In the USA, afternoon hours are considered from 12 pm until 5 pm whereas from 3 pm to 5 pm is considered late afternoon. On the other hand, evening hours are from 5 pm to 9 pm. Here, 7 pm to 9 pm is considered late evening.
Key Takeaways
- Afternoon hours are the time before evening and they range from 12 pm to 5 pm
- Evening hours are the time after afternoon hours and they range from 5 pm to 9 pm
- Afternoon hours are bright and glaring because in this time frame the sun remains low angle
- The evening hours are not fixed because it changes constantly throughout the year
- In many countries, the evening is categorized as dusk because the sunset happens
What Are Afternoon Hours?
Afternoon hours are the time between 12 pm to 5 pm. It’s the time part before the evening hours. So you can describe afternoon hours as the period between noon and evening. During the afternoon hours, the sun remains low angle so it is bright and glaring.
What Are Evening Hours?
The evening hours start at the end of the afternoon hours. Usually, the afternoon hour is till 5 pm so the evening hour starts from 5 pm and ends at 9 pm. All though; the exact time when the evening starts depends on the location and it keeps changing throughout the year. It’s also the last part of the day because during the evening hours the sunsets.
Difference Between ‘Afternoon’ Hours And ‘Evening’ Hours
The main difference between the afternoon hours and the evening hours is the time difference. Usually, afternoon hours are between 12 pm to 5 pm and the evening hours start at 5 pm and remain till 9 pm. Let’s check other differences between afternoon hours and evening hours.
1. During the afternoon hours, the sun begins to descend from its peak, on the other hand in the evening hours the sunset happens
2. The greeting used during the afternoon hours is “Good afternoon!”; the greeting used during the evening hours is “Good evening!”
3. Usually, the evening is marked when the sun’s light starts decreasing and the afternoon is marked when the daylight starts to decrease
4. The afternoon is categorized with the descending of the Sun; on the other hand, the evening is categorized as Dusk
Parts Of The Day
Morning
1. 5 am to 12 pm (noon)
2. Early morning 5 to 8 am
3. Late morning 11 am to 12 pm
Afternoon
1. 12 pm to 5 pm
2. Early afternoon 1 to 3 pm
3. Late afternoon 4 to 5 pm
Evening
1. 5 pm to 9 pm
2. Early evening 5 to 7 pm
3. Late evening 7 to 9 pm
Night
1. 9 pm to 4 am
FAQs About ‘Afternoon’ Hours And ‘Evening’ Hours
1. Is It 4 PM Evening Or Afternoon?
The afternoon hours are from 12 pm until 5 pm. So 4 pm is the afternoon.
2. Can I Say Good Evening At 5 PM?
Yes, you can say good evening at 5 pm because the afternoon is till 5 pm and that means 4:59 pm. So saying good evening at 5 pm is completely appropriate.
3. Can I Say Good Evening At 11 Pm?
Well, it’s not appropriate to say good evening at 11 pm because evening hours are from 5 pm till 9 pm. So good night is more of a correct greeting for 11 pm. However, a good night is supposed to be a kind of “Over and Out” thing so if you are meeting someone at 11 pm then you can say “Hi” instead of a good evening at 11 pm.
4. What Do You Greet At 9 PM?
9 pm is the end of the evening and the start of the night so it’s a bit tricky situation to greet someone at 9 pm. So if you are out with your friends then you can say good night at the end of the party or when you are leaving them. On the other hand, if you are meeting with someone then you should use Hi because god night is an end of conversation greetings.
5. What Time You Can Say Good Evening?
Usually, greetings change depending on the time of day. Different time has different greetings. The best time to say good evening is between 5 pm to 9 pm.
6. What Are The Right Greetings For A Different Time Period Of A Day?
Every greeting has a specific time period when it is right to use that greeting. For example:
1. Good Morning: Any time after sunrise to noon on meeting for the first time
2. Good Afternoon: Any time after 12 pm to 5 pm on meeting for the first time
3. Good Evening: Any time after 5 pm to 9 pm on meeting for the first time
4. Good Night: When you are leaving in the evenings or nights
5. Good Day: Usually when you are leaving during the daytime
6. Have a Nice Day: Any time during the day until sundown
7. Have a Nice Evening: When you are leaving in the evenings or nights
References:
1. https://askanydifference.com/difference-between-evening-and-afternoon/
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afternoon
3. https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/evening-hours
Last Updated on October 3, 2022 by Magalie D.
Magalie D. is a Diploma holder in Public Administration & Management from McGill University of Canada. She shares management tips here in MGTBlog when she has nothing to do and gets some free time after working in a multinational company at Toronto.
