Dietary & Allergies

1. أنا نباتي.

   anā nabātī.

   I am vegetarian.

   Usage

   Declares vegetarianism; women say "نباتية"

   Grammar Note

   Arabic omits present-tense copula

2. أنا نباتي صرف، لا آكل أي منتجات حيوانية.

   anā nabātī ṣirf, lā ākulu ayya muntajāt ḥayawāniyya.

   I'm strict vegan and don't eat any animal products.

   Usage

   Avoids all animal-derived foods

   Grammar Note

   "لا + imperfect" expresses "do not ~"

3. لدي حساسية من المكسرات.

   ladayya ḥasāsiyya mina al-mukassarāt.

   I have a nut allergy.

   Usage

   Tree-nut allergy

   Grammar Note

   "ladayya" idiomatically means "I have"

4. هل لديكم قائمة طعام خالية من الغلوتين؟

   hal ladaykum qāʾimat ṭaʿām khāliya min al-ghlūtīn?

   Do you have a gluten-free menu?

   Usage

   Standard celiac question

   Grammar Note

   "hal" introduces yes/no questions

5. أنا مسلم، لا آكل لحم الخنزير.

   anā muslim, lā ākulu laḥm al-khinzīr.

   I'm Muslim, I don't eat pork.

   Usage

   Muslim observance; women say "مسلمة"

   Grammar Note

   "lā ākulu" = "I do not eat" (negated present); "laḥm al-khinzīr" = "pork", a noun-noun possessive chain (iḍāfa)

6. لدي عدم تحمل للاكتوز.

   ladayya ʿadam taḥammul lil-lāktūz.

   I am lactose intolerant.

   Usage

   Declares lactose intolerance

   Grammar Note

   "ʿadam" is a negation noun: "lack of ~"

7. لدي حساسية من المأكولات البحرية.

   ladayya ḥasāsiyya mina al-maʾkūlāt al-baḥriyya.

   I'm allergic to seafood.

   Usage

   Seafood allergy including shellfish

   Grammar Note

   "al-baḥriyya" is feminine adjective "of the sea"

8. ما هي المكونات في هذا الطبق؟

   mā hiya al-mukawwināt fī hādhā aṭ-ṭabaq?

   What are the ingredients in this dish?

   Usage

   Standard ingredient-check question

   Grammar Note

   "mā hiya" is the feminine form of "what is"

9. هل يمكنكم تحضيره بدون بصل؟

   hal yumkinukum taḥḍīruhu bidūn baṣal?

   Can you prepare it without onion?

   Usage

   Request to omit an ingredient

   Grammar Note

   "yumkinu + suffix" = "can you / is it possible for you"

10. لدي حساسية من البيض.

    ladayya ḥasāsiyya mina al-bayḍ.

    I have an egg allergy.

    Usage

    Watch for hidden eggs

    Grammar Note

    "al-bayḍ" is a collective noun

11. هل لديكم معلومات عن مسببات الحساسية؟

    hal ladaykum maʿlūmāt ʿan musabbibāt al-ḥasāsiyya?

    Do you have allergen information?

    Usage

    Asks if allergen info is available

    Grammar Note

    "musabbibāt" is plural of "trigger/cause"

12. هذه الحساسية تهدد الحياة. من فضلكم، كونوا حذرين جداً.

    hādhihi al-ḥasāsiyya tuhaddidu al-ḥayā. min faḍlikum, kūnū ḥadhirīna jiddan.

    This allergy is life-threatening. Please be very careful.

    Usage

    Communicates anaphylaxis risk

    Grammar Note

    "kūnū" is masc. plural imperative of "kāna"

13. هل يحتوي هذا على زيت الفول السوداني؟

    hal yaḥtawī hādhā ʿalā zayt al-fūl as-sūdānī?

    Does this contain peanut oil?

    Usage

    Important at Asian restaurants

    Grammar Note

    "yaḥtawī ʿalā + noun" = "contains ~"

14. هل تستخدمون أدوات منفصلة للأطباق الخالية من المواد المسببة للحساسية؟

    hal tastakhdimūna adawāt munfaṣila lil-aṭbāq al-khāliya mina al-mawādd al-musabbiba lil-ḥasāsiyya?

    Do you use separate utensils for allergen-free dishes?

    Usage

    Checks cross-contamination

    Grammar Note

    Adjectives agree in gender, number, definiteness

15. شكراً لكم على مراعاة احتياجاتي الغذائية.

    shukran lakum ʿalā murāʿāti iḥtiyājātī al-ghidhāʾiyya.

    Thank you for considering my dietary needs.

    Usage

    Polite gratitude for accommodation

    Grammar Note

    "shukran lakum ʿalā + verbal noun" thanks for an action

16. لأسباب دينية، لا آكل لحم البقر.

    li-asbāb dīniyya, lā ākulu laḥm al-baqar.

    For religious reasons I don't eat beef.

    Usage

    Explains religious avoidance of beef

    Grammar Note

    "li-" prefix preposition = "for / due to"

17. لحم الخنزير

    laḥm al-khinzīr

    Pork

    Usage

    Point to ask whether a dish contains it — a religious restriction for many travelers

18. لحم البقر

    laḥm al-baqar

    Beef

    Usage

    Point to ask whether a dish contains beef

19. لحم الدجاج

    laḥm ad-dajāj

    Chicken

    Usage

    Point to ask whether a dish contains chicken

20. سمك

    samak

    Fish

    Usage

    For a fish allergy; ask about crustaceans (qishriyyāt) separately

21. بيض

    bayḍ

    Egg

    Usage

    Point to ask whether a dish contains egg

22. منتجات الألبان

    muntajāt al-albān

    Dairy products

    Usage

    Covers dairy in general — milk, cheese, and butter

23. فول سوداني

    fūl sūdānī

    Peanut

    Usage

    A common anaphylaxis trigger; also watch for peanut oil (zayt al-fūl as-sūdānī)

24. مكسرات

    mukassarāt

    Tree nuts

    Usage

    Tree nuts as distinct from peanuts; used heavily in Middle Eastern sweets

25. قشريات

    qishriyyāt

    Crustaceans

    Usage

    The umbrella term covering shrimp (jambarī) and crab (salṭaʿūn); ask about it separately from fish

26. قمح

    qamḥ

    Wheat

    Usage

    For gluten intolerance or a wheat allergy

27. فول الصويا

    fūl aṣ-ṣūyā

    Soy

    Usage

    Point to ask whether a dish contains soy

28. سمسم

    simsim

    Sesame

    Usage

    A staple in Middle Eastern cooking — present in tahini (ṭaḥīna) and hummus

29. كحول

    kuḥūl

    Alcohol

    Usage

    For checking whether a dish or sauce contains alcohol; alcoholic drinks are mashrūbāt kuḥūliyya

Browse all TravelPhrases languages