5 ms·

When Is "Next Friday"?

14 points by wjdp 4mo ago

linrl3 4mo ago
[dead]
Mechse 4mo ago
Today I learned when next friday is :D
ares623 4mo ago
English is a great language for defining specs
deleted 4mo ago
[deleted]
aswegs8 4mo ago
Don't agree with Friday of the following week will be "This Friday" on this week's Saturday.
- sverhagen 4mo ago
  That is certainly the point where it started to feel arbitrary for me.
- xtiansimon 4mo ago
  I’m of a mind to agree, if only because I like the idea last “Friday” was the one just past, and “the next Friday” is in 6 days!
walthamstow 4mo ago
I just cannot read the default hand-scrawl font on Excalidraw diagrams. I'm not dyslexic, but my brain looks at it and doesn't see words.
tromp 4mo ago
> The Simple Rule > If the Friday you’re referring to is beyond seven days from today, including today, it’s next Friday. That's not a such simple rule. I'm not even sure what "including today" means. A simple rule would be: next Friday is the first Friday after today. The whole existence of this website suggests that the term "Next Friday" is at best ambiguous. Especially on a Saturday or Sunday, many people will interpret "Next Friday" as the Friday of next week. So just be explicit and say "Friday next week".
- episteme 4mo ago
  Your rule is describing this Friday, not next Friday.
  - tromp 4mo ago
    Except on Friday's, when "this Friday" means today. On other days, many people indeed use "this" and "next" synonymously.
    - hawkice 4mo ago
      Perhaps this is regional? I would identify this Friday as the 15th, and next Friday as the 22nd. Next Friday always means the Friday after the next one, which I notice is insane as a matter of logic, but is the local usage I am familiar with.
      - tromp 4mo ago
        > Next Friday always means the Friday after the next one You're using "the next one" i.e. the next Friday, to refer to the first one after today.
        hawkice 4mo ago
        Yes, next Friday is not the next Friday, those two phrases are very different despite that being weird. Not endorsing this, just reporting from usage.
RugnirViking 4mo ago
On the one hand, I agree with the author - my definition is the same as theirs. On the other hand, I have moved to a country where everyone else uses a different system (it differs on whether "next friday" is in 6 days if we're talking during saturday). Are they wrong? Is all of this arbitrary? I think that learning to navigate these differences part of being a better communicator and a better person.
- mrala 4mo ago
  > Is all of this arbitrary? You’re describing language.
TimK65 4mo ago
This doesn't fully accord with my intuition, but I absolutely believe that the best course of action is listed: USE A CALENDAR DATE!
- Intermernet 4mo ago
  In ISO-8601
happytoexplain 4mo ago
This is a fine rule, but don't rely on it if you're trying to learn English. Typically, you simply wouldn't use the term "next <dayofweek>" in the first place unless context already makes it clear. E.g. you would only say "next Friday" if: - Today (or perhaps tomorrow) is Friday, and so is clearly not the one you mean - You were just talking about the upcoming Friday ("Not this Friday, but next Friday") Also note that people often say "The Friday after next", referring to the Friday after the upcoming Friday, which breaks the "next" rule.
Intermernet 4mo ago
Isn't next Friday the Friday after this Friday? Which is the Friday after last Friday, even if it's Friday. Simple as.
TrianguloY 4mo ago
If we follow the same logic. If today is may 2026, and you want to do something "next September", are you referring to september 2027? After all, months are also grouped in years. The fact that "next [X]day" skips the one on the current week is arbitrary, and probably more confusing than if it didn't. If people you are talking to understands that, go on, but otherwise keep in mind that "next [X]day" is confusing and you should clarify or say it differently
apothegm 4mo ago
In American English idiom, “next Friday” is the Friday after the coming weekend, regardless if there’s a Friday (“this Friday”) in between. With some ambiguity if it’s currently the weekend.
asplake 4mo ago
“Friday next week”. Sorted.
- TrianguloY 4mo ago
  "Next week's Friday" -> "Next's Friday" -> "Next Friday Still confusing, but at least I understand where it comes from.
davidivadavid 4mo ago
A similar confusion exists in French, but we have an extra locution, "en huit", to clarify when necessary. It's far from widely followed, however. Too bad, I would love it if "next" could just mean "next." https://www.antidote.info/fr/blogue/enquetes/quand-est-ce-le-prochain https://www.antidote.info/fr/blogue/enquetes/quand-est-ce-le...
felipedelagonzo 4mo ago
[dead]
readthenotes1 4mo ago
"next Friday" is short for "Friday of next week". I don't like it, it offends me, but it's what most English speakers mean by "next Friday"
Leftium 4mo ago
There is a little demo on https://compromise.cool https://compromise.cool that parses phrases like this and highlights the relevant days.

