cena
/ˈθena/feminine
Supper in Spanish is cena.
Cena is the most common and general way to say supper. It is a feminine noun.
Meaning: dinner at night (noun)
Which one should you use?
Unlike English, which often distinguishes between 'dinner' and 'supper' based on size or time, Spanish typically uses cena for the main evening meal regardless of its scale.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, particularly in regions like Andalusia, it is common to tapear, which involves sampling small tapas dishes and can serve as a substitute for dinner or supper.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun cena is closely related to the verb cenar, which means to eat supper or to have dinner. In Spanish, it is more common to use the verb cenar (to eat supper) than the phrase comer la cena (to eat the supper) when expressing the act of eating the evening meal.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈθena/
When do people say it?
¡Buen provecho! means Enjoy your meal!
Did you know?
- The word cena is a distant relative of the English word 'score', which also comes from a root meaning to cut or divide a portion.
- In some Latin American cultures, a light cena is preceded by a heavier mid-afternoon meal called comida, making the evening meal a secondary, smaller event.
- The term cena de Navidad refers to Christmas Eve dinner, which is the primary celebration in many Spanish-speaking homes rather than the Christmas Day meal.
Examples in context
- Es hora de cenar.It's supper time.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use the verb related to cena.Tatoeba #1021888 by Shishir, translation #3733132 by CK
- ¿Qué vamos a cenar?What are we having for supper?This sentence is useful for asking what the meal will be using cena.Tatoeba #2259834 by hayastan, translation #2259833 by _undertoad
- Ahora, come tu cena.Now eat your supper.This sentence is useful for seeing the noun cena in a command.Tatoeba #1296668 by marcelostockle, translation #54225 by CK
- Vamos a tener una cena elegante esta noche.We are going to have an elegant supper tonight.
- ¿Qué preparaste para la comida de la noche?What did you prepare for supper?
- Me gustaría invitarte a la cena principal de nuestro evento.I would like to invite you to the main evening meal of our event.
- ¿Quieres cenar conmigo esta noche?Do you want to have supper with me tonight?
- Pasaré por tu casa y comeremos juntos.I'll come by your house, and we'll have supper together.
- ¿Dónde podemos cenar?Where can we have supper?
- 59 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and María are talking about their evening plans.
- DanielLa cena estará lista pronto.Supper will be ready soon.
- María¡Qué bien! Tengo mucha hambre.That's great! I'm very hungry.
- Daniel¿Quieres ayudarme con la cena?Do you want to help me with supper?
- MaríaSí, Daniel. Yo pongo la mesa.Yes, Daniel. I will set the table.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “supper” translations and entries cena, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cena, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
