Spanish Conversation · Level 12
90 words
Spanish word
san
Pronunciation
IPA/san/
Meaning
- adjectivesaint
Example
El hospital está en San José.
The hospital is in San José.
More examples
Hoy celebramos el día de San Juan.
Today we celebrate Saint John's Day.
Core concept
Honorific short form before masculine saint names.
Similar words
santo: Full-length honorific that appears before a male saint's personal name or a place named for him.
Definition in Spanish
Abreviatura histórica de santo que forma parte de nombres propios y topónimos y se usa ante nombres masculinos de santos.
Word origin
From Latin sanctus 'holy' via medieval Spanish santo, contracted to san and fixed before male saint names and toponyms.
Usage tips
- Treated as part of the proper name and capitalized, so prepositions and articles attach to the full name in speech and writing (e.g., en San José).