regularity that stands out or is considered noteworthy compared to the average or expected frequency. It often implies a situation that occurs more frequently than would typically be anticipated.
In summary, "very often" describes a high degree of regularity and frequency, suggesting that a specific event, action, or situation occurs repeatedly, commonly, or noticeably more often than expected or average.
The etymology of the phrase "very often" lies in the individual origins of its constituent words.
"Very" comes from the Middle English word "veri", which means "true" or "real". It can be traced back to the Latin word "verus", meaning "true".
"Often" derives from the Middle English word "ofte", which originated from the Old English word "oft", meaning "frequent" or "repeated". The Old English word can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic word "uftiz", which carries a similar meaning.
In combination, "very often" simply compounds the intensifying adverb "very" with the frequency adverb "often", creating a phrase that expresses a high degree of repetition or occurrence.
