cenar
“cenar” means “to have dinner” in Spanish (The main evening meal).
to have dinner
Also: to have supper, to dine
📝 In Action
¿A qué hora vamos a cenar?
A1What time are we going to have dinner?
Anoche cené pescado con verduras.
A2Last night I had fish and vegetables for dinner.
Nos invitaron a cenar en su casa nueva.
B1They invited us to have dinner at their new house.
No he cenado nada todavía, tengo mucha hambre.
B1I haven't had anything for dinner yet, I'm very hungry.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "cenar" in Spanish:
to dine→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: cenar
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly says 'I am having dinner with my family'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes directly from the Latin word 'cēnāre', which meant 'to dine' or 'to have the evening meal'. This is related to 'cēna', the Latin word for the dinner meal itself.
First recorded: 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'cenar' and 'comer'?
'Comer' is the general verb 'to eat' and can be used for any meal. 'Cenar' is specific and only means 'to have dinner/supper', the evening meal. For example, you can say 'voy a comer pizza' (I'm going to eat pizza) at any time, but you would only say 'voy a cenar pizza' (I'm going to have pizza for dinner) in the evening.
Can 'cena' be used as a verb?
No, 'cena' is the noun for 'dinner'. For example, 'La cena está lista' (Dinner is ready). 'Cenar' is the verb 'to have dinner'. For example, 'Vamos a cenar' (Let's have dinner).