nīehste wucu
The Old English phrase for "next week" is nīehste wucu.
This phrase is used as an adverb to indicate the week following the current one.
Meaning: week after this one (adv)
Did you know?
- In early Old English, the concept of a 'week' was less common in official documents than the 'month' or 'moon', as they followed a lunar calendar.
- The word nīehste is the ancestor of the modern English word 'next' but it literally means 'nearest'.
- The phrase follows a gendered pattern, as wucu is a feminine noun, requiring any accompanying adjectives to match its gender.
Example conversation
Wulfrun and Æthelstan are planning a visit.
- WulfrunHwanne cymst þū hēr?When are you coming here?
- ÆthelstanIċ cume nīehste wucu.I am coming next week.
- WulfrunĠif þū cymst, wē drincað.If you come, we will drink.
- ÆthelstanGēa, we drincað nīehste wucu.Yes, we will drink next week.
