diligencias

Diligencias is a Spanish noun used mainly in plural to refer to actions, tasks, or procedures carried out to achieve a specific objective. In everyday language, hacer diligencias means to run errands or to perform the administrative tasks required to complete a matter, such as submitting documents, paying fees, requesting records, or visiting offices. The term emphasizes the process and effort involved in completing the needed steps.

The word derives from diligencia, which in turn comes from Latin diligencia, related to care, attentiveness, and thoroughness. In common usage, diligencias can denote both routine errands and more formal procedures, depending on the context and the institutions involved. Sinonyms commonly used in similar senses include gestiones and trámites.

In legal and administrative contexts, diligencias refer to procedural acts or investigations conducted by authorities or institutions. In many Spanish-speaking countries, judicial or administrative workflows are described as a series of diligencias, such as diligencias previas (preliminary inquiries), diligencias de instrucción (instructional steps in a case), or diligencias probatorias (evidence-gathering actions). These diligencias are designed to collect information, verify facts, or ensure compliance with requirements. Public offices, notaries, and investigators may carry out diligencias to advance a case, obtain documentation, or confirm timelines.

In business and international law, the term appears in phrases like due diligence, translated into Spanish as diligencia debida, referring to careful, comprehensive assessment before entering a transaction. Overall, diligencias encompasses both ordinary administrative tasks and formal procedures within legal or regulatory frameworks.