when do you use la semana que viene and when do you use semana próxima

Question

Accepted Answer

Hi John
I would also say as a native that "la semana que viene" is the option that most people use as a generic "next week". Then, as a synonym to that, you can also say "la próxima semana", although this sounds just slightly more formal; this is just a question of style, habit...
When we use "la semana próxima", we're generally talking about "the week after (another date we mentioned)"; for example:

Este viernes tengo fútbol y la semana próxima tengo tenis. 
This Friday I have football (practice) and the week after I have tennis.

In this case, you can also use, as David said, "y la semana después/siguiente tengo tenis."
Nevertheless, it is also possible that people use "la semana próxima" to refer to a general "next week". That'd be something that would be hardly noticed by the listener. So we can see that there is a lot of flexibility here. 
Saludos

Answer

Hola Julie,In the normal course of events 'La semana que viene,' "La semana próxima" and "La próxima semana' are purely a matter of choice, though some say that "la próxima semana" is more correct. I have got into using "la semana que viene" because it was the preference of a native Spanish teacher that I had, but you can use any of them. Regarding "La próxima semana" or "La semana próxima" I have heard that there is a subtle difference - which I would like the Inma to confirm.  If the question is for example "are you going home for Christmas" and you want to say "no, the week after" then you use "la semana próxima."  As mentioned I would like to hear other opinions about this. Saludos. John

Answer

Hola John ... Hola Julie ...I know that in English there is a fair amount of flexibility, often involving personal preferences - [e.g. there are people who insist > that on Tuesday you should not say "I'll see you next Friday" if you mean in three days' time: rather you should express it as "I'll see you this Friday" (because to them, 'next Friday' means in ten days' time) ... but not everybody follows that rule !]Thus, I can imagine that in Spanish, too, it must sometimes be difficult to prescribe rigid guidelines like the one which John is asking about it ... So, to avoid misunderstanding, it would probably be advisable to make it quite clear - [perhaps the "following week" would be the "semana siguiente", would it? or "la semana después"] - or even better, adding the specific dates involved.

Answer

Hi David, Those are great suggestions. I can see where you are going on this. It is so true that it can be hard to capture all the subtleties of expression. Gracias. J