¿qué vamos a cenar?
/ˈke ˈbamos a θeˈnaɾ/word by word
The English phrase "what are we having for dinner?" is translated into Spanish as ¿qué vamos a cenar?
This question is used to inquire about the food that will be eaten for the evening meal. Note that the Spanish verb cenar specifically refers to the act of eating the evening meal, rather than just being the noun for dinner.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, ¿qué vamos a cenar? translates to "what are we going to dine?"
Which one should you use?
You can also use ¿qué hay de cena?, which means "what is there for dinner?" For a more casual tone, you might use ¿qué hay para cenar?, whereas ¿Qué se servirá de cena? is a formal version.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈke ˈbamos a θeˈnaɾ/
Did you know?
- In Spain, the evening meal cena is often a light snack, because the most substantial meal of the day is the comida, eaten in the mid-afternoon.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the evening meal is often eaten much later than in English-speaking countries, sometimes not until 9 or 10 PM.
- The word cenar shares its roots with the Latin cēna, which was the main meal of the day in ancient Rome.
Examples in context
- ¿Qué vamos a comer esta noche?What are we having for dinner tonight?
- Tengo mucha hambre, ¿qué vamos a cenar?I'm very hungry, what are we having for dinner?
Example conversation
A couple is standing in their kitchen in the evening.
- AlejandroLucía, ¿qué vamos a cenar?Lucía, what are we having for dinner?
- LucíaNo estoy segura todavía, Alejandro.I am not sure yet, Alejandro.
- Alejandro¿Quieres pedir una pizza?Do you want to order a pizza?
- LucíaSí, me parece una buena idea.Yes, that sounds like a good idea to me.
