Kolejni

Kolejni is a Polish adjective and determiner meaning the following or the next, used to refer to items or people that come after those already mentioned. It functions to avoid repetition in lists or narratives and is commonly found in formal writing, journalism, and reports. The form agrees with the noun it modifies: masculine personal plural uses kolejni, while feminine and neuter plural use kolejne. In genitive plural, which is used in phrases like “of the following,” the form is kolejnych.

Kolejni typically precedes the noun it modifies, for example: kolejni świadkowie (the following witnesses), kolejni uczestnicy (the next participants). For feminine or neuter nouns, or non-masculine contexts, the form kolejne is used, as in kolejny krok (the next step) when referring to a neuter noun in plural, kolejnych kroków in the genitive, and kolejnych stron (the following pages) when the noun is feminine or neuter. The distinction in form aligns with standard Polish adjective agreement rules across gender and number.

Etymologically, kolejni derives from the base adjective kolejny, which relates to order or sequence and forms related words such as kolejność (order) and kolej (row, line). It shares usage with other directional or sequential determiners that guide readers through lists or enumerations.

Notes and usage: kolejni is not typically used as a stand-alone noun; it operates as an adjective determiner in noun phrases. While most often found in written Polish, it also appears in formal speech and legal or bureaucratic contexts to introduce or reference subsequent items, participants, or sections. Related terms include kolejny (singular), kolejność (order), and in contexts of sequence and progression.