in the evening vs. at night

I'm struggling to think of a good way to explain this, but I'll give it a shot until someone comes up with something better!


In English, we say 'the evening', but we don't say 'the night'. I'm not entirely sure why this is, but that's why they differ.


'At night' is, in a way, a shortened version of 'at the time of night'. We don't say 'at the time of evening', so we can

With great respect for Nyarlathotep's effort, I myself would have merely said that I think it is idiomatic:

In the morning
In the afternoon
In the evening
At night

This is when talking of the section of the day. 'In the night' also exists, when we are speaking of a nocturnal event: 'I heard a frightening sound in the night and wet my bed'.

hello i tought about that question a lot. can this be possible

I found that explanation. if it is not true please inform me about it. thank you a lot for your respectable efforts.

yours faithfully...

i think in the evening,in the afternoon, in the in the morning refer to a limited time but at night, at noon refers to a specific point in time.

Anonymous
hello to everybody! I have a question. This really confuses me. Can you explain me the difference between "in the evening" and "at night". Why can't we use in night or at the evening.

Having studied several languages, I have learned: don't ever try to explain the use of prepositions; just learn what is said. Brits use phrases that

Hello Ghulhambodyguard-- and welcome to English Forums. Thank you for contributing to this discussion. 'Noon' (1200 h) is a specific point in time, as is 'midnight' (2400 h), but I don't think 'night' is any more limited than 'evening'-- in fact, in most speaker's minds, it is probably longer. Otherwise, your point is accurate.

My guideline to students: at a time, o

0We usually use "at night" to express an action that occurs at a more or less02br
00precise point in that time period.02br
02br
00"I go to bed at night."02br
02br
00We use "in/during the night" to express an action that occurs over a period of02br
00time within that time period.02br
02br
00I sleep (usually for ei

Mister MicawberIn the evening

In English literature sometimes we find

-It is solitary like a pool at evening.

Do you think 'at evening' is old fashioned English and not used nowadays?

Day time is divided into 3 parts: morning noon and evening, whereas night time is not. Hence, we use 'in the morning', 'in the afternoon', ' in the evening'and 'at night'