How to Say "saints" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “saints” is “santos” — use 'santos' when referring to individuals officially recognized by a religious institution for their holiness, often depicted in art or venerated..
English → Spanish
santos
SAHN-tohs/ˈsantos/
nounA2general
Use 'santos' when referring to individuals officially recognized by a religious institution for their holiness, often depicted in art or venerated.
Examples
La catedral tiene muchas estatuas de santos.
The cathedral has many statues of saints.
El Día de Todos los Santos se celebra el 1 de noviembre.
All Saints' Day is celebrated on November 1st.
Plural Form
Remember that 'santos' is the plural form of 'santo' (one male saint). If you are talking about female saints, the word changes to 'santas'.
nounB1informal
Use 'ángeles' metaphorically to describe someone who is extremely kind, helpful, or good-natured, similar to how 'angels' is used in English.
Examples
Mis vecinos me ayudaron a mudarme. ¡Son unos ángeles!
My neighbors helped me move. They are angels!
Confusing Religious Figures with Kind People
The most common mistake is using 'santos' to describe a very kind person. Remember that 'santos' specifically refers to religiously recognized holy individuals, while 'ángeles' is the term for exceptionally good or helpful people in a non-religious, metaphorical sense.
Related Translations
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