When to use San or Sant in Italian
 

Ok, my Italian friend is off visiting her sister in Argentina, so I can't ask her.

I'm probably wrong in this, but it is my understanding that San and Sant are used in the following ways...

San = before a name beginning with a consonent
Sant = before a name beginning with a vowel

Or, are they interchangable or used with specific letters?

Dave

Oh, and yes I'm talking about the masculine form, I understand Santa and Santi, but to throw in another one what about "Santo", such as "Santo Stefano in Rotondo"

San is used before a male saint beginning with a consonant, so San Pietro; alternative form is Santo, like Santo Stefano in Rotondo you mention; depends on usage and custom.
Sant' is used of both male and female saint beginning with a vowel, so Sant'Agnese and Sant'Andrea. ' is used in place of Sant-a for a female and Sant-o for a male.
Santa is used before a female saint beginning with a consonant, so Santa Caterina, abbr Sta Caterina.

San before a consonant, Sant' (with an apostrophe) before a vowel. Santo before St or Sp.

It's Santo Stefano Rotondo.

Why is it Santa Croce?

because "Santa" is also a word meaning "holy" and "Croce", "Cross" is a feminine word. So the phrase means
Holy Cross.

That was pretty much how I had it figured out and Zerlina, thanks for the catch.

Thanks all for the info

dave

So to make more clear Santo Spirito would be Santo because Spirito is holy

Not because Spirito is holy, but because Spirito begins with Sp!

And Santa for a lady saint beginning with a vowel- so Santa Maria; Santa Veronica. But Sant'Anna, just like the boys.

<<So to make more clear Santo Spirito would be Santo because Spirito is holy>>

Doesn't have anything to do with the meaning; it's because Spirito is a masculine noun.

Let's summarize:

San for male saints whose name starts with a consonant except for names starting with "s impura" (s with a second consonant following, formerly also the ones starting with z):

San Giorgio, San Giovanni, San Siro, San Rocco, San Zeno.


Santo for male saints or nouns whose name starts with an "s impura":

Santo Stefano, Santo Spirito, Santo Stanislao


Santa for female saints or noun whose name start with a consonant:

Santa Croce, Santa Lucia, Santa Maria, Santa Teresa


Sant' for saints of both genders whose name starts with a vowel:

Sant' Anna, Sant' Ambrogio, Sant' Antonio, Sant' Ermenegildo, Sant' Isidoro, Sant' Orsola, Sant' Eurosia,

Hope this helps, enjoy your trip

Phil.

Oh yes, and there are the plurals:

Santi: male and mixed groups: Santi Apostoli

Sante: female groups: Sante Patrone