next and the next

next week, month, etc; the next week, month, etc

next week, month, etc (without the) is the week, month, etc just after this one. If I am speaking in July, next month is August; in 2006, next year is 2007.

The next week, month, etc is seven/thirty starting days at the moment of speaking. On July 15^th 2006, the next month is the period from July 15^th to August 15^th; the next year is period from July 2006 to July 2007.