Spanish · Food & Drink
"Dinner" in Spanish: cena
la cena
Evening meals are la cena (SEH-nah). It is feminine: una cena ligera, la cena de hoy. The verb is cenar: cenamos a las nueve means "we have dinner at nine."
Making evening plans
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How to pronounce cena
Say it
SEH-nah
/ˈse.na/
SEH-nah, stress on SEH. Soft c before e sounds like s in Latin America. Keep both syllables short; do not stretch it into "say-nah".
"Dinner" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| la cena | dinner, supper The evening meal. | The evening meal. |
| cenar | to eat dinner Verb: ¿Dónde cenamos? | Verb: ¿Dónde cenamos? |
| la cena ligera | a light dinner Common when lunch was heavy. | Common when lunch was heavy. |
| después de la cena | after dinner Time marker for plans and walks. | Time marker for plans and walks. |
How to use cena in real life
- 1Making evening plans
¿Quieres cenar conmigo esta noche?
Do you want to have dinner with me tonight?
Cenar is more natural here than "comer la cena."
- 2At a hotel desk
¿La cena está incluida?
Is dinner included?
Useful when checking half-board rates.
- 3At home
La cena está en la mesa.
Dinner is on the table.
A classic call when food is ready.
Mistakes English speakers make with cena
Incorrect: El cena está lista.
Correct: La cena está lista.
Cena is feminine. Use la cena, una cena temprana.
Incorrect: Vamos a dinner tarde.
Correct: Vamos a cenar tarde.
Use cenar for the verb. For the noun: la cena es tarde.
Good to know
Because lunch is often large, cena can be lighter—soup, bread, leftovers, or a simple plate—especially on weeknights. Dinner hour tends to run later than in the US, sometimes after 8 p.m. in cities. In Spain dinner can be even later; these pages keep Latin American timing habits.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Deciding on an evening meal while traveling
ChatPal
¿A qué hora quieres la cena?
What time do you want dinner?
You
Una cena temprana, a las siete.
An early dinner, at seven.
ChatPal
Bien. Reservo para la cena.
Okay. I'll book for dinner.
You
Gracias. Prefiero cena ligera.
Thanks. I prefer a light dinner.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Dinner" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Dinner" in Spanish
Is cena masculine or feminine?
Feminine: la cena, esa cena rica.
What is the verb for having dinner?
Cenar. ¿Cenamos fuera? means "Shall we eat dinner out?"
How do you pronounce cena?
SEH-nah with an s sound in Latin America. Stress the first syllable.
Is dinner always formal?
No. Cena covers home leftovers and restaurant meals. Register comes from where you eat, not the word itself.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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