14 points by wjdp 4mo ago

linrl3 4mo ago

[dead]

Mechse 4mo ago

Today I learned when next friday is :D

ares623 4mo ago

English is a great language for defining specs

deleted 4mo ago

[deleted]

aswegs8 4mo ago

Don't agree with Friday of the following week will be "This Friday" on this week's Saturday.

sverhagen 4mo ago
That is certainly the point where it started to feel arbitrary for me.
xtiansimon 4mo ago
I’m of a mind to agree, if only because I like the idea last “Friday” was the one just past, and “the next Friday” is in 6 days!

walthamstow 4mo ago

I just cannot read the default hand-scrawl font on Excalidraw diagrams. I'm not dyslexic, but my brain looks at it and doesn't see words.

tromp 4mo ago

> The Simple Rule > If the Friday you’re referring to is beyond seven days from today, including today, it’s next Friday. That's not a such simple rule. I'm not even sure what "including today" means. A simple rule would be: next Friday is the first Friday after today. The whole existence of this website suggests that the term "Next Friday" is at best ambiguous. Especially on a Saturday or Sunday, many people will interpret "Next Friday" as the Friday of next week. So just be explicit and say "Friday next week".

episteme 4mo ago
Your rule is describing this Friday, not next Friday.
- tromp 4mo ago
  Except on Friday's, when "this Friday" means today. On other days, many people indeed use "this" and "next" synonymously.
  - hawkice 4mo ago
    Perhaps this is regional? I would identify this Friday as the 15th, and next Friday as the 22nd. Next Friday always means the Friday after the next one, which I notice is insane as a matter of logic, but is the local usage I am familiar with.
    - tromp 4mo ago
      > Next Friday always means the Friday after the next one You're using "the next one" i.e. the next Friday, to refer to the first one after today.
      - hawkice 4mo ago
        Yes, next Friday is not the next Friday, those two phrases are very different despite that being weird. Not endorsing this, just reporting from usage.

RugnirViking 4mo ago

On the one hand, I agree with the author - my definition is the same as theirs. On the other hand, I have moved to a country where everyone else uses a different system (it differs on whether "next friday" is in 6 days if we're talking during saturday). Are they wrong? Is all of this arbitrary? I think that learning to navigate these differences part of being a better communicator and a better person.

mrala 4mo ago
> Is all of this arbitrary? You’re describing language.

TimK65 4mo ago

This doesn't fully accord with my intuition, but I absolutely believe that the best course of action is listed: USE A CALENDAR DATE!

Intermernet 4mo ago
In ISO-8601

happytoexplain 4mo ago

This is a fine rule, but don't rely on it if you're trying to learn English. Typically, you simply wouldn't use the term "next <dayofweek>" in the first place unless context already makes it clear. E.g. you would only say "next Friday" if: - Today (or perhaps tomorrow) is Friday, and so is clearly not the one you mean - You were just talking about the upcoming Friday ("Not this Friday, but next Friday") Also note that people often say "The Friday after next", referring to the Friday after the upcoming Friday, which breaks the "next" rule.

Intermernet 4mo ago

Isn't next Friday the Friday after this Friday? Which is the Friday after last Friday, even if it's Friday. Simple as.

TrianguloY 4mo ago

If we follow the same logic. If today is may 2026, and you want to do something "next September", are you referring to september 2027? After all, months are also grouped in years. The fact that "next [X]day" skips the one on the current week is arbitrary, and probably more confusing than if it didn't. If people you are talking to understands that, go on, but otherwise keep in mind that "next [X]day" is confusing and you should clarify or say it differently

apothegm 4mo ago

In American English idiom, “next Friday” is the Friday after the coming weekend, regardless if there’s a Friday (“this Friday”) in between. With some ambiguity if it’s currently the weekend.

asplake 4mo ago

“Friday next week”. Sorted.

TrianguloY 4mo ago
"Next week's Friday" -> "Next's Friday" -> "Next Friday Still confusing, but at least I understand where it comes from.

davidivadavid 4mo ago

A similar confusion exists in French, but we have an extra locution, "en huit", to clarify when necessary. It's far from widely followed, however. Too bad, I would love it if "next" could just mean "next." https://www.antidote.info/fr/blogue/enquetes/quand-est-ce-le-prochain https://www.antidote.info/fr/blogue/enquetes/quand-est-ce-le...

felipedelagonzo 4mo ago

[dead]

readthenotes1 4mo ago

"next Friday" is short for "Friday of next week". I don't like it, it offends me, but it's what most English speakers mean by "next Friday"

Leftium 4mo ago

There is a little demo on https://compromise.cool https://compromise.cool that parses phrases like this and highlights the relevant days.