Dietary & Allergies

1. Jag är vegetarian.

   I am vegetarian.

   Usage

   Declares vegetarianism

   Grammar Note

   Swedish is gender-neutral here

2. Jag är vegan och äter inga animaliska produkter.

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

   Usage

   Avoids all animal-derived foods

   Grammar Note

   "inga" is the plural negative adjective

3. Jag är allergisk mot nötter.

   I'm allergic to nuts.

   Usage

   Tree-nut allergy

   Grammar Note

   "allergisk mot + noun" pattern

4. Har ni en glutenfri meny?

   Do you have a gluten-free menu?

   Usage

   Standard celiac question

   Grammar Note

   "ni" addresses staff (2nd-person pl.)

5. Jag är muslim och äter inte fläsk.

   I'm Muslim and don't eat pork.

   Usage

   Declares Muslim observance

   Grammar Note

   "inte" negates the verb

6. Jag är laktosintolerant.

   I am lactose intolerant.

   Usage

   Declares lactose intolerance

   Grammar Note

   Compound "laktos + intolerant"

7. Jag är allergisk mot skaldjur.

   I'm allergic to shellfish.

   Usage

   Shellfish allergy

   Grammar Note

   Compound "skal (shell) + djur (animal)"

8. Vilka ingredienser finns i den här rätten?

   What ingredients are in this dish?

   Usage

   Standard ingredient-check question

   Grammar Note

   "den här + noun + definite" = "this ~"

9. Kan ni göra den utan lök?

   Can you make it without onion?

   Usage

   Request to omit an ingredient

