Question 1

Does en fin always mean "anyway," or does it literally mean "in the end"?

Accepted Answer

It rarely means a literal "in the end" (for that, you would use al final). As a discourse marker, en fin is used to wrap up a thought, show a bit of resignation, or quickly change the subject—functioning exactly like "anyway" or "well" in English.

Question 2

Could I use the other marker from this lesson, al fin y al cabo, in this sentence instead?

Accepted Answer

You could, but it changes the nuance. Al fin y al cabo translates closer to "at the end of the day" or "after all," and is usually used to justify a conclusion. En fin is shorter and much better suited for simply dropping a topic with a sigh of resignation, which fits perfectly with not wanting to argue anymore.

Question 3

Is discutir a false friend here?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it often is! While it can occasionally just mean "to debate," in everyday conversation it very frequently means "to argue," "to bicker," or "to fight verbally." If you want to talk about calmly discussing a topic with someone, it is usually safer to use hablar de, conversar sobre, or platicar sobre.

Question 4

How exactly does the Spanish sentence express the "anymore" part of the translation?

Accepted Answer

It uses the combination of no before the verb phrase and más at the end of it. The structure no [verb] más is the standard Spanish way to express "not [verb] anymore" or "not [verb] any longer."

En fin, no quiero discutir más.

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