How do you refer to future weekends?

[littlealex]

This sounds really silly but could you guys solve an argument for me that has been going for about 10 years!?

If we were say it is currently Wednesday night. and you were to refer to the weekend that happens in 9 days time (ie: not the weekend that will happen in approximately 2 days, but the weekend that will happen 7 days after the 2 days have elapsed) , would you say in casual conversation, either:

1. " the weekend after next..." or perhaps "not this weekend but the next one"

OR

2. " next weekend..."

Please reply with 1) or 2) and if you can be bothered explain why?

TIA x

This weekend is the one in 3 days time. Next weekend is the next one after this one so the one in 10 days time.

The weekend after next. Next weekend means the next coming coming up.

I've really had to think about this one as I can see both sides - I've based it on how I actually speak.

I tend to use "this weekend coming" for the one in 2 days time as "next weekend" is too ambiguous. But I'd say "not this weekend but next weekend" ... so I think "next weekend" is the one in 9 days time.

2

On Monday, next weekend is in 5 days time
On Tuesdays next weekend is in 4 days time
On Thursday, next weekend is in 9 days time
On Friday, next weekend is in 8 days time

On Wednesday, you have to specify whether you mean this weekend or the next weekend

HTH

Tone plays an important part. You say next weekend just to make it really clear that you don't mean this weekend. In an online chat I might say the weekend of 5th December.

1. The weekend after next

1 but my parents have this argument constantly

@happinessischocolate ooo now youre making me doubt my abswer.

I do actually say 2. Next weekend but only if i say 'not this weekend' first

1. The weekend after next

2, next weekend.

2 - next weekend. The weekend that is going to happen in two days' time is "this weekend". The one that went before it is "last weekend".

1

It really depends on the day of the week for me, as it morphs as the week goes on. Today for example, it’s ‘this weekend’ and the weekend after is ‘next weekend’ but on Monday I probably would have referred to the weekend coming as ‘next weekend’ still.
Similarly the weekend gone is now ‘last weekend’ but on Monday it probably would have been ‘at the weekend’
I don’t think you’re going to get a solid answer on this one I’m afraid.

1. To use the bus analogy of a previous poster...

The weekend about to happen is the bus you can see coming. "I'm getting on this bus". If I say "I'm getting the next bus" I mean the one after the one that is currently coming. So next weekend to me means the one after the one that is coming.

Wow. Sorry for the absolute italics fail.

I strongly believe 1 is right- but i wouldn't think you were off your rocker if you said 'not this weekend, the next'. But if you said 'next weekend' I'd think it was the one coming next never occurred to me there are other ways to perceive it.

@unicornparty

I'd say next weekend. The weekend coming up I'd call this weekend.

Me too.

@HollyGoLoudly1

2. To use the bus analogy of a previous poster...

The weekend about to happen is the bus you can see coming. "I'm getting on this bus". If I say "I'm getting the next bus" I mean the one after the one that is currently coming. So next weekend to me means the one after the one that is coming.

I would only use ‘this bus’ if I could see the bus. I’d still be catching the next bus if I couldn’t see it.

Drives me mad because my dh and his family use next in some other way than it's plain meaning.

this weekend = 2 days' time
next weekend = 9 days' time
the weekend after next = 16 days' time

Next weekend, the one in 2 days is this weekend

If today is midweek and someone suggests "next weekend " I'd assume the next weekend coming.
This has always bothered me as it is so vague, and has caught me out.

1. Next weekend

The one in two days is 'this weekend'

@ImAllOut

Oh my god I'm glad I'm not the only one who has this argument. In this case I would probably say 2) next weekend, because I would say 'this weekend' for the weekend coming up in the near future ie. within several days.

My husband and I have a similar argument over this week and next week. So he basically counts every Monday as the beginning of the week even if it's a day or two before. For example on a Friday or Saturday he will say 'next week' for the Monday or Tuesday two or three days ahead, whereas I would say 'this week'. It's the source of much frustration and confusion!

I agree with your husband - of course if you are talking on Friday, Monday/Tuesday is next week - regardless of whether you believe the week starts on Sunday or Monday it's still next week!