It's that time of year (when or where ...) (2025)

Hi.

I came across this sentence on facebook today and was wondering why "where" was used instead of "when":
It's that time of year

pumpkin-flavoured people treats are everywhere!

Thank you.

I recognize this use of "when/where". Now let's see if I can explain it.

In casual modern American English, the two words "when" and "where" are used interchangeably as a conjunction introducing an independent clause describing (explaining) something mentioned before that in the sentence.

If that was unclear, here are some examples where either "when" or "where" are used:

1. Halloween is a holiday where/when kids dress in costumes and get candy from neighbors.
2. It's the pre-Thankgsgiving season, when/where lots of stores sell pumpkin-flavored treats.
3. True love is when/where you hold nothing back.
4. We use both these words, when/where they introduce a descriptive clause.
5. New Year's Eve is a holiday where/when you get a lot of drunk drivers. That's why I stay home.
6. Origami? That's when/where you fold paper into animals.

The answer to the question is that when is used in the phrase

and where in the phrase

of in a situation where.

These words are sometimes interchangeable, e.g. He was in the bar when the explosion occurred. But this is really in the bar at the time when ...

If you can use these phrases, it is clear which of the words you should use.
For example, He got up early that morning where the dawn chorus began or There was a large dog in the room whenthe barking was coming from.

dojibear said:

I recognize this use of "when/where". Now let's see if I can explain it.

In casual modern American English, the two words "when" and "where" are used interchangeably as a conjunction introducing an independent clause describing (explaining) something mentioned before that in the sentence.

If that was unclear, here are some examples where either "when" or "where" are used:

1. Halloween is a holiday where/when kids dress in costumes and get candy from neighbors.
2. It's the pre-Thankgsgiving season, when/where lots of stores sell pumpkin-flavored treats.
3. True love is when/where you hold nothing back.
4. We use both these words, when/where they introduce a descriptive clause.
5. New Year's Eve is a holiday where/when you get a lot of drunk drivers. That's why I stay home.
6. Origami? That's when/where you fold paper into animals.

Click to expand...

Thank you a lot

e2efour said:

The answer to the question is that when is used in the phrase

at a time when

and where in the phrase

in a place where

of in a situation where.

These words are sometimes interchangeable, e.g. He was in the bar when the explosion occurred. But this is really in the bar at the time when ...

If you can use these phrases, it is clear which of the words you should use.
For example, He got up early that morning where the dawn chorus began or There was a large dog in the room whenthe barking was coming from.

Click to expand...

Thank you so much