cena
everyday, Mexico
In Mexico dinner is cena, the light evening meal. The big main meal of the day is la comida, eaten in the afternoon, so comida does not mean dinner.
Meaning: the evening meal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mexican | Note |
|---|---|
| cena | everyday, Mexico |
| comida | main midday meal |
Mexicans often have desayuno in the morning, comida around 2 or 3 in the afternoon and cena late in the evening, sometimes just pan dulce and coffee.
Which one should you use?
If a Mexican invites you to comer, that is lunch, not dinner. To invite someone to dinner, say a cenar.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Learners sometimes say comida for dinner, but in Mexico it means lunch, the main meal.
Did you know?
- In Mexico the evening cena is often a light meal because the heavy meal, la comida, happens in the middle of the afternoon.
Examples in context
- ¿Qué hay de cena?What is for dinner?
- Te invito a cenar mañana.I invite you to dinner tomorrow.
- La cena es a las nueve.Dinner is at nine.
Example conversation
Rosa calls her son Ernesto to the table at home in Puebla.
- RosaErnesto, ya está la cena.Ernesto, dinner is ready.
- Ernesto¿Qué hay de cenar?What is there to eat?
- RosaQuesadillas y un té.Quesadillas and a tea.
