detalles

Detalles is the plural form of detalle, a Spanish noun with several related meanings. The most common senses are: 1) the particulars or specifics of something, such as the details of a plan, a story, or an event; 2) items or small parts that make up a larger whole, for example components or features; and 3) a small gift or gesture of courtesy, as in hacer un detalle or dar un detalle, meaning to give a thoughtful token.

Etymology and usage: Detalle derives from Old French detalle (détail), historically related to the idea of a cut or small part. In Spanish, the word broadened to include both concrete elements and more abstract particulars. In everyday language, the phrase “con detalle” means with thoroughness, while “dar un detalle” emphasizes a considerate, often modest, gesture.

Common contexts: In journalism or technical writing, one speaks of “los detalles” to refer to specific facts or features. In social and cultural contexts, a “detalle” often signals affection or etiquette, such as remembering a birthday with a small regalo or gesture. The adjective detallista describes someone attentive to details or a retailer selling small items; the term can carry a neutral or slightly pejorative tone depending on context.

See also: detail, specifics, gesture, regalo, obsequio. Detalles occupy a broad space in Spanish, linking precision, material components, and social courtesy in a single word.