detallar Preterite Conjugation
detallar — to detail
The preterite of 'detallar' is regular: detallé, detallaste, detalló, detallamos, detallasteis, detallaron.
detallar Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
Use the preterite for completed actions in the past. If you detailed a specific report yesterday, or you detailed your reasons once, the preterite is your tense. It marks the beginning or end of an action.
Notes on detallar in the Preterite
Detallar is a regular -ar verb and follows the standard conjugation pattern perfectly in the preterite. No stem changes or spelling alterations occur.
Example Sentences
Detallé mi plan de negocios la semana pasada.
I detailed my business plan last week.
yo
¿Detallaste los ingredientes de la receta?
Did you detail the ingredients for the recipe?
tú
Ella detalló cada paso del proceso.
She detailed each step of the process.
él/ella/usted
Los contadores detallaron las transacciones.
The accountants detailed the transactions.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Detallamos las diferencias en el documento.
We detailed the differences in the document.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the imperfect instead of the preterite for a specific completed action.
Correct: For a single, finished action like detailing something once, use the preterite: 'Detallé la lista'.
Why: The preterite marks a specific, completed event, while the imperfect describes ongoing or habitual past actions.
Mistake: Forgetting the accent on the 'yo' form.
Correct: The 'yo' form needs an accent: 'detallé'.
Why: The accent on the final 'é' distinguishes the preterite 'yo' form and indicates the stressed syllable.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: detallo
The present tense of 'detallar' is regular: detallo, detallas, detalla, detallamos, detalláis, detallan.
Imperfect
yo: detallaba
The imperfect of 'detallar' is regular: detallaba, detallabas, detallaba, detallábamos, detallabais, detallaban.
Future
yo: detallaré
The future of 'detallar' is regular: detallaré, detallarás, detallará, detallaremos, detallaréis, detallarán.
Conditional
yo: detallaría
The conditional of 'detallar' is regular: detallaría, detallarías, detallaría, detallaríamos, detallaríais, detallarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: detalle
Use 'detalle', 'detalles', 'detallen', etc., after wishes, doubts, emotions, and impersonal expressions.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: detallara
Use 'detallara' or 'detallase' (and variations) for hypothetical past actions or politeness.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: detalla
Use 'detalla', 'detalle', 'detallen', 'detallad', 'detallemos' for direct commands with 'detallar'.
Negative Imperative
yo: no detalles
Use 'no detalles', 'no detalle', 'no detallen', 'no detalléis', 'no detallemos' for negative commands.