I have up till now used both endlich and schließlich to mean "finally" but I'm suspicious there is a subtle difference in meaning.
Can anyone please clarify?
For example if I want to say:
I have finally won the gold medal I've been trying so hard to win.
or
The movie is finally over.
Is there any difference?
Schließlich
Is used to denote the (perceived or planned) ending of a (long) process.
Schließlich kam Sam wieder im Auenland an.
Endlich
Is used to denote the occurence of a (long) awaited event. There is no information about repetitions or the ongoingness afterwards.
Endlich hat Sam Rosie zum Tanzen aufgefordert.
Your examples
I have finally won the gold medal I've been trying so hard to win.
Both translations are possible, depending on what you want to express.
endlich. Maybe your career continued and you won several more gold medals.schließlich. Your career or at least the season are finished afterwards.The movie is finally over.
Again, both translations are possible:
endlich.schließlich. Think of a narrator in a parody, who doesn't narrate a story but the movie itself.There is a notable difference. In both your examples, I would use "endlich". You use "endlich" when you couldn't wait for something. The emphasis is on the fact that you had to wait too long for it.
Endlich ist Wochenende!
Es klingelt. Das muss Thomas sein. Na endlich!
The word "schließlich" can be used if you describe an event when the emphasis is on the completion of some process and the outcome was not predictable. Yet, "endlich" can still be used in place of it.
Ich habe lange überlegt, welches Auto ich mir kaufe. Schließlich/Endlich entschied ich mich für XYZ.
In the preceding sentence, "schließlich" is IMHO better, because the duration of the decision process was determined only by yourself, and there was no waiting. But in your example with the gold medal, "endlich" seems better, because external factors influenced the long waiting time.
Note that both words have further meanings that have nothing to do with what we have told about: "endlich" can mean "finite" like in:
Die Menge der geraden Primzahlen ist endlich.
and "schließlich" can mean something like "after all":
Wir könnten mal ausschlafen. Schließlich ist Wochenende.
Endlich entschied ich mich für XYZ. Es wäre wohl eher dessen (klischeehafte) Ehefrau, die eigenlich schon lange das Mittagessen fertig haben wollte und die ganze gewartet hat, bis Ehemann sich endlich entschieden hat.
You will use "endlich" if impatience plays a role. If impatience doesn't play a role, you will just use "schließlich".
Example: You have waited a long time for your brother Jack to visit you, then you can say:
Endlich bist Du gekommen!
You can also say "Na endlich!". There is NO "Na schließlich!"
"Schließlich" is a short form of "...zu dem Schluss gekommen...", something that is a conclusion and mustn't - as said before - have to do something with impatience. "Auf etwas schließen" or "Zu dem Schluß kommen" e. g. "schließlich" is a consequence of something that is logically true compared to the subject.
"Schließlich" refers to the closing of an event. Schließen: to close (or finish).
"Endlich" refers to an endpoint (in time). It has the connotation of "finally."
"schließlich" I would use it to show an resulting or following event. First he did clean the dishes, "schließlich" finally (following) he went to the bathroom to brush his teeth. OR: He finished cleaning the dishes, "schließlich" finally (as a result) he could go to the bathroom. "Endlich" you use to show your gratitude something finally happend: "Endlich ging er ins Bad um sich die Zähne zu putzen!" Finally he went to the bathroom to brush his teeth! OR: Finally I did won my gold medal! "Endlich habe ich meine Gold-Medaille gewonnen!" Both means finally. You could use "schließlich" also in the context of winning the gold medal. But it would have indeed a different meaning. I trained so hard and tried so many times, that I finally (as a consequence) won a gold medal. = "Ich habe so hart trainiert und es so oft versucht (eine Gold-Medaille zu gewinnen), (so dass ich schließlich eine Gold-Medaille gewonnen habe) schließlich habe ich eine Gold-Medaille gewonnen." (BUT: "endlich" in the place of "schließlich" would be correct too, only difference is you would explain your gratitude) Talking about the movie: Using "endlich" means you waited for (and appreciate) the movie to end: "Endlich ist der Film zu Ende!" Finally the movie ends! (Thank god!) "Schließlich" would be used to show that as a consequence the movie finally ended. "Der Prinz tötete den Räuber, heiratete die Prinzessin und schließlich war der Film zu Ende." OR: "Sie schauten den ganzen Abend Fernsehen bis schließlich der letzte Film zu Ende war und die Dauerwerbesendungen begannen." But "endlich" means also something got an end! "Das Leben ist endlich!" = Live is finite! "Schönheit ist endlich." "Jugend ist endlich." and so on. You cannot use "schließlich" in this context. "Das Leben ist schließlich" is totally wrong. But you can write: "Schließlich war sein Leben zu Ende." Finally his life ended. (as a consequence, result, following something that happend before. I.e. many years of joyfull live or a long suffering from sickness..) "Endlich war sein Leben zu Ende!" means you hoped for, waited for, appreciate his life to end. Maybe to stop his suffering, maybe to inherit the money, maybe because you wished him his death. Hope I could help. My references? None, I am just german and I read some books in the past, so maybe I told you something wrong... :-) Cheers!!
