næsta

Næsta is an Icelandic adjective meaning next or following. It is used to refer to the item that comes immediately after the current one in a sequence or to a forthcoming time period. In everyday language it appears in phrases such as næsta vika (the next week), næsta ár (the next year), and næsta dag (the next day).

As with other Icelandic adjectives, næsta varies in form to agree with the gender and number of the noun it modifies. This means that the exact ending changes depending on whether the noun is masculine, feminine, or neuter, and whether it is singular or plural. In practice, næsta is commonly encountered before feminine singular nouns, while other forms are used with different gender and number.

Næsta is primarily used before nouns; it does not function as a standalone adverb. It also appears in broader sequencing contexts, such as næsta í röð (the next in line) or næsta skref (the next step). The root of næsta is related to the idea of proximity in time or order, distinguishing the upcoming item from the current or previous ones.

In contemporary Icelandic, næsta is a standard, neutral term found in both spoken and written language. It forms part of a family of related words derived from the same root that express ordering and immediacy in time or sequence. See also næst, the related form used in adjacent contexts or different grammatical constructions.