When is next Friday?

[Biggirl]

It's like living a Seinfeld episode.

Someone left me a message on Tuesday that the meeting for Wednesday was moved to next Friday. To me 'next Friday' means, well, the next Friday-- or the Friday coming. The next Friday in line. You know, two days after the first scheduled meeting.

The message leaver, however meant what I would call 'the following Friday'. Or, 'Friday AFTER next'. Nope, says message leaver, I would have said "The meeting was moved from Wednesday to Friday" if I had meant the coming Friday.


Boy, the discussion at work went on for hours. It seems everyone has different interpretations of what "next Friday" means. What does it mean to you?

[Anaamika]

Next friday is the friday after this friday. So not tomorrow, but June 29 (holy crap, it's already June 21? Where is my summer going?????)

[Biggirl]

Next friday is the friday after this friday. So not tomorrow, but June 29 (holy crap, it's already June 21? Where is my summer going?????)
So, if I tell you Friday after next, what day is that? July 6th? Because to me, Friday after next would be June 29.

[Moriarty]

When people tell me "next Friday", my follow up question is generally, "do you mean the next Friday in the world*?" because I, too, am frequently flummoxed by this descrepancy in the word next. FWIW, I agree with your interpretation.

*Admittedly not possible when you are told "next Friday" in a message that doesn't allow for follow-up questions.

[Mangetout]

In my locality (UK), 'next Friday' almost always means 'the Friday that is 7 or more, but less than 14 days in the future' (i.e. usually the Friday of next week), but I think there are other places where it is understood to mean 'the forthcoming Friday'.

Sorry if that wasn't much help - there isn't only one valid answer.

BTW, the reason it's like this here is that the forthcoming Friday is 'this Friday'

[kathmandu]

I agree with Mangetout. While I understand "this Friday" to be, well, this coming Friday and "next Friday" to be more than seven days away, I don't think the term is certain enough to be used in a business setting without clarification.

"Friday after next" to me would mean the Friday after "next Friday".

Do you notice when you type "Friday" too many times it starts to look wrong?

[Anaamika]

So, if I tell you Friday after next, what day is that? July 6th? Because to me, Friday after next would be June 29.
We're into July now.

[Stuffy]

Friday would be tomorrow.

Next Friday would be the one after that or the 29th.

Friday after next is the gray one for me, I coould see also interpreting that as the one after this Friday i.e. the 29th.

[Zeldar]

Based on the interpretation difficulties already mentioned, if I wanted somebody to do something or be somewhere on a Friday in the near future, I would use the date of the Friday I meant so as to avoid confusion. But that's just me.

If somebody said "next Friday" to me on a Thursday or a Wednesday, I'd probably take it to mean "not this coming Friday -- in a day or two -- but the next one after it." Move the day back to Tuesday or Monday and I'd want to know which Friday was meant. Sunday or Saturday, I'd be pretty sure it would be the one coming up within the same 7-day period.

It definitely varies by region and user. Not a definitely correct answer, even if somebody produces evidence otherwise.

It's as vague as "few" and "several."

[Lute Skywatcher]

"Next Friday" is the Friday next week; the Friday this week is "this Friday", "tomorrow", or "the day after tomrrow", as the case may be.

[Crotalus]

I am firmly with Zeldar on this one. In a business setting, I believe that any reference to a meeting ought to include the date. The meeting has been moved to Friday, June 22.

[Orual]

"Next Friday" is the Friday next week; the Friday this week is "this Friday", "tomorrow", or "the day after tomrrow", as the case may be.

I concur. But people should include real dates if they're trying to schedule something.

[Biggirl]

If somebody said "next Friday" to me on a Thursday or a Wednesday, I'd probably take it to mean "not this coming Friday -- in a day or two -- but the next one after it." Move the day back to Tuesday or Monday and I'd want to know which Friday was meant. Sunday or Saturday, I'd be pretty sure it would be the one coming up within the same 7-day period.


Many people in the office also said it depended on which day of the week they were told 'next Friday' as to which Friday was meant. Very imprecise, this English. Why do so many people speak it?

[Diogenes the Cynic]

Next friday is the friday next week. This coming friday is "this friday," or just "friday." The whole point of adding the word "next" is to distinguish it from this friday. If "next friday" meant this friday then the word "next" would be superfluous and pointless.

I usually still ask for (and give) clarification, though, because so many people get it wrong.

[essell]

To me, 'Next Friday' is the first day coming that's going to be a Friday.
The one after that is 'A-Week-Friday' or 'Friday-Week'

I've always used them that way, even in local business work, and it's never caused confusion that I've noticed, so I guess that's the norm for my area.

[Biggirl]

Next friday is the friday next week. This coming friday is "this friday," or just "friday." The whole point of adding the word "next" is to distinguish it from this friday. If "next friday" meant this friday then the word "next" would be superfluous and pointless.

I usually still ask for (and give) clarification, though, because so many people get it wrong.

