Dietary & Allergies

1. Sono vegetariano.

   I am vegetarian.

   Usage

   Declares vegetarianism; women say "vegetariana"

   Grammar Note

   Adjectives agree in gender and number

2. Sono vegano. Non mangio prodotti animali.

   I'm vegan. I don't eat animal products.

   Usage

   Avoids all animal-derived foods

   Grammar Note

   Negation "Non" precedes the verb

3. Sono allergico alla frutta a guscio.

   I'm allergic to nuts.

   Usage

   Tree-nut allergy in general (mandorle, nocciole, noci, pistacchi, noci di acagiù). Peanut is arachidi, a separate allergen

   Grammar Note

   "alla" = "a + la"; women say "allergica". Do NOT use "frutta secca" — in Italian it also covers dried fruit (raisins, figs, dates), so it is ambiguous for an allergen declaration. In Italian, "frutta a guscio" is the umbrella term for mandorle, nocciole, noci, noci di acagiù, noci di pecan, noci del Brasile, pistacchi and noci macadamia, and this is what appears on allergen menus.

4. Avete un menu senza glutine?

   Do you have a gluten-free menu?

   Usage

   Standard celiac/gluten-intolerance question

   Grammar Note

   "Avete" addresses staff with "voi" (second-person plural)

5. Sono musulmano e non mangio carne di maiale.

   I'm Muslim and don't eat pork.

   Usage

   Explains Muslim observance

   Grammar Note

   Women say "musulmana"; "halal" is also understood

6. Sono intollerante al lattosio.

   I am lactose intolerant.

   Usage

   Declares lactose intolerance

   Grammar Note

   "al" = "a + il"

7. Sono allergico ai crostacei.

   I'm allergic to shellfish.

   Usage

   Shellfish allergy; often severe

   Grammar Note

   "molluschi" (mollusks) are separate; mention both if applicable

8. Quali ingredienti ci sono in questo piatto?

   What ingredients are in this dish?

   Usage

   Standard ingredient-check question

   Grammar Note

   "Quali" agrees with masc. plural; "ci sono" = "there are"

9. Potete prepararlo senza cipolle?

   Can you prepare it without onions?

   Usage

   Request to omit an ingredient

   Grammar Note

   Pronoun "lo" is enclitic on the infinitive

10. Ho un'allergia alle uova.

    I have an egg allergy.

    Usage

    Watch for hidden eggs in pasta and baked goods

    Grammar Note

    "uovo" is masc. sing., plural "uova" is irregular fem.

11. Avete informazioni sugli allergeni?

    Do you have allergen information?

    Usage

    Mandatory in EU restaurants

    Grammar Note

    "sugli" = "su + gli"

12. Questa allergia può essere mortale. Per favore, state molto attenti.

    This allergy can be fatal. Please be very careful.

    Usage

    Communicates anaphylaxis risk

    Grammar Note

    "state" is the imperative of "stare" for "voi"

13. Contiene olio di arachidi?

    Does it contain peanut oil?

    Usage

    Important at Asian restaurants

    Grammar Note

    "Contiene" is third-person singular of "contenere"

14. Usate utensili separati per piatti senza allergeni?

    Do you use separate utensils for allergen-free dishes?

    Usage

    Checks cross-contamination control

    Grammar Note

    "contaminazione crociata" is the technical term

15. Grazie per aver tenuto conto delle mie esigenze alimentari.

    Thank you for considering my dietary needs.

    Usage

    Polite gratitude for accommodation

    Grammar Note

    "per aver + past participle" expresses thanks for completed action

16. Per motivi religiosi non mangio carne di manzo.

    For religious reasons I don't eat beef.

    Usage

    Explains religious avoidance of beef

    Grammar Note

    "carne di manzo" is the standard term for beef

17. La carne di maiale

    Pork

    Usage

    Point at this to check whether a dish contains pork

18. La carne di manzo

    Beef

    Usage

    Point at this to check whether a dish contains beef

19. Il pollo

    Chicken

    Usage

    Point at this to check whether a dish contains chicken

20. Il pesce

    Fish

    Usage

    Used to check for fish in a dish, for allergy or religious reasons

21. Le uova

    Eggs

    Usage

    Used to check for egg; the singular is "un uovo"

22. I latticini

    Dairy products

    Usage

    Covers milk, cheese, butter and other dairy as a group

23. Le arachidi

    Peanuts

    Usage

    Used to check for peanuts, which are separate from tree nuts ("frutta a guscio")

24. La frutta a guscio

    Tree nuts

    Usage

    The official EU allergen-labelling term, covering almonds, walnuts and similar

25. I crostacei

    Crustaceans

    Usage

    Used to check for shrimp, crab and similar shellfish

26. Il grano

    Wheat

    Usage

    Used to check for wheat; gluten itself is "il glutine"

27. La soia

    Soy

    Usage

    Used to check for soy in a dish

28. Il sesamo

    Sesame

    Usage

    Used to check for sesame in a dish

29. L'alcol

    Alcohol

    Usage

    Used to check for alcohol for religious or medical reasons

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