Finalmente and alla fine are often confused by learners of Italian because they translate as “eventually”. But they are not the same. Let’s see how they are used with some example sentences.
Finalmente in Italian: How to use it
Finalmente is an adverb used to express relief and satisfaction at something you’ve been waiting for, similar to the English expression “at last”.
Finalmente
At last, finally
For example, you can say…
Eccoti finalmente!
There you are at last!
Finalmente ci incontriamo! Ho aspettato a lungo questo momento.
We finally meet! I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long.
Finalmente è primavera!
It’s spring at last!
Alla fine in Italian: How to use it
Alla fine doesn’t convey relief. It’s an emotionally neuter adverb that simply says that whatever action is happening was accomplished last. It translates as the English adverbs “eventually” and “finally”.
Alla fine
Eventually, finally
For example, you can say…
Alla fine troveremo una soluzione a questo problema.
We’ll eventually find a solution to this problem.
Alla fine Tom trovò un lavoro che gli piaceva.
Tom eventually found a job that he liked.
Se mangi molto, alla fine ingrasserai.
If you eat a lot, you’ll eventually get fat.
Alla fine can also be followed by the preposition di in the expression alla fine di, which means “at the end of”. This is often used to describe the farthest point of something, such as the end of a corridor or a movie.
For example, you can say…
Devi mettere un punto interrogativo alla fine di una domanda.
You need to put a question mark at the end of a question.
Vengo pagato alla fine del mese.
I get paid at the end of the month.
La porta si trova alla fine del corridoio.
The door is at the end of the corridor.
Alla fin fine is NOT a synonym for alla fine. Alla fin fine means “after all” or “at the end of the day”!
Infine in Italian: How to use it
Infine is used to say that the action that is happening is accomplished last, as a final step. That’s why you’ll often find it at the end of a series of actions.
It can also be translated as “at the end”, similar to alla fine, but you can only use it to describe actions, not the actual end of an object, and it’s never followed by the preposition di. You can’t say infine del corridoio!
Infine
In the end, finally
For example, you can say…
Infine, il ladro scappò.
In the end, the thief got away.
Sara entrò nella stanza e si sedette sul letto. Infine, si tolse le scarpe.
Sara entered the room and sat down on the bed. Finally, she took off her shoes.
Premi il pulsante rosso e poi quello blu. Infine, tocca lo schermo.
Press the red button and then the blue button. Finally, tap the screen.
Finalmente and alla fine: Let’s recap the difference
The main difference between finalmente and alla fine in Italian is the following:
| Finalmente | Conveys relief |
| Alla fine | Doesn’t convey relief |
I hope that finalmente and alla fine will have no secrets for you from now on! 😊
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