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What day is next Tuesday?

Imagine that it's Monday, the 1st. The weekend would be the 6th & 7th. How do you refer properly to the coming weekend, "This weekend" or "Next weekend"?

I believe that using "next weekend" would refer to the 13th & 14th and "this weekend" would refer to this week's end. Technically the coming weekend (6th & 7th) would be the next weekend on the calendar.

So which is correct? I'm hoping for a definitive answer with backing since this is an argument over opinion.

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    Just as an aside, in the US South, there is an expression "-week" which rather neatly solves the problem. To say "I'll see you Tuesday week" means, "Tuesday a week from today" whereas "next Tuesday" is the one coming up.
    – The Raven
    Jun 8, 2011 at 20:55
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    Great! The question was asked before and already has an answer. Would you mind to complement a bit more your hint with a link? Thanks a lot :)
    – Richard Gomes
    Nov 24, 2014 at 18:56
  • "This" weekend refers to next weekend. phrasemix.com/collections/…
    – Richard Gomes
    Nov 24, 2014 at 19:02
  • I'm being a bit knit-picky here, but the weekend would be on the 6th and the 7th.
    – kYuZz
    May 15, 2017 at 20:22
  • I think the weekend case is sufficiently different to the single day case that is linked as a duplicate that it merits a separate question. I don't know how to vote to un-duplicate the question.
    – rjmunro
    Jul 4, 2017 at 8:15

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The issue isn't as definitive as you might think. Ultimately, it comes down to what interpretation of "next" you consider to be correct. For example, the American Heritage Dictionary (4th ed) defines 'next' simply as

Immediately following, as in time, order, or sequence

Following this definition, "next weekend" will always mean the weekend with the start date in closes proximity in time. If the phrase is used during a weekend, of course, you'd be referring to the weekend following the one you are currently experiencing.

However, the issue gets more complicated if you look to other definitions. The Oxford American Dictionary has a specific definition for 'next' when used in the context of time:

(of a day of the week) nearest (or the nearest but one) after the present : not this Wednesday, next Wednesday

Here, we're given the choice: it can either mean the weekend with the closest start date, or the following one (as specified by the parenthetical addition or the nearest but one).

This definition has come about mostly because of usage development. Many words and phrases in the english dictionary have meanings contrary to their technical definitions, and yet are still used commonly and considered valid. Thus, while technically "next" implies immediate sequence, it is used in other ways (which dictionaries like the OAD have accommodated for validity), so it's really a matter of personal preference. For example, it is unlikely that I will even use the phrase "next weekend" during the week, because some people might be confused as to what I am referring to. Instead, I will say "this weekend," unless it is currently the weekend, in which case I will say "next weekend."

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  • What about "the following weekend"?
    – Dan Dascalescu
    Oct 29, 2014 at 6:41
  • The American Heritage Dictionary (online ed) has this (definition with examples): "Immediately following, as in time, order, or sequence: next week; the next item on the list." So, taking into account "next week" not being the current week, "next weekend" would follow to be the weekend of "next week," right?
    – user3071284
    Apr 22, 2016 at 14:40

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