The Present Tense of cenar is used to talk about having dinner in the present moment or as a habitual action. For example, Yo ceno a las 8 p.m. todos los días. (I have dinner at 8 p.m. every day.)

Cenar is a regular -ar verb, which means its conjugations in the present tense follow the typical pattern for this verb type.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Cenar (to have dinner) in the Present Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):

Cenar generally means to have dinner or the evening meal, but has several different meanings in the Present Tense, some of which might surprise you.

To have dinner: This is the most common meaning, referring to eating the main evening meal. For example, Yo ceno a las 8 de la noche. (I have dinner at 8 pm.)

To eat late: It can also mean to eat late at night, even after the typical dinner time. For example, Ellos cenan muy tarde, a veces a la medianoche. (They eat dinner very late, sometimes at midnight.)

To skip a meal: In some contexts, it can mean to skip a meal, usually dinner. For example, Hoy no ceno porque no tengo hambre. (I’m not having dinner today because I’m not hungry.)

To eat out: It can also refer to eating out at a restaurant for dinner. For example, Esta noche cenamos en un restaurante nuevo. (Tonight we’re having dinner at a new restaurant.)

Slang: To fail or mess up: In colloquial usage, it can mean to fail or mess up, especially in a comical or exaggerated way. For example, La ceno completamente en el examen. (I totally messed up on the exam.)

Examples

Examples of Cenar in the Present Tense

Yo ceno a las 8 de la noche. (I have dinner at 8 pm.)

¿A qué hora cenas normalmente? (What time do you usually have dinner?)

Mi mamá cena temprano porque tiene que levantarse muy temprano. (My mom has dinner early because she has to get up very early.)

Nosotros cenamos juntos en familia todos los domingos. (We have dinner together as a family every Sunday.)

Mis amigos cenan en un restaurante nuevo cada fin de semana. (My friends have dinner at a new restaurant every weekend.)

Después del trabajo, ceno algo ligero y me relajo viendo televisión. (After work, I have a light dinner and relax watching TV.)

Los niños cenan a las 6 y se van a la cama temprano. (The kids have dinner at 6 and go to bed early.)

¿Qué cenas cuando estás solo en casa? (What do you have for dinner when you’re home alone?)

En este restaurante, la familia cena y disfruta de un ambiente agradable. (At this restaurant, the family has dinner and enjoys a pleasant atmosphere.)

Mis compañeros de trabajo y yo cenamos juntos después de las reuniones largas. (My coworkers and I have dinner together after long meetings.)

La abuela cena con nosotros todos los viernes por la noche. (Grandma has dinner with us every Friday night.)

Cuando cenamos afuera, pedimos platos para compartir. (When we have dinner out, we order dishes to share.)

Ellos cenan en restaurantes caros para celebrar ocasiones especiales. (They have dinner at fancy restaurants to celebrate special occasions.)

¿A dónde vas cuando cenas con tus amigos? (Where do you go when you have dinner with your friends?)

Después de un día ocupado, cenamos algo rápido y sencillo. (After a busy day, we have a quick and simple dinner.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Cenar (to have dinner) in the Present Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Latin American Spanish. For Castilian Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Present tense is also known as the Simple Present, Present Simple, Present Tense, or Present Indicative in English, and as Presente de Indicativo, Presente Simple, Tiempo Presente, or Indicativo Presente in Spanish.