affinché

Etymology

It is from Italian a + fine (“end, purpose”) + che, written as one word from the phrase “to the end that”.^{[2][3][4][5][1]} Nocentini and Devoto–Oli see it as affine, itself a plus fine, followed by che.^[6][7] Old spellings recorded by the TLIO include a fine che, afin che and affine che.^[4]

The same construction is French afin que, Spanish a fin de que and Portuguese a fim de que.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLIO's first record is the Florentine Ottimo commentary on the Inferno, before 1334, where it introduces a clause of purpose: “with the aim that, in order that”.^[4][6] DELI's first date is Giovanni Villani, before 1348.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

In the first centuries the older acciocché was the commoner way to introduce a clause of purpose.^[8] Giovanni Villani wrote that two thousand knights were left behind affinché, once the siege was lifted, they could fall on the men of Messina if they came out.^[8] The spellings a fine che and affine che long lived beside it: the GDLI quotes the first from Bisticci and the second from Bembo and Varchi.^[8]

Today the word is formal and mainly written.^[5][9] Besides purpose it introduces, in formal and technical prose, the condition needed for something to happen.^[7]

Timeline

• Before 1334 – The Ottimo commentary uses the conjunction.^[4][6][10]
• Before 1348 – Giovanni Villani writes affinché.^[2][3][8]

Meanings

Conjunction

1. so that, in order that: introduces a clause of purpose, always with the subjunctive: Te lo ripeto affinché tu non lo dimentichi.^{[3][7][5][10][1]}
2. (formal) Introduces the condition for something: for … to, such that: i requisiti affinché il contratto sia valido.^[7]

Related words

• fine
• affine
• acciocché
• perché
• French afin que

Usage notes

Affinché is always followed by the subjunctive, present or imperfect.^[5][10] It is a formal synonym of perché in its final sense, and acciocché is a literary equivalent.^[5] The separate spellings affin che and a fin che are old or uncommon.^[9][10]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Cortelazzo, Manlio; Zolli, Paolo (1999), Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana, 2nd ed. by Manlio Cortelazzo and Michele A. Cortelazzo, Bologna: Zanichelli
3. ^ a b c d De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
4. ^ a b c d Tesoro della Lingua Italiana delle Origini (1997–), Opera del Vocabolario Italiano, CNR, Firenze; tlio.ovi.cnr.it
5. ^ a b c d e Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
6. ^ a b c Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
7. ^ a b c d Devoto, Giacomo; Oli, Gian Carlo; Serianni, Luca; Trifone, Maurizio (2026), Nuovo Devoto–Oli: il vocabolario dell'italiano contemporaneo, digital ed., Milano: Le Monnier
8. ^ a b c d Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca, p. 1, 212
9. ^ a b Duro, Aldo (ed.) (1986–1994), Vocabolario della lingua italiana, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana; online ed. treccani.it/vocabolario (2008 copy)
10. ^ a b c d Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli