Mi abuela prepara pavo al horno para la cena del sábado.

In Spanish, the simple present is often used for planned or habitual actions, even when English might prefer is making or will make.

So Mi abuela prepara pavo al horno para la cena del sábado can mean:

• My grandmother makes roast turkey for Saturday dinner
• My grandmother is making roast turkey for Saturday dinner
• depending on context

Spanish often relies on context instead of changing the tense.

In modern Spanish, you normally use a possessive adjective like mi, tu, su, nuestro directly before the noun, without an article.

So:

• mi abuela = my grandmother
• tu casa = your house

Using la mi abuela would sound old-fashioned or regional, not standard modern Spanish.

Prepara comes from preparar, which means to prepare.

In this sentence, prepara can naturally be understood as:

• prepares
• makes
• sometimes cooks, depending on context

It is a bit broader than cook, because preparar focuses on getting the food ready, not just the act of cooking it.

So:

• Mi abuela prepara pavo... = My grandmother prepares/makes turkey...

Here, yes: pavo means turkey, the bird/meat.

A useful extra note: in Spain, pavo can also appear in informal speech with other meanings, depending on context, but in a food sentence like this, it clearly means turkey.

Al horno means baked, oven-roasted, or literally to the oven / in the oven, depending on context.

The form al is a contraction:

• a + el = al

So:

• pavo al horno = turkey cooked in the oven / roast turkey

This is a very common food expression in Spanish:

• pollo al horno = oven-roasted chicken
• patatas al horno = baked potatoes

Because para expresses purpose or intended use here.

• para la cena = for dinner

It tells us what the turkey is intended for.

Por usually has other meanings, such as:

• because of
• through
• by
• around

So in this sentence, para is the correct choice.

Del sábado means of Saturday or, more naturally in English, Saturday's or on Saturday depending on the full phrase.

Here:

• la cena del sábado = Saturday dinner / the Saturday dinner meal

Del is a contraction of:

• de + el = del

So literally:

• la cena del sábado = the dinner of Saturday

That sounds awkward in English, so we usually translate it more naturally as Saturday dinner or dinner on Saturday.

Spanish uses articles more often than English.

In this sentence:

• la cena = the dinner / dinner
• del sábado = of Saturday

With meals and time expressions, Spanish often includes the article where English may not:

• para la cena = for dinner
• el sábado = on Saturday

So la cena del sábado is the normal, natural Spanish phrasing.

When Spanish refers to a specific day in expressions like this, it often uses the definite article:

• el sábado = Saturday / on Saturday

Because del = de + el, the article is still there:

• la cena del sábado = the dinner of Saturday → Saturday dinner

This is very normal in Spanish:

• la fiesta del viernes
• la reunión del lunes

Yes, you could say Mi abuela cocina pavo al horno..., but the nuance changes a little.

• prepara = prepares, gets ready, makes
• cocina = cooks

Both are possible, but prepara sounds slightly broader and often very natural in recipe or meal contexts.

So:

• Mi abuela prepara pavo al horno... = very natural
• Mi abuela cocina pavo al horno... = also correct, but more focused on the cooking itself

The given order is the most natural neutral order:

• Mi abuela prepara pavo al horno para la cena del sábado.

Spanish word order is somewhat flexible, but changing it can sound more marked or less natural unless there is a special reason for emphasis.

For example:

• Para la cena del sábado, mi abuela prepara pavo al horno.

This is also correct, but now for Saturday dinner is being highlighted first.

So the original version is the best basic model for learners.

A broad Spain pronunciation would sound roughly like:

Mi a-bwe-la pre-pa-ra pa-bo al or-no pa-ra la the-na del sa-ba-do

A few key points:

• abuela has bw in the middle: a-bwe-la
• v in pavo sounds very similar to b in Spanish
• in most of Spain, c before e in cena is pronounced like th in think
• h in horno is silent

So:

• cena sounds like THAY-na in much of Spain
• horno sounds like OR-no

It can do either, depending on context.

It may describe:

• a habit: your grandmother regularly makes roast turkey for Saturday dinner
• a planned event: she is making roast turkey for this coming Saturday dinner

Because the Spanish present tense is flexible, context tells you which meaning is intended.