afin de
/a.fɛ̃ də/
In order to is expressed in French as afin de. If unsure, use afin de. Wiktionary also lists pour que.
Meaning: as a means of achieving the specified aim (conj)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| afin de | /a.fɛ̃ də/ |
| pour que | /puʁ kə/ |
Both afin de and pour que are used to express a means of achieving a specific aim or purpose.
Which one should you use?
The choice between these forms depends on whether the subject of the sentence is the same for both actions. Use afin de when the subject of the main clause is also the one performing the action of the purpose. In contrast, use pour que when the subject of the main clause and the subject of the purpose clause are different.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Afin de is a more formal way to say 'in order to' compared to the simple preposition pour.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase afin de must be followed by an infinitive verb. However, pour que must be followed by a clause in the subjunctive mood.
How do you pronounce it?
/a.fɛ̃ də/
Did you know?
- The word fin in afin de is the same word French speakers use to describe the finish line of a race or the end of a movie.
- The phrase afin de is a direct linguistic cousin to the Spanish a fin de and the Italian al fine di. All three use the word for 'end' or 'goal' to express purpose.
- In highly formal legal documents, the phrase aux fins de is used in the plural to mean 'for the purposes of'.
Examples in context
- Il a beaucoup étudié afin de pouvoir entrer à l'université.He studied hard in order to get into college.This sentence shows the use of afin de to express studying for a specific goal.Tatoeba #132897 by sacredceltic, translation #301243 by Mouseneb
- Le plombier a pompé l'eau afin de vidanger la canalisation.The plumber pumped out the water in order to drain the pipe.This sentence demonstrates using afin de to describe a plumber's purpose.Tatoeba #10343323 by lbdx, translation #4425710 by AlanF_US
- Afin de mieux vous servir, votre appel peut être enregistré.In order to serve you better, your call may be monitored.This sentence shows afin de used at the beginning of a sentence to explain the reason for a call being recorded.Tatoeba #1582014 by sacredceltic, translation #29879 by CK
- Pour réussir, il faut travailler dur.In order to succeed, one must work hard.
- Pour arriver à temps, je dois partir maintenant.In order to arrive on time, I need to leave now.
- J'ai étudié pour obtenir mon diplôme.I studied in order to obtain my degree.
- Je vais te prêter mon livre afin que tu puisses le lire.I'm going to lend you my book so that you can read it.
- Nous devons travailler dur afin que nous réussissions.We must work hard in order to succeed.
- J'aime courir pour me détendre.I like running in order to relax.
- Je vais acheter du pain pour faire des sandwiches.I'm going to buy bread to make sandwiches.
- Je sors pour pouvoir prendre l'air.I go out in order to get some fresh air.
- J'étudie pour pouvoir obtenir de bonnes notes.I study in order to get good grades.
- 23 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Lucas are planning a trip together.
- EmmaJe cherche un hôtel afin de réserver rapidement.I am looking for a hotel in order to book quickly.
- LucasC'est une bonne idée, Lucas est d'accord.That's a good idea, Lucas agrees.
- EmmaOn doit choisir un centre-ville afin de tout visiter.We must choose the city center in order to visit everything.
- LucasJe m'occupe des billets de train alors.I'll take care of the train tickets then.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “in order to” translations and entries afin de, pour que, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries afin, afin de, de, pour, que, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
