¿cuándo está lista la cena?
To ask "when is dinner ready?" in Spanish, use ¿cuándo está lista la cena?
This phrase is used to inquire about the specific time a meal will be finished being prepared and available to be eaten.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase translates literally as when is ready the dinner?
Which one should you use?
While ¿cuándo está lista la cena? asks specifically when the food will be prepared and ready to eat, the alternative ¿cuándo es la cena? is used to ask about the scheduled time of the meal itself.
How does it change in a sentence?
A common way to ask when the meal will be ready in the future is to use the future tense ¿cuándo estará lista la cena? instead of the present tense está.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, la cena takes place much later than in English-speaking cultures, often between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m.
- The word lista shares a common ancestor with the English word 'list', originally referring to a border or an edge.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, asking ¿cuándo está lista la cena? too early might be seen as impatient or even rude to the cook.
Examples in context
- ¿cuándo está lista la cena? Tengo mucha hambre.When is dinner ready? I am very hungry.
- Mamá, ¿cuándo está lista la cena?Mom, when is dinner ready?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cena, cuándo, la, lista, CC BY-SA 4.0.
