nounnounadjective

le prochain

Qui vient juste après dans le temps ou dans une suite.

Definition & meaning

The word prochain primarily functions as an adjective and a noun in French.

As an adjective, it most commonly means "next" in terms of time or sequence. It refers to something that will happen or appear immediately after the current one. For example, "la semaine prochaine" means "next week." It can also mean "near" or "close" in a spatial sense, though this usage is less common in modern everyday French compared to its temporal meaning.

As a noun, le prochain is used in a philosophical, moral, or religious context to refer to one's "fellow man," "neighbor," or "other people" in general. It carries a sense of human solidarity or the people one encounters in life.

Grammar & Word origin

The word prochain is the masculine singular form of the adjective. Its feminine singular counterpart is prochaine.

In terms of placement, when used to indicate a date or a specific point in time (like "next Tuesday"), it is usually placed after the noun. However, in certain fixed expressions or when emphasizing the immediate sequence, it may appear before the noun.

The word originates from the Old French prochain, which is derived from the Vulgar Latin propiānus, stemming from the Latin word prope, meaning "near." This reflects its core meaning of being close in either space or time.