Dietary & Allergies

1. Soc vegetarià.

   I am vegetarian.

   Usage

   Women say "vegetariana"

   Grammar Note

   Catalan adjectives agree in gender/number

2. Soc vegà i no menjo cap producte animal.

   I'm vegan and don't eat any animal product.

   Usage

   Avoids all animal-derived foods

   Grammar Note

   "cap" with negation = "any / none"

3. Tinc al·lèrgia als fruits secs.

   I'm allergic to nuts.

   Usage

   Tree-nut allergy

   Grammar Note

   "als" = "a + els"

4. Tenen menú sense gluten?

   Do you have a gluten-free menu?

   Usage

   Standard celiac question

   Grammar Note

   "Tenen" addresses formal "vostès"

5. Soc musulmà i no menjo carn de porc.

   I'm Muslim and don't eat pork.

   Usage

   Muslim observance; women say "musulmana"

   Grammar Note

   "carn de + animal" = meat type

6. Soc intolerant a la lactosa.

   I am lactose intolerant.

   Usage

   Declares lactose intolerance

   Grammar Note

   "Intolerant" has the same form for masculine and feminine (plural "intolerants")

7. Soc al·lèrgic al marisc.

   I'm allergic to shellfish.

   Usage

   Shellfish allergy

   Grammar Note

   "al" = "a + el"

8. Quins ingredients té aquest plat?

   What ingredients does this dish have?

   Usage

   Standard ingredient-check question

   Grammar Note

   "Quins" is masc. pl. interrogative

9. El podrien preparar sense ceba?

   Could you prepare it without onion?

   Usage

   Request to omit an ingredient

   Grammar Note

   Conditional "podrien" is more polite

10. Tinc al·lèrgia a l'ou.

    I have an egg allergy.

    Usage

    Watch for hidden eggs

    Grammar Note

    "l'" elision before vowels

11. Tenen informació sobre al·lèrgens?

    Do you have allergen information?

    Usage

    Mandatory in EU restaurants

    Grammar Note

    "sobre + noun" = "about ~"

12. Aquesta al·lèrgia pot ser mortal. Si us plau, tinguin molta cura.

    This allergy can be fatal. Please be very careful.

    Usage

    Communicates anaphylaxis risk

    Grammar Note

    "tinguin" is formal imperative for "vostès"

13. Conté oli de cacauet?

    Does it contain peanut oil?

    Usage

    Important at Asian restaurants

    Grammar Note

    "oli de + noun" = "~ oil"

14. Utilitzen estris separats per a plats sense al·lèrgens?

    Do you use separate utensils for allergen-free dishes?

    Usage

    Checks cross-contamination

    Grammar Note

    "contaminació encreuada" is the technical term

15. Gràcies per atendre les meves necessitats alimentàries.

    Thank you for accommodating my dietary needs.

    Usage

    Polite gratitude

    Grammar Note

    "Gràcies per + infinitive"

16. Per motius religiosos, no menjo carn de vedella.

    For religious reasons I don't eat beef.

    Usage

    Explains religious avoidance of beef

    Grammar Note

    "vedella" = veal/young cow; "vaca" = cow

17. la carn de porc

    Pork

    Usage

    Point at it to check ingredients; cured ham ("pernil") and "botifarra" sausage are pork too

18. la carn de vedella

    Beef

    Usage

    In Catalonia beef is normally "vedella"; "carn de bou" refers to meat from a full-grown ox

19. la carn de pollastre

    Chicken

    Usage

    Chicken meat; plain "pollastre" also works

20. el peix

    Fish

    Usage

    Fish as food; the same word covers live fish, but the food context makes it clear

21. l'ou

    Egg

    Usage

    Egg; also hidden in "truita" (omelette) and mayonnaise

22. els productes lactis

    Dairy products

    Usage

    Dairy in general; milk alone is "la llet"

23. el cacauet

    Peanut

    Usage

    Peanut — kept as its own card because it is a common anaphylaxis trigger

24. els fruits secs

    Tree nuts

    Usage

    Almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts and the like. Some shops also count peanuts and dried fruit under this label, so confirm peanuts with the separate card

25. els crustacis

    Crustaceans

    Usage

    Shrimp, prawns, crab — the term used on allergen labels. Menu word "marisc" is broader and also covers molluscs

26. el blat

    Wheat

    Usage

    Wheat. Careful: "blat de moro" is maize, a different thing. Gluten-free is labelled "sense gluten"

27. la soja

    Soy

    Usage

    Soy; also present in soy sauce ("salsa de soja") and tofu

28. el sèsam

    Sesame

    Usage

    Sesame — an EU-labelled allergen, often hidden in bread and hummus

29. l'alcohol

    Alcohol

    Usage

    Show this when avoiding alcohol for religious or medical reasons; useful for checking sauces and desserts

Browse all TravelPhrases languages