Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| con el tiempo | /kon el ˈtjempo/ |
| al final | /al fiˈnal/ |
| finalmente | /fiˌnalˈmente/ |
| a la larga | /a la ˈlaɾɡa/ |
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase a la larga literally translates to 'at the long [one]' and is used to mean 'eventually' in the sense of 'in the long run'.
Which one should you use?
con el tiempo is used to convey the concept of eventually, meaning over time or in due course. Al final is often used in spoken Spanish to mean 'eventually' or 'in the end' when describing the outcome of a specific situation. A la larga is used to mean 'eventually' in the sense of 'in the long run'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain Latin American countries, Algún día is used to express eventually, meaning someday or one day.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the Spanish word eventualmente, but in Spanish this is a false friend that means 'occasionally' or 'possibly' rather than 'in the end'.
Did you know?
- The Spanish word tiempo comes from the Proto-Indo-European root temp-, meaning 'to stretch'. This makes it a distant relative of the English word 'temperature'.
Examples in context
- Al final me pillaron.I eventually got caught.This sentence shows how to use al final to describe being caught.Tatoeba #8345809 by arh, translation #8344999 by CK
- Tom al final se marchó.Tom eventually left.This sentence uses al final to describe someone leaving.Tatoeba #4993163 by albrusgher, translation #4500593 by CK
- Con el tiempo averiguaré.I'll find out eventually.This sentence shows how to use con el tiempo to describe finding something out.Tatoeba #4344035 by pchamorro, translation #2545486 by CK
- La empresa logró finalmente recuperarse de la crisis financiera.The company eventually managed to recover from the financial crisis.
- Si te dedicas a estudiar todos los días, poco a poco verás mejoras.If you dedicate yourself to studying every day, you will eventually see improvements, little by little.
- Algún día alcanzaré mis sueños.I will eventually achieve my dreams, someday.
- Con el tiempo, aprenderás a superar los obstáculos.You will eventually learn to overcome obstacles, in due course.
- 54 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and María are talking about a difficult project.
- Daniel¿Crees que terminaremos el proyecto?Do you think we will finish the project?
- MaríaSí, lo lograremos con el tiempo.Yes, we will achieve it with time.
- DanielEspero que María tenga razón.I hope María is right.
- MaríaNo te preocupes, Daniel.Don't worry, Daniel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “eventually” translations and entries con el tiempo, al final, finalmente, a la larga, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, con, el, final, finalmente, la, tiempo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
