a ratos

from time to time

Las calles son estrechas y a ratos inclinadas.	The streets are narrow and sometimes steep.
Hasta la naturaleza parece conspirar, pues el cielo sigue gris y a ratos llueve.	Even nature seems to conspire, because the sky is gray and sometimes it rains.
Esas lecturas del poeta andaluz las acompañaba a ratos de música gitana.	He sometimes accompanied his readings of the Andalusian poet with gypsy music.
Ser mujer iba dejando (a ratos, normalmente los de la clase) de ser un esfuerzo.	Being a woman was leaving (sometimes, usually those of the class) be an effort.
Bueno, mi novio de a ratos.	Well, my sometimes boyfriend.
Bueno, a ratos lo está.	Well, periodically, he is.
Pero me gustó la textura, a ratos áspera, como quien derrama arenilla, o pegamento de pvc.	But I liked the texture, sometimes rough, like someone had spilled sand or PVC glue.
Me viene de a ratos.	It comes and goes.
Supuestamente tampoco puede abordar a gente sin billete, pero si lo hacen a ratos.	They also are supposed to refuse boarding without ticket, but sometimes, if empty, they do.
En medio de estas conversaciones el DVD todavía estaba puesto y las personas lo veían a ratos.	In the midst of these conversations the DVD was still playing and people went in and out of watching it.
Pero la descripción más precisa que puedo dar es que parece un grillo, que a ratos canta y otros no.	But the best description I can think of is that it resembles a cricket, who sometimes chirps and sometimes not.
La vida parece, a ratos, ser demasiado, y nos sentimos desbordados, incapaces de lidiar con las asperezas de la condición humana.	Life temporarily seems to be too much, and we feel ourselves deluged, barely capable of coping with the harshness of the human condition.
Hace un momento yo he tenido a ratos la impresión de que estaba en una sesión de la Asamblea Nacional Francesa y no del Parlamento Europeo.	I sometimes have the impression at the moment that we are sitting in the French National Assembly and not in the European Parliament.
Nosotras somos las que cargamos en la espalda decenas de casos y colapsamos de a ratos porque nos exigimos hasta que nos explota la cabeza.	We are the ones that carry on our shoulders the dozens of cases and who sometimes collapse because we work ourselves out until our heads explode.
La casa queda levantada, pero la relación fraternal no vuelve a ser la misma tras la catarsis, a ratos divertida, a ratos dramática y siempre emocionante.	The house is emptied, but the relationship between the brothers is not the same after the catharsis. Sometimes funny, sometimes dramatic, always moving.
Esta preocupación va acompañada, además, de una voluntad clara de participar y tener un rol más activo, a ratos central, en este despliegue informativo y comunicativo.	This concern is also accompanied by a clear wish to participate and play a more active role, sometimes a central role, in information and communication activities.
Avelino Sala es artista, comisario a ratos y editor.	Avelino Sala is an artist, publisher and at times curator.
Avelino Sala es artista, comisario a ratos y editor.	Avelino Sala is an artist, curator and publisher.
Estaba actuando feliz de a ratos, Pero es difícil.	She was acting happy for a little while, but it's tough.
La calefacción es defectuosa (sofocante a ratos).	The heating is faulty (stifling at times).