# EN: in/on the street / on the road



## Loic

Could native speakers try and find the exact limits in the use of _On_ and _In the street ?_
You say _" he lives *on* the street" but "I met him *in* the street._ What are the rules to change from *in* to *on* and vice versa_ ??_ I realize it's not all that crystal-clear to me 

*Moderator note:* Multiple threads merged to create this one.


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## hibouette

the problem i think is the meaning of street :
is it the part of road between sidewalks,  the environnement , the community living in this hood....

For your example :
He is rollerskating in the park, in the street
He is rollerskating on the sidewalk, on the road, on the street (i'm not sure it's correct to use street here in fact....)


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## kalysara

"on the street"  est d'après mes souvenir, un terme utilisé aux USA  et "in the street"en GB  ou vice et versa   

désolée de pas être absolument affirmative a ce sujet,


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## jb0284

Hey! 

I would be more inclined to use 'in' rather than 'on' for most things.

e.g. I would say: *We went rollerskating in the street* or *The kids were playing in the street* or *We met by chance in the street* (as opposed to on).

If you say _he lives on the street_, it sounds as if you're referring to a homeless person (I wasn't sure if that is indeed what you meant...). Therefore, you wouldn't say _he lives on the street[s]_ unless you were referring to a _sans-abri_.

Hibouette is right though; you would say *We were walking on the sidewalk/pavement *or *He was sitting on the asphalt/tarmac*. I guess if you're being specific about where in the street, then you would use on. Otherwise, stick with in.

Hope that helps somehow!


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## texasweed

It's not crystal-clear to natives either... Like the issue of posting *on* a Website *on* a forum and *in* a thread. Nobody seems to agree as to the proper word. I tend to agree with jbo284 but know that many natives would casually use "on the street" for rollerskating.

Confused enough?


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## encile

Good afternoon,
Can somebody tell me when to use "*in* the street" and when to use "*on* the street"?
Thank you!


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## banana pancakes

In the street refers to an object that is physically in the street. - i.e the children are playing in the street.

'On the streets' is somebody who is homeless usually.
You could say 'the pub on/at the end of the street'

I don't know what else you would use 'on the street' for.

There might be other examples I haven't thought of.


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## Tartempion

Another example - I live *on* the street next to this one.

EDIT: it occurs to me you could also say I live *in *the street next to this one. So that doesn't help much - sorry


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## claraet

I join the discussion because I have the same problem . Is it correct to say : in Regent street or on Regent street ? why ?


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## nmsconsultoria

When referring to popular opinion one uses "on", as in

- the word _on _the street is WordReference.com is the best 
- on the Arab street feelings are running high


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## Tartempion

I think generally *on Regent Street *sounds better. But you can say *in Regent Street* and it is still correct. I can't think of any specific examples in which you can only use 'on' or 'in'. I think you can use either, but I may be wrong.


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## wildan1

Tartempion said:


> I think generally *on Regent Street *sounds better. But you can say *in Regent Street* and it is still correct. I can't think of any specific examples in which you can only use 'on' or 'in'. I think you can use either, but I may be wrong.


 
In AE only _He lives *on* Regent Street_ would be said

(_He lives *in* Regent Street_ sounds like he has in a tent in the middle of that street!)


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## Tartempion

Personally I would say 'He lives on Regent Street' as well but I'm sure I've also heard people say they live 'in' a street rather than 'on' it. Out of interest, would you say you lived 'in' a road in AE? Or would it always be 'on' a road.


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## wildan1

Tartempion said:


> Personally I would say 'He lives on Regent Street' as well but I'm sure I've also heard people say they live 'in' a street rather than 'on' it. Out of interest, would you say you lived 'in' a road in AE? Or would it always be 'on' a road.


 
only _*on* a road._ (and the _road_ would usually not be in the center of a city in AE--that's a word for less urban settings--a road that leads out of a city towards another one. _He lives on Detroit Road._

Broader or more important city streets in AE are usually called _Avenues_ or _Boulevards_. (I guess it's a French influence that came from somewhere!)


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## Copacetic

There aren't any specific rules for this. Really, you can say either "on" or "in".


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## encile

I'm amazed at the number of answers I got in such a short time, thank you all so much! What I get from what you wrote is that "on the street" is generally better and more common but "in the street" can also be used to replace it, especially in BE. Am I right?


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## Tartempion

I think so. Although it may be that I've heard people use 'in the street' incorrectly and have accepted it as being normal. Maybe someone more knowledgeable will be able to give you a more definitive answer!


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## Algonzo

You say "I live on Main Street."

You cannot say "I live in Main Street." This is not arbitrary.

As another poster pointed out, if you say this then it will be understood that you have a tent setup in the middle of the street and you will most likely be asked to clarify what you mean.

You can say these, but ON would also work:
- The children are playing in the street.
- He lives in the streets.  (He's homeless)

but:
- Cars drive ON the street.
- The lines are painted ON the street.


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## johndot

Algonzo, I cannot agree with your comments: there are many places in the English-speaking world where it is more usual to say ‘in the street’. London’s most celebrated fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes, lived in Baker Street, at number 221 B (for example). As London is host to so many visitors from around the world, English residents there don’t turn a hair when they hear some people say, strangely, “I’m staying at a hotel on Regent Street.”


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## Algonzo

OK, thanks johndot. I suppose that it's a regional difference but "he lived in Baker Street" absolutely does not sound natural to me.


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## bghansel

You may drive on Baker Street, down Baker Street, up Baker Street, over Baker Street, but you stay _in_ your lane of traffic. 

In New York I always say someone lives on 43rd Street, for example, or a store is located on Madison Avenue.


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## ptitepimoussen

Bonjour,

Est-il possible de dire "there's a chemist *ON* New Street?" ou utilise-t-on uniquement IN?

Merci


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## CapnPrep

Les deux sont possibles, avec des préférences (régionales, historiques, sociales, …) très variables. Personellement j'utilise presque toujours *on*. Mais dans une phrase où il y a le mot _chemist_ je ne serais pas étonné de voir aussi la préposition _in_… 

Ce post résume assez bien la situation. Il y a d'autres exemples et avis dans le fil suivant du forum English Only :
*Preposition: in the street, on the street, at the street?* (à partir du post #19)

Voir aussi (sur les forums Spanish-English) :
*I Live In Oxford Street Or I Live On Oxford Street
**In Wall Street. *


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## no_cre0

Je ne sais pas si c'est le cas partout dans le monde anglophone, mais en Amérique, on ne dirait jamais "in New Street". ça serait toujours "on New Street".


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## emd366

My house is on Elm street.  My car is parked on First street.  (they are ON the side of the street, not IN the middle of the street)

We usually say ON when the street is named.  ON First Street.

We use ON to say where something/ a building is located.  The library is on Elm street.


The children are playing in the street.  (this means they are literally IN the street, not on the side, like the house)  They are playing in the middle of the street and need to watch out for cars!

with IN the street is not named.  

I met him in the street.
We met on Elm street.

He lives in the street.
He lives on First street.


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