cena
/ˈθena/
The Spanish phrase cena means dinner.
cena refers to the main meal eaten in the evening. When speaking about the meal in a general sense, it is common to use the definite article la before the word, as in la cena.
Which one should you use?
The plural form is cenas, used when referring to more than one dinner. You may also encounter the diminutive cenita, which is used to add a sense of affection or intimacy to the word.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, the word comilona is an informal way to refer to a large or hearty dinner.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun cena is related to the verb cenar, which means to eat dinner.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈθena/
Did you know?
- The word cena shares an ancient root with the English word 'corner' and the word 'curt', both originating from the same Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to cut'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, la cena is often a light snack eaten very late, sometimes as late as 10 p.m. or 11 p.m., while the heaviest meal of the day is actually la comida eaten in the afternoon.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the timing of la cena is significantly later than in most English-speaking countries, often occurring after 9:00 PM or even 10:00 PM.
Examples in context
- ¿Vamos a preparar una rica cenita en casa esta noche?Are we going to prepare a delicious little dinner at home tonight?
- ¿Quieres cenar en ese nuevo restaurante italiano que abrieron?Do you want to have dinner in that new Italian restaurant they opened?
- ¡Qué rica comilona nos espera hoy!What a delicious hearty dinner awaits us today!
- La cena está lista.Dinner is ready.
- ¿Qué quieres para la cena?What do you want for dinner?
- Cenamos muy tarde hoy.We are having dinner very late today.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are at home in the evening.
- Alejandro¿A qué hora es la cena?What time is dinner?
- LucíaLa cena será a las ocho, Alejandro.Dinner will be at eight, Alejandro.
- AlejandroPerfecto, yo preparo la mesa.Perfect, I will set the table.
- LucíaGracias, yo traigo el pan.Thanks, I will bring the bread.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry cena, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cena, CC BY-SA 4.0.
