al fin y al cabo
adverbCEFR B1
What does “al fin y al cabo” mean in English?
after all, when all is said and done
after all, when all is said and done (relativising discourse marker; reflective/philosophical tone)
Example sentences
Al fin y al cabo, todos cometemos errores; lo importante no es no equivocarse, sino saber aprender de cada experiencia que tenemos.
At the end of the day, we all make mistakes; the important thing is not to avoid making them, but to know how to learn from each experience.
No nos preocupemos demasiado por el resultado; al fin y al cabo, lo hemos hecho lo mejor que hemos podido con los recursos disponibles.
Let's not worry too much about the result; after all, we have done the best we could with the available resources.
Se enfadó mucho al principio, pero al fin y al cabo entendió que la decisión era lo mejor para todos; a fin de cuentas, somos un equipo.
He was very angry at first, but in the end he understood that the decision was best for everyone; after all, we are a team.
How to use it
Al fin y al cabo (after all, when all is said and done, at the end of the day) is a spoken-to-neutral register discourse marker that relativises a situation — it acknowledges underlying truth or accepts circumstances after considering them. It implies 'when you think about it carefully, this is what matters'. It is a fixed phrase and invariable. Common synonyms: a fin de cuentas, en definitiva. Avoid confusing with al final (at the end = temporal) or por fin (finally = relief).
Common mistake
Al fin y al cabo ≠ al final (at the end, temporal). 'Al final ganamos' = in the end we won (temporal result); 'al fin y al cabo merecemos ganar' = after all, we deserve to win (relativising). Also not the same as finalmente (finally, in sequence). This marker carries a reflective, philosophical tone.