at / on / in — Time Prepositions
Times · Days · Months · Years · Seasons · Special Expressions — Complete Guide
at / on / in — Prépositions de Temps
Heures · Jours · Mois · Années · Saisons · Expressions Spéciales — Guide Complet
Master when to use at (time of day), on (days & dates) and in (months, years, seasons) — plus special fixed expressions and the rule for in a few minutes.
Maîtrisez quand utiliser at (heure), on (jours et dates) et in (mois, années, saisons) — ainsi que les expressions fixes et la règle pour in a few minutes.
Three small words — at, on, in — govern almost all English time expressions. The key is knowing the size of the time unit: clock time → at; days & dates → on; longer periods (months, years, seasons, centuries) → in. There are also important fixed expressions and cases where no preposition is used at all.
Trois petits mots — at, on, in — régissent presque toutes les expressions temporelles en anglais. La clé est de connaître la taille de l’unité de temps : heure → at ; jours et dates → on ; périodes plus longues (mois, années, saisons, siècles) → in. Il existe aussi des expressions fixes importantes et des cas où aucune préposition n’est utilisée.
at / on / in — The Basic Rules
at / on / in — Les Règles de Base
at — time of day
at — heure précise
on — days & dates
on — jours et dates
in — longer periods
in — périodes longues
They arrived on Friday. (day → on)
They arrived in June. / They arrived in 2012. (month / year → in) They arrived at 5 o’clock. (heure → at)
They arrived on Friday. (jour → on)
They arrived in June. / They arrived in 2012. (mois / année → in)
Special Fixed Expressions with at
Expressions Fixes avec at
Can we talk later? I’m busy at the moment.
Can we talk later? I’m busy at the moment.
at the same time
Kate and I arrived at the same time.
Kate and I arrived at the same time.
at the weekend / at weekends (British English; American: on the weekend)
at the weekend / at weekends (anglais brit. ; américain : on the weekend)
Will you be here at the weekend?
Will you be here at the weekend?
at Christmas (but: on Christmas Day)(mais : on Christmas Day)
Do you give presents at Christmas?
Do you give presents at Christmas?
at night = during nights in general= les nuits en général
in the night = during a particular night= pendant une nuit particulière
I don’t like working at night. But I was woken by a noise in the night. I don’t like working at night. But I was woken by a noise in the night.
in the morning — but — on Friday morning
in the morning — mais — on Friday morning
Use in for general parts of the day. Use on when a specific day is mentioned before morning/afternoon/evening.
Utilisez in pour les parties générales de la journée. Utilisez on quand un jour spécifique est mentionné avant morning/afternoon/evening.
in — general
in — général
on — specific day
on — jour spécifique
No preposition before last / next / this / every
Pas de préposition avant last / next / this / every
Do not use at/on/in before last, next, this or every.
N’utilisez pas at/on/in devant last, next, this ou every.
They got married last June. (NOT in last June)
What are you doing this weekend? (NOT at this weekend)
She goes to the gym every Monday. (NOT on every Monday) I’ll see you next Friday. (PAS on next Friday)
They got married last June. (PAS in last June)
What are you doing this weekend? (PAS at this weekend)
She goes to the gym every Monday. (PAS on every Monday)
in a few minutes / in six months — from now or duration
in a few minutes / in six months — dans / en
Use in + time period to say how far in the future something will happen (= from now). Also use in to say how long something takes.
Utilisez in + période pour dire dans combien de temps quelque chose se passera (= à partir de maintenant). On utilise aussi in pour dire en combien de temps quelque chose se fait.
The train will be leaving in a few minutes. (= a few minutes from now)
Andy has gone away. He’ll be back in a week. (= a week from now)
They’ll be here in a moment.
How long something takes:
I learnt to drive in four weeks. (= it took four weeks) Dans combien de temps (futur) :
The train will be leaving in a few minutes. (= dans quelques minutes)
Andy has gone away. He’ll be back in a week. (= dans une semaine)
They’ll be here in a moment.
En combien de temps (durée) :
I learnt to drive in four weeks. (= cela m’a pris quatre semaines)
Put in at, on or in.
Complétez avec at, on ou in.
Complete with at, on or in + the given word(s).
Complétez avec at, on ou in + le(s) mot(s) donné(s).
Which is correct: a, b, or both?
Quelle est la forme correcte : a, b, ou les deux ?
Add a preposition where needed. Write — if no preposition is needed.
Ajoutez une préposition si nécessaire. Écrivez — si aucune n’est requise.
Frequently Asked Questions — at/on/in (time)
Questions fréquentes — at/on/in (temps)
At night is a fixed expression — night is treated as a single point. In the morning/afternoon/evening are treated as longer periods. Note: in the night (with the) = during a specific night: I was woken up in the night.
At night est une expression fixe. In the morning/afternoon/evening désignent des périodes plus longues. Note : in the night (avec the) = pendant une nuit précise.
Both are correct — it’s a British/American difference. At the weekend = British. On the weekend = American. Both are accepted internationally.
Les deux sont corrects — c’est une différence britannique/américaine. At the weekend = anglais britannique. On the weekend = anglais américain.
After last, next, this and every, no preposition is used. ✗ I’ll see you on next Friday is WRONG. ✓ I’ll see you next Friday is correct.
Après last, next, this et every, aucune préposition n’est utilisée. ✗ I’ll see you on next Friday est FAUX. ✓ I’ll see you next Friday.
The same form has two meanings. (1) Future: The train leaves in five minutes = 5 minutes from now. (2) Duration: I learnt the song in five minutes = it took 5 minutes. Context makes the meaning clear.
La même forme a deux sens. (1) Futur : dans cinq minutes. (2) Durée : en cinq minutes. Le contexte rend le sens clair.
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