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Which one to use?Intermediateadverbadverb
EventuallyvsFinally
'Eventually' means something will happen after an unspecified time; 'finally' marks the end of a wait.
Side-by-side comparison
Eventually
adverb"Eventually" means "at some point" or "sooner or later": something will happen at some unspecified time in the future.
If you practice every day, you will eventually become fluent.
He was stubborn, but he eventually accepted the truth.
I will eventually learn to drive. I just need time.
Finally
adverb"Finally" means "at last" or "in the end": the wait is over and something happened. It can express relief or simply indicate the last item in a sequence.
After hours of waiting, the doctor finally called my name.
She finally finished her thesis after three years.
First mix the ingredients, then bake for 30 minutes, and finally let it cool.
Common mistake
- •"Eventually, the package arrived!" when meaning "at last" or expressing relief is wrong: use "finally".
- •"Eventually" carries no relief or impatience; it just says "at some point it arrived".
- •"Finally" says "at last, after so much waiting".
Trick to remember it
- •"Eventually" = no rush, no emotion, just "at some point".
- •"Finally" = with relief or impatience, or as the last step.
- •If you feel "por fin" or "al fin" in Spanish, the correct translation is "finally", not "eventually".
Quick rule
- •"Eventually" = in time (neutral).
- •"Finally" = at last (after waiting or as the last step).
Did you know?
"Eventually" is one of the most frequent false friends between English and Spanish. "Eventualmente" in formal Spanish means "possibly" or "if it happens", a conditional meaning. But in English "eventually" always means "at some point in time", no conditional sense at all. This misunderstanding is so common it appears in nearly every Spanish-English false friend guide.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
After searching for an hour, she _____ found her keys. They were under the sofa.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
We have checked everything. _____, let's sign the contract and get started.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
ActuallyvsCurrently
'Currently' means 'at the present time'; 'actually' means 'in reality', not 'nowadays'.
PretendvsIntend
'Pretend' means to act as if something is true when it is not; 'intend' means to plan or mean to do something.
AbovevsOver
"Above" is at a higher level without contact; "over" implies covering, movement, or crossing.
ActuallyvsReally
"Actually" corrects or contrasts an assumption; "really" intensifies or confirms.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy