nächste

Nächste is a German word meaning "next" or "closest." It functions as an adjective or adverb and is used to indicate the item, person, or time that follows immediately in a sequence or in the near future. Common contexts include time expressions such as n ä chste Woche (next week), n ä chster Tag (next day), and das nächste Mal (the next time).

As an attributive determiner, nä chste inflects to agree with gender and number: der nächste Tag, die nächste Woche, das nächste Mal, die nächsten Tage. The form shown in writing depends on the noun it modifies and its grammatical case. In many everyday phrases, nä chste forms are familiar and highly productive, especially in scheduling, planning, and countdowns.

Nächste can also be used as a noun in some contexts, especially in spoken language or service settings. When capitalized as Nächste, it refers to “the next one” and is often heard in phrases like Die Nächste, bitte (Next, please) in queues or at service desks. This nominal use is more restricted and appears mainly in specific social or procedural contexts.

In German user interfaces and signage, nä chste serves as the direct translation of “Next.” It appears on buttons and labels such as Nächste Folie (Next slide) or Nächste Seite (Next page). In these cases, the word retains its meaning of proceeding to the following item.

Etymology and related forms: nä chste derives from the adjective nah (near) with the standard German comparative and superlative system. Related forms include nächster (masculine nominative), nächste (feminine nominative), und nächstes (neuter nominative), with plural die nächsten Tage. Cognate terms appear in other Germanic languages, such as Dutch volgende and Swedish nästa.

See also: nah, nahe, nächst- as a prefix, and the forms der nächste, die nächste, das nächste.