Spanish Phrase
¿A qué hora cenas?
Meaning
This question asks someone at what time they usually have dinner or plan to eat dinner. It can refer to a daily habit or a specific occasion.
When to use
Use it in informal or semi‑formal conversations with friends, family, classmates, or coworkers when you want to know their dinner schedule or to arrange a meeting around mealtime.
✦Grammar Breakdown
¿Aquéhoracenas?
Preposition "a"
The preposition "a" introduces the time expression and translates to "at" in English.
Interrogative "qué"
"qué" (with accent) means "what" and is used in questions; never write it as "que".
Noun "hora"
"hora" means "hour" or "time"; it is feminine, so the article would be "la hora" in statements.
Verb "cenas"
"cenas" is the second‑person singular (tú) present indicative of the verb *cenar* (to have dinner).
Question marks
Spanish uses an opening (¿) and closing (?) question mark; both are required.
🗨In Conversation
¿A qué hora cenas?
What time do you have dinner?
Normalmente a las ocho, pero hoy a las nueve porque tengo una reunión.
Usually at eight, but today at nine because I have a meeting.
✕Common Mistakes
¿A que hora cenas?
Missing accent changes the meaning; "que" means "that" or "which".
¿A qué hora cena?
Using the infinitive or noun form loses the subject; you need the verb form "cenas" for "you eat dinner".
¿A que hora cenas?
Both preposition and interrogative must be written separately and the interrogative needs an accent.
↔Alternatives
¿A qué hora comes?
What time do you eat?
¿A qué hora es la cena?
What time is dinner?
¿A qué hora vas a cenar?
What time are you going to have dinner?
Cultural Tip
In Spain dinner is typically served late, often between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m., while in most Latin American countries it’s earlier, around 7 p.m.–8 p.m. Adjust your question accordingly and be aware that asking about dinner time can be a polite way to suggest meeting after the meal.