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"eventually, in the end" in seven languages

Meaningeventually, in the end

Spanish

al final

/al fiˈnal/

learned

Finalmente also works.

French

finalement

/finalmɑ̃/

learned

Italian

alla fine

/ˈalla ˈfine/

other source · fine ← Latin FĪNEM 'end'

Portuguese

no final

/nu fiˈnaw/

learned

Romanian

până la urmă

/ˈpənə la ˈurmə/

other source · urmă 'trace, what follows', of uncertain origin

Catalan

al final

/əl fiˈnal/

learned

English

eventually

/ɪˈvɛntʃuəli/

other source · eventual (French éventuel, from Latin ĒVENTUS 'outcome') + -ly

English → Italianeventually, in the endalla fineNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: final, finally, finish.What English and Italian share

Watch out: false friends

  • éventuellement (French) means “possibly, if need be” · eventually (English) means “in the end”

    From Latin ĒVENTUS 'outcome'. Romance kept 'depending on what happens' (es eventualmente, it eventualmente too); English moved to 'as the final outcome'.

All false friends

The Latin ancestor

FĪNĀLEM (Late Latin)‘of the end (FĪNIS 'end')’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

Classic false friend: Spanish eventualmente, French éventuellement and Italian eventualmente mean 'possibly, if need be', never 'in the end'.

English relatives: final, finally, finish

Sound laws at work

Adverbs in -mente / -ment

Learn it

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In a sentence

  • esAl final encontró trabajo.
  • frElle a finalement trouvé du travail.
  • itAlla fine ha trovato lavoro.
  • ptNo final, ela arrumou um emprego.
  • roPână la urmă și-a găsit de lucru.
  • caAl final va trobar feina.
  • enEventually she found a job.

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