But next means the one coming. Next in line doesn't mean the person behind the first in line. Next week doesn't mean the week after the week coming. It's only when using it during the days of the week that 'next' all of a sudden means the one after next.

[Anaamika]

But next means the one coming. Next in line doesn't mean the person behind the first in line. Next week doesn't mean the week after the week coming. It's only when using it during the days of the week that 'next' all of a sudden means the one after next.
Gah! My eyes are glazing over! :) Must clarify with date.

[Cervaise]

No no no. "This Friday" means two Fridays from now. "Next Friday" means last Friday. "Friday after next" means the twelfth Friday in 2009.

Man, no wonder we're all so confused.

[Flutterby]

I am firmly with Zeldar on this one. In a business setting, I believe that any reference to a meeting ought to include the date. The meeting has been moved to Friday, June 22.

Exactly. Makes it harder to misunderstand (whether deliberately or by honest mistake).

As for how I understand it.
Friday = tomorrow
Next Friday = June 29
Friday after next = July 6

It's a logical progression. If next Friday is the 29th, then the one after next is July 6th (though if you go that next Friday is the 22nd, then after next would be the 29th).

[Diogenes the Cynic]

But next means the one coming. Next in line doesn't mean the person behind the first in line. Next week doesn't mean the week after the week coming. It's only when using it during the days of the week that 'next' all of a sudden means the one after next.
The convention of saying "next __day" contains an ellision. It's not really the day that's "next," but the week. "Next friday" is an ellided way to say "next [week's] friday." "Next" should be thought of as an abbreviation of "next week."

[Orual]

But next means the one coming. Next in line doesn't mean the person behind the first in line. Next week doesn't mean the week after the week coming. It's only when using it during the days of the week that 'next' all of a sudden means the one after next.

So do you never use the phrase "this Friday"? Or is it, to you, that "this __day" and "next __day" are synonymous?

English is weird.

[Mangetout]

But next means the one coming. Next in line doesn't mean the person behind the first in line. Actually, it does mean that (or at least it does here), otherwise there would be no distinction between 'first' and 'next' and no need for two different terms.

'Who's next?" can be used to call the second person in line forward before the first person has left the front of the line - indeed, it can be used as a rude method of dismissing the person first in line.

[Zeldar]

No no no. "This Friday" means two Fridays from now. "Next Friday" means last Friday. "Friday after next" means the twelfth Friday in 2009.

Man, no wonder we're all so confused.

Please allow me to smile. Let's just jettison the notion of precision and let words mean what we mean at the time and leave it to the other guy to figure out for himself (or herself) what it really means. Like, imagine this exchange:

A: How much change do you have?
B: Not much
A: Can I borrow half of it?
B: Well, it's only a dime.
A: Okay. May I have a nickel then?
B: It's only a dime.
A: So, "not much" equals "a dime"?
B: Today it does.

[Mangetout]

And the term 'next' is similarly used in other contexts.

En route to the beach, we might realise we've forgotten the buckets and spades - and decide that next time we go to the beach, we'll have a checklist. But note - we're not actually at the beach, so 'next' refers to a visit beyond the one that is imminently happening.

[Kalhoun]

For me, the next Friday that comes is "Friday" or "This Friday." When I say "next Friday" it means two Fridays from now.

[Biggirl]

And the term 'next' is similarly used in other contexts.

En route to the beach, we might realise we've forgotten the buckets and spades - and decide that next time we go to the beach, we'll have a checklist. But note - we're not actually at the beach, so 'next' refers to a visit beyond the one that is imminently happening.
Yes, but if you are already at the beach when you realize this, do you say, "I'll make a checklist the time after next?" Of course not. If you are at the beach, the next time you go to the beach is immediately after this time right now.

[Ximenean]

If it does mean the first xxxday of next week, we also have to agree on which day the week starts. I understand that in the US, Sunday is considered the first day of the week. Here, I think most people would say Monday.

[Little Plastic Ninja]

This always gives me fits. So I tend to do it like this:

Tomorrow is "this coming Friday" (or it would have been earlier in the week; now it's "tomorrow")

June 29 is "next Friday" or, better, "Friday next week."

I try not to plan further ahead than that. :D

[Thudlow Boink]

Someone left me a message on Tuesday that the meeting for Wednesday was moved to next Friday. To me 'next Friday' means, well, the next Friday-- or the Friday coming. The next Friday in line. You know, two days after the first scheduled meeting.

The message leaver, however meant what I would call 'the following Friday'. Or, 'Friday AFTER next'. Nope, says message leaver, I would have said "The meeting was moved from Wednesday to Friday" if I had meant the coming Friday.This is what I would have assumed: that if it was the Friday of this week, the message leaver would have just said "Friday"—there would be no reason for the "next."

