invicta5

[royal hollow]

Please be patient

Our volunteers look into many questions every day; sometimes it takes them a little while to answer.

Pro tip: you can rename the thread title with `.tr <thread name>`

Make it descriptive, including relevant context, but also to the point. This way you improve your chances of getting a more relevant and specific answer.

[novel basalt]

"en hiver" is basically "during winter". It already encapsulates the article, so you won't see "en l'hiver".
"l'hiver" is referring to the season as a whole. You can use it either to talk about the season, or to setup a context.
There is overlap, but they're not always interchangeable.

winter is my favorite season => l'hiver est ma saison préférée.
you're talking about the season as a concept, not about something
that takes place during winter, so "en" wouldn't work.

I'm going during winter => j'y vais en hiver
you're talking about something that happens during winter, but is not a general rule. It's not like you go every winter, so "le" wouldn't work

[grizzled nymph]

That's an amazingly clear explanation ⭐ Thank you so much !
I love discord 💟

[jolly flower]

The situation they would be interchangeable is something that appears to be always true.

Il y a souvent de la neige en hiver.
Il y a souvent de la neige l’hiver.*

*that last one is a little bit strange but I definitely have heard this

[grizzled nymph]

I understand , thank you !

[solemn cosmos]

there's like a general pattern where certain things will you use en in the feminine and au in the masculine

so just like you say "en France" but "au Canada", you say "en hiver" but "au printemps"