Najprej

Najprej is a Slovenian adverb meaning “first” or “in the first place,” used to indicate the initial step in a sequence or to foreground a priority in an argument. It is common in both everyday speech and formal writing, including instructional contexts, where it helps organize procedures and explanations.

Etymologically, najprej is formed from the particle naj and the adverb prej (earlier, previously), functioning together as a unit that denotes priority or the beginning of a sequence. It differs from the ordinal adjective prvi (first) and from the temporal preposition pred (before) in that it marks the ordering of actions rather than simply a point in time or a rank.

Najprej typically appears at the beginning of a clause and can modify the whole sentence. It is often paired with potem or nato to describe a sequence: for example, “Najprej naredi A, potem B.” It can also introduce instructions or arguments: “Najprej razmisli, nato dejaj,” or “Najprej moraš zbrati podatke; šele potem bomo analizirali rezultate.” In everyday speech, it frequently signals prioritization in tasks, plans, or explanations, helping the listener understand the intended order of steps.