One important point is that this happened in a work-related context, where time goes in discrete weeks. There's this week (and then you're off for the weekend), next week (then another weekend), the week after that, etc. So you would think of things as happening "this week" or "next week" or "last week," and if you want to specify a particular day of the week in question, it would be "this Friday" or "next Friday" or "last Friday."

[Crotalus]

I forgot to describe how I describe these days in casual usage. I know you all were holding your breath. I don't use "next Friday" at all. If it's this week, it's simply Friday. If it's next week, I say "Friday of next week".

[lowbrass]

I wouldn't use the term "next Friday" because it's too confusing, except in the specific case that it happens to be Friday, and you're referring to the Friday exactly one week away (and even that could potentially be confusing).

Assuming it's not Friday, if it's the first Friday coming up, I would say "Friday", and if it's the following week, I'd say, "a week from Friday".

[How did I not see Crotalus' post?] :smack:

[amarinth]

It depends on context and requires clarification. But "next Friday" has no definite meaning on its own other than - one of the two upcoming Fridays.

When it's contrasted to "this Friday," then it's the 29th.

"Friday after next" is either the 29th or the 6th.

If you actually need people to know what date you're talking about (as opposed to just sharing small talk), you need to use the actual date.

[Patty O'Furniture]

And the term 'next' is similarly used in other contexts.

I think it's a mistake to compare a word in dissimilar contexts to figure out what meaning that same word carrier in a single particular phrase. Next Friday might mean two Fridays away but that meaning doesn't necessarily have to carry over into "next in line" meaning the second person in line. And next door neighbor is clearly the person in the adjacent house, not two doors down.

This Friday is the 22nd.
Next Friday is the 29th.
The Friday after next is too vague and I would not let that pass without clarification.

Next question?

[MovieMogul]

For me, the next Friday that comes is "Friday" or "This Friday." When I say "next Friday" it means two Fridays from now.What if you're speaking on a Saturday? Would the Friday of next week be "this Friday" because it is the most immediate Friday moving forward? Or would the fact that it's next week make it "next" regardless?

For me, "next Friday" always means "the Friday next week". Maybe "this Friday" has passed, maybe it hasn't, but that doesn't change the meaning of "next" in the context.

[Suburban Plankton]

We have a difference of opinion here in our household:





I think that this question should have been posted in Great Debates, while Rhiannon8404 thinks it should have been in General Questions.


As to the question itself, "next Friday" is the Friday that is between 7 and 13 days from the day that the statement is made.

[Max the Immortal]

"Friday" and "this Friday" mean the Friday coming later this week.
For the Friday of the coming week, I say "Friday next week".
I only say "next Friday" if it is in fact Friday and I'm referring to the Friday of next week.

[Mangetout]

Yes, but if you are already at the beach when you realize this, do you say, "I'll make a checklist the time after next?" Of course not. If you are at the beach, the next time you go to the beach is immediately after this time right now.
Yes, and if it is Friday, then Next Friday is (probably) the Friday coming first after now, although it would be a bit ambiguous.

What we're talking about here is nothing more than a social convention - this isn't logic, it's language.

[Mangetout]

I think it's a mistake to compare a word in dissimilar contexts to figure out what meaning that same word carrier in a single particular phrase.I wasn't trying to do that - but where a word is known to be used similarly in two different contexts, it can be used as an illustrative analogy of how the subject being discussed isn't complete nonsense.

[Sapo]

Waiting for the OP to tell us if there was a meeting today...

[FordPrefect]

Seeing as next Friday is the start of my vacation, it is not soon enough.

[Arnold Winkelried]

I have this problem with my wife all the time. For her, "next Friday" means in a week's time or more - "next week's Friday" to use Diogenes the Cynic's term. For her, "this Friday" is the Friday that will appear first in the future - what I would call "next Friday".

For that reason, I have given up on the expression "next Friday". And when someone says to me "next Friday", I always do some swift mental arithmetic and (supposing it's Monday) I will ask "Do you mean Friday 4 days from today or Friday 11 days from today?"

[DMark]

Well, Friday is over, but the meeting is coming up - at least the way I see it.
NEXT Friday is always after THIS Friday. Otherwise, you say, THIS Friday.

Slightly off topic, but English can be very unspecific.
If a magazine comes out bi-monthly, did you know that can mean either six times a year OR 24 times a year?
Both are technically "bi-monthly" - it can mean every other month or twice a month!
Try to explain that to an ESL student.

[China Guy]

I'm with DMark, there is this Friday and next Friday. Next Friday is always after this Friday.

Don't any of you use a mail calendar like Exchange to schedule meetings. You send it out, people accept, and if the time changes, it get's updated so users don't have to worry about if next Friday means next Friday. And you don't have to call people to leave voice mail to schedule meeting changes. Dunno - Big Girl, are you working for the government or something?

[robardin]

It's a very simple progression.

First, there's (this) Friday (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113118/).
Second, there's Next Friday (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0195945/).
After that, it's Friday After Next (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0293815/).

All referring to distinct and different things and in that chronological order.

Case closed.