‘This Tuesday’ vs ‘Next Wednesday’—Why the Confusion?

January 23, 2025

“This Tuesday” vs. “Next Wednesday”: Why the Confusion?

Ever had someone say “next Monday,” and you weren’t sure if they meant the Monday just a few days away—or the one that’s really next week? Welcome to the ambiguity of ‘this vs. next’ in day references, a surprisingly common source of confusion in English. Some people interpret “next [day]” to mean the very next occurrence. Others swear it refers to the day in the following week, skipping the one that’s coming soon. Let’s explore why this happens and how people deal with it.

Ambiguity in English: A 50/50 Split

Informal polls and forum debates reveal that English speakers are often split roughly half-and-half on how they interpret phrases like “next Wednesday.” One group sees it as the immediate upcoming Wednesday, and the other group sees it as the Wednesday in the subsequent week. That’s a seven-day difference in meaning! With no hard-and-fast grammar rule or universal agreement, confusion is almost guaranteed.

A Quick Example

If today is Monday and someone says “next Friday,” do they mean:
1. This Friday (4 days away), or
2. The Friday after that (11 days away)?

A lot of people interpret it differently, which is why clarifying can save everyone from a scheduling mishap.

“This [Day]” Usually Means the Nearest Upcoming

The least ambiguous phrase tends to be “this [day].” People typically use it to mean:

The closest upcoming day in the current week (e.g., if it’s Wednesday, “this Friday” is 2 days away).
If the day has already passed in the current week, they might say “this past Wednesday” for clarity.

Why so little confusion? Because “this [day]” points to the immediate version of that day—no skipping a week.

“Next [Day]”: The Real Problem

“Next [day]” is where confusion really starts:

Some Speakers: “Next Wednesday” = The very next Wednesday on the calendar, just a few days away.
Others: “Next Wednesday” = The following week’s Wednesday, skipping the closest one.

That’s why if you say “next Monday” on a Friday, some people will hear “in 3 days,” while others might think “in 10 days.”

Context Matters

If it’s late in the week (Thursday or Friday), many folks assume “next [day]” refers to the next week entirely. But some might still interpret it as the immediate day coming up. Hence the confusion: two equally plausible readings, separated by a full week.

Week Boundaries & Personal Calendars

Some people mentally treat the week as if it “resets” on Sunday or Monday. So:

“This Sunday” might mean the one just a couple days away.
“Next Sunday” might be the Sunday after that, a full week later.

But not everyone adheres to this line of thinking. This mismatch in how we chunk the week leads to more head-scratching.

Tips to Avoid Confusion

Since there’s no universal, ironclad rule, clarification is king. Common ways to sidestep the ambiguity include:

Add Dates: “Let’s meet next Tuesday, the 12th,” so nobody wonders if you mean the 5th or the 12th.
Specify ‘This Coming’ or ‘The Following’: “Let’s do this coming Friday” (a few days away) vs. “Friday next week” (over a week away).
Use ‘Tomorrow,’ ‘Day After Tomorrow,’ or explicit phrases when you’re close to the date.

It might feel redundant, but it saves everyone from those awkward “Wait, did you mean this Monday or next Monday?” follow-ups.

Real-World Evidence

Reddit Polls: Show near 50/50 splits. People will argue passionately for their interpretation.
Forums & Grammar Sites: Long threads where half the users say “next day” means the immediate next one, and the other half say you skip a week.
Regional Variation: Some claim British English is more likely to skip a week for “next [day],” while Americans might use it for the nearest day. But even within the same region, habits differ.

Closing Thought: Just Spell It Out

Until we reach a universal agreement (don’t hold your breath), “next Wednesday” will keep tripping people up. The simplest fix? Be precise. Say “this Wednesday” if it’s only a couple of days away, or “Wednesday of next week” if you want to skip the immediate one. When you attach a date, you remove all doubt.

After all, it’s amazing we got to the moon while still arguing about what ‘next Monday’ means.

So the next time you plan something for “next Friday,” give your friends a break—make sure they know exactly which Friday you mean!