What is the difference between I'm in the railway station and I'm at the railway station.

Does the second example show that I'm somewhere inside that station or near it, or that I'm there for a specific purpose, for example, I'm waiting for a train ? ?Feel free to just provide example sentences.

Answers

askingsaint

27 February

English (UK)
English (US)

If you're "in" the railway station, you're physically inside the building or the property of the station.

If you're "at" the railway station, you could be in the carpark or standing outside the entrance, so it's a more general description of being on the land associated with the railway station but not necessarily within the building of the railway station or at one of the platforms.

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Savva_Peck

27 February

Russian

@askingsaint thanks, I got it, but does the phrase "I'm at the railway station" convey the idea of the place ?
I mean when I say "I'm at school" or "I'm in school" it means that I'm studying right now or in general, as I know the second one is more common in American English.

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askingsaint

27 February

English (UK)
English (US)

@Savva_Peck I'm not sure what you mean by "convey the idea of the place", but "at the railway station" only ever refers to the physical location. The word "school" can refer to either the physical building or the concept of education which is why it can have multiple meanings if you say "I'm in school", but "railway station" only ever refers to a physical station. Whether you're there for a specific purpose or not depends on whatever else you say — you could be there to catch a train, to meet someone, to buy a ticket, just cause you felt like going, the possibilities aren't limited. "I'm at the railway station" is simply a description of your current location. I'm not sure if that helps?

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Savva_Peck

27 February

Russian

@askingsaint yes, thank you, it helped a lot, but I have one more question, you said that the word "school" can refer to the physical building and the concept, so the question is "are there many words that can show two meanings as the word school ?"

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