Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| detallista | /detaˈʝista/ |
| esmerado | /esmeˈɾado/ |
| circunstanciado | /θiɾkunstanˈθjado/ /siɾkunstanˈsjado/ |
| cabal | /kaˈbal/ |
You might also use Exhaustivo/a or Minucioso/a to express thoroughness in a formal way. For a colloquial emphasis meaning thoroughness from end to end, you can use the expression De cabo a rabo.
Which one should you use?
Choose your word based on what is being described: use detallista to describe a person's personality or a habit of paying attention to small details. Use esmerado to describe the quality of a specific task or piece of work that was done with great care. Use circunstanciado specifically for reports, accounts or descriptions that provide a full, itemized set of circumstances. Finally, use cabal to emphasize that something is complete, exact or perfectly fulfilled, often in a formal or philosophical context.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective detallista is invariable, so it remains the same for both masculine and feminine subjects. In contrast, esmerado must agree in gender with the noun it modifies, appearing as esmerado for masculine and esmerada for feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
/detaˈʝista/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, calling someone detallista is a common way to describe a romantic partner who is thoughtful with small gifts and surprises.
- The root of detallista comes from the Old French word detaillier, which originally meant to 'cut into pieces'.
- The phrase de cabo a rabo literally means 'from cape to tail' and is used to describe something thorough from one end to the other.
Examples in context
- Tom es muy detallista.Tom is very thorough.This sentence shows how to use detallista to describe a person.Tatoeba #5701912 by albrusgher, translation #2273613 by CK
- Me gusta ser esmerado.I like to be thorough.This sentence shows how to use esmerado to describe a preference for being thorough.Tatoeba #5701914 by albrusgher, translation #2377498 by CK
- Necesitamos realizar una investigación exhaustiva antes de tomar una decisión finalWe need to conduct a thorough investigation before making a final decision
- Por favor, elabore un informe detallado con todas las especificacionesPlease create a detailed report with all the specifications
- El doctor realizó un examen minucioso para detectar cualquier anomalíaThe doctor performed a thorough examination to detect any abnormalities
- La película era completamente aburridaThe movie was thoroughly boring
- Leí un libro sobre el tema a fondoI read a book about the topic thoroughly
- Leí el informe de cabo a rabo antes de presentarloI read the report thoroughly before presenting it
- Ella es muy detallista con su trabajo.She is very thorough with her work.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are discussing a recent project at work.
- Sofía¿Te gusta cómo quedó el informe?Do you like how the report turned out?
- JavierSí, Sofía, eres muy detallista.Yes, Sofía, you are very thorough.
- SofíaGracias, intento que todo sea perfecto.Thanks, I try to make everything perfect.
- JavierSe nota en el resultado final.It shows in the final result.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thorough” translations and entries detallista, esmerado, circunstanciado, cabal, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cabal, detallista, esmerado, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
