avena
/aˈbena/feminine
Oatmeal in Spanish is avena.
avena refers to the breakfast cereal made from oats.
Meaning: breakfast cereal (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain parts of Mexico, the word atole refers to a hot beverage made from cornstarch or masa (corn flour) and can sometimes be used to refer to certain oat-based porridges.
How does it change in a sentence?
avena is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/aˈbena/
Did you know?
- In some Latin American regions, agua de avena is served as a refreshing, chilled beverage, contrasting with the English association of oatmeal as a hot meal.
- In certain traditional contexts, avena is used as a natural remedy in skin poultices, and the word remains the same whether it is for eating or healing.
- While 'porridge' is a common English term, in Spanish you might also hear the word gachas used to describe similar cooked grains, though this is more common in Spain than in the Americas.
Examples in context
- Siempre desayuno frutas y avena.I always have fruit and oatmeal for breakfast.This sentence shows how to use avena when describing what you eat for breakfast.Tatoeba #4953548 by Ruthdq, translation #4953765 by Aria
- Mi abuelita hizo atole de avena.My grandma made oatmeal atole.This sentence demonstrates using avena in the context of a traditional beverage.Tatoeba #9393228 by ignacio, translation #9393229 by DJ_Saidez
- Mi abuelita nos hizo atole de avena.My grandma made us some oatmeal atole.This sentence is another way to show how avena is used in a beverage context.Tatoeba #9399037 by ignacio, translation #9399034 by DJ_Saidez
- ¿Me podrías preparar avena para el desayuno?Could you make oatmeal for breakfast?
- Hoy preparé unas deliciosas gachas de avenaToday I made some delicious oatmeal porridge
- Mi abuela siempre me preparaba una rica avenita con canelaMy grandmother used to make me a delicious little oatmeal with cinnamon.
- En el hotel, siempre tienen avena disponible en el desayunoIn the hotel, they always have oatmeal available for breakfast
- Voy a prepararme unas gachas de avena para merendarI'm going to make myself some oatmeal porridge for a snack
- Hey, ¿me haces una avenita bien calentita, por favor?Hey, could you make me a nice warm little oatmeal, please?
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
In a kitchen during breakfast time.
- AlejandroLucía, ¿quieres avena hoy?Lucía, do you want oatmeal today?
- LucíaSí, por favor, Alejandro.Yes, please, Alejandro.
- AlejandroLa avena está lista.The oatmeal is ready.
- Lucía¡Gracias! Huele muy rico.Thanks! It smells delicious.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “oatmeal” translations and entries avena, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
