cenar
/θeˈnaɾ/
To dine in Spanish is cenar.
Cenar means to eat dinner or supper. It is used for both casual family meals and more formal dining contexts, depending on the setting.
Meaning: to eat, to eat dinner or supper (verb)
Which one should you use?
While comer is the general verb for 'to eat', cenar specifically refers to the act of eating the evening meal.
How does it change in a sentence?
The gerund form cenando is used to express the continuous action of eating dinner.
How do you pronounce it?
/θeˈnaɾ/
Did you know?
- The concept of cenar is often tied to the term sobremesa, which describes the custom of sitting around the table talking long after the meal is finished.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the time for cenar is much later than in the English-speaking world, often occurring after 9:00 PM or even 10:00 PM.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, a small snack eaten between the main meal comer and the act of cenar is called a merienda.
Examples in context
- Hoy voy a cenar contigo.Today, I will dine with you.This sentence shows how to use cenar to express dining with someone.Tatoeba #4553805 by swyter, translation #4545541 by Whidou
- Cenaremos juntos y luego iremos al teatro.We'll dine together and then go to the theater.This sentence shows how to use cenar in a sentence about future plans.Tatoeba #2270062 by Shishir, translation #2270061 by _undertoad
- No te enfades, tío. Ven a cenar con nosotros mañana.Don't be angry, uncle. Come! Dine with us tomorrow.This sentence shows how to use cenar when inviting someone to join a meal.Tatoeba #3713659 by carlosalberto, translation #3712688 by Hybrid
- Quiero comer en este restaurante.I want to dine in this restaurant.
- Vamos a comer comida española.We are going to dine on Spanish food.
- ¿Dónde podemos comer cerca de aquí?Where can we dine around here?
- Hoy no quiero cocinar, vamos a comer fuera.Today, I don't want to cook, let's eat out.
- Tenemos invitados y queremos comer fuera para celebrar.We have guests, and we want to dine out to celebrate.
- ¿Cuándo fue la última vez que comiste fuera?When was the last time you ate out?
- ¿Quieres cenar en casa o ir a un restaurante?Do you want to dine at home or go to a restaurant?
- Vamos a cenar mariscos frescos.We are going to dine on fresh seafood.
- Hoy no me apetece cenar fuera, prefiero quedarme en casa.Today, I don't feel like dining out, I prefer staying at home.
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are deciding what to do for the evening.
- Sofía¿A qué hora quieres cenar hoy?What time do you want to eat dinner today?
- AlejandroPrefiero cenar a las nueve.I prefer to dine at nine.
- SofíaEstá bien, podemos cenar en casa.That is fine, we can eat dinner at home.
- AlejandroPerfecto, yo cocino para cenar.Perfect, I will cook for dinner.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dine” translations and entries cenar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
