hardly ever表示一种否定的频率，“几乎不做某事、做某事频率很小”，是一个一个频率副词，相当于rarely，seldom，almost never等。

很少(几乎从不,难得)

例句与用法:

You hardly ever see owls in the daytime.

白天几乎看不到猫头鹰.

I have hardly ever been out of this city.

我几乎未曾离开过这个城市。

My grandfather loves his island.He hardly ever sets foot in the city.

我祖父热爱他那个小岛，他几乎从不进城来。

I hardly ever see them nowadays.

近来我很少见他们。

Peter is hardly ever late.

玛丽几乎从不迟到。

He hardly ever(ie very seldom)goes to bed before midnight.

他很少在午夜以前就寝.