santo
/ˈsanto/masculine
In Spanish, the word for saint is santo.
santo refers to a person proclaimed as saint (noun).
Meaning: person proclaimed as saint (noun)
Which one should you use?
Use santo instead of san when the word precedes a common noun rather than a proper name (e.g., el santo hombre). Instead of using santo before a proper name, you should use the shortened form san (for example, san Juan instead of santo Juan).
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form is santo. The feminine form is santa, and the plural form for female saints is santas.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈsanto/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use santo before a name, such as saying santo Juan. Instead, use the correct shortened form san when followed by a proper name.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, the phrase no soy ningún santo is used not just to admit a sin, but to warn someone that they can be ruthless if provoked.
- The word santo is used in the expression santo remedio to describe a 'miracle cure' or a perfect solution to a frustrating problem.
- The term santoral describes a calendar of saints that is so influential that many people in Spain and Latin America are named after the santo of the day they were born.
Examples in context
- No soy un santo.I'm no saint.This sentence is useful for using santo to describe oneself.Tatoeba #9706601 by Shishir, translation #1932075 by Spamster
- Él no es un santo.He's no saint.This sentence is useful for using santo to describe another person.Tatoeba #1937268 by marcelostockle, translation #1932073 by Spamster
- San Patricio es el santo patrono de Irlanda.St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland.This sentence is useful for identifying a patron saint.Tatoeba #9847331 by hayastan, translation #6366765 by Hybrid
- Ese hombre es un santo.That man is a saint.
- ¡José es un santo! Siempre ayuda a los demás.Jose is a true saint! He always helps others.
- San Expedito es conocido por sus milagros.Saint Expeditus is known for his miracles.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are talking about a local religious festival.
- JavierHoy celebramos el día del santo.Today we celebrate the saint's day.
- Elena¿Es el santo de este pueblo?Is it the patron saint of this town?
- JavierSí, es un santo muy querido.Yes, he is a very beloved saint.
- ElenaEntonces habrá mucha gente en la plaza.Then there will be many people in the square.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “saint” translations and entries santo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
