aftenen

Aftenen is the definite singular form of the Danish noun aften, meaning the evening. It is used to refer to a specific evening or to the evening as a time period in Danish language and writing.

In Danish orthography, most nouns are written with a lower-case initial letter unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence. Aften, the indefinite form, becomes aftenen when the speaker refers to a particular evening or when the definite sense of “the evening” is intended. The word is commonly used in daily conversation and in narratives to situate events in the early night hours or late in the day.

Usage in sentences typically conveys a sense of time and often relates to social or domestic activities. For example, it can appear in phrases describing plans, such as meetings or meals, or in statements about how the evening unfolded, as in “Aftenen var rolig” (The evening was quiet). The definite form helps identify a known or previously mentioned evening within a discourse.

Aftenen is part of a broader set of Danish time-related terms, and its exact usage can vary with regional speech and style. In literal translations, it corresponds to “the evening” in English, signifying the period between late afternoon and night. See also the base form aften for general references to the evening.