saint
/sɛ̃/
The English word holy is translated into French as saint.
The adjective is used to describe something that is revered in a religion.
Meaning: revered in a religion (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective saint changes its form to match the gender and number of the noun it describes. Use the masculine singular saint, the feminine singular sainte, the masculine plural saints and the feminine plural saintes.
How do you pronounce it?
/sɛ̃/
Did you know?
- French distinguishes between saint and sacré. While saint refers to religious purity, sacré is often used in idioms to mean 'huge' or 'quite a', such as un sacré problème.
- In many French contexts, a 'saint' is not just an abstract concept of holiness but is frequently used in the phrase un saint homme, which can be used ironically to describe someone who is suspiciously perfect or dull.
- In French, the word saint can also refer to a person who has been officially canonized by the Church, whereas in English, one might simply call someone a 'saint' as a compliment.
Examples in context
- Aujourd'hui nous est un jour saint.Today is a holy day for us.This sentence is useful for describing a holy day.Tatoeba #3530947 by sacredceltic, translation #3530440 by adamtrousers
- Les bandits ont volé le Saint Graal.The bandits stole the Holy Grail.This sentence is useful for referring to the Holy Grail using saint.Tatoeba #799645 by felix63, translation #799646 by FeuDRenais2
- La mosquée al-Aqsa est un lieu saint.The al-Aqsa Mosque is a holy site.This sentence is useful for describing a holy site using saint.Tatoeba #12108383 by Amastan, translation #8243936 by Amastan
- La Sainte BibleThe Holy Bible
- Les saints sacrementsThe Holy Sacraments
- Un pouvoir divinA holy power
- Une intervention divineA holy intervention
- Un lieu divinA holy place
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are visiting an old cathedral.
- ChloéCe bâtiment semble vraiment saint.This building seems truly holy.
- GabrielOui, c'est un lieu très respecté.Yes, it is a very respected place.
- ChloéDoivent-nous rester silencieux ici ?Should we stay silent here?
- GabrielOui, car c'est un espace saint.Yes, because it is a holy space.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “holy” translations and entries saint, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
