Aufeinanderfolgend

Aufeinanderfolgend is a German adjective and adverb meaning consecutive or in sequence, used to describe items, events, or values that follow one another in a direct order. It emphasizes a continuous progression without gaps, rather than mere simultaneity.

Etymology and usage: The term combines aufeinander, meaning one after another, with folgend, the participle of folgen (to follow). It is common in formal and technical contexts, including mathematics, logic, project planning, and descriptions of procedures or series. For example, aufeinanderfolgende Zahlen refers to consecutive integers, and aufeinanderfolgende Schritte describes steps that must be executed in order.

Grammar: As an adjective it declines like other German adjectives: ein aufeinanderfolgender Tag, zwei aufeinanderfolgende Tage, das aufeinanderfolgende Muster. In the adverbial or predicative sense it can be used with or without a noun, often rephrased as in aufeinanderfolgendem Reihenfolge (in sequential order) in more rigid formulations.

Examples:

- Die aufeinanderfolgenden Jahre brachten klare wirtschaftliche Fortschritte. (The consecutive years showed clear economic progress.)

- Die aufeinanderfolgenden Primzahlen 2, 3, 5, 7 sind in der Mathematik ein häufiges Beispiel. (The consecutive primes 2, 3, 5, 7 are a common example in mathematics.)

Differentiation: Nacheinander roughly means in succession or one after another and can be synonymous in many contexts, but aufeinanderfolgend emphasizes a direct sequence or continuity. Related terms include Reihe, Folge, Sequenz, and Struktur wie Reihenfolgen in der Datenverarbeitung.

See also: Folge, Sequenz, Reihe.