Ordering your points
In a talk, an essay or an email, en primer lugar opens a list (en segundo lugar follows) and a continuación moves on to the next step. Both are more formal than primero and después. You hear a continuación on TV too.
| In the first place, it's expensive; in the second place, it's far away. | En primer lugar, es caro; en segundo lugar, está lejos. |
| Read the text and then answer the questions. | Lea el texto y, a continuación, conteste a las preguntas. |
Two sides of an argument
Por un lado… por otro lado… weighs one thing against another, like on the one hand… on the other hand. Por otra parte can do the same, but on its own it often just adds a point: besides.
| On the one hand, I want to travel; on the other hand, I don't have any money. | Por un lado, quiero viajar; por otro lado, no tengo dinero. |
| The hotel is cheap. Besides, it's near the beach. | El hotel es barato. Por otra parte, está cerca de la playa. |
Changing topic and zooming in
En cuanto a opens a new topic: as for. Before el it becomes en cuanto al. Keep the a: en cuanto alone means as soon as. En concreto narrows things down: specifically.
| As for the price, it seems fair to me. | En cuanto al precio, me parece justo. |
| I'm looking for a flat in the center; specifically, near the metro. | Busco un piso en el centro; en concreto, cerca del metro. |
Ways to finish
| use | |
|---|---|
| por último | the last step of a list |
| finalmente | the last step, or in the end |
| al final | in the end, or at the end of |
| por fin | at last, after a wait |
| In the end, we decided to stay at home. | Finalmente, decidimos quedarnos en casa. |
| We waited for an hour and the bus finally came. | Esperamos una hora y por fin llegó el autobús. |
El final is usually the last part of something, like a film or a street. El fin is a more formal end (el fin de la guerra), though it is everyday in el fin de semana. It also means the aim: con el fin de + infinitive = in order to.
| We're saving in order to buy a house. | Ahorramos con el fin de comprar una casa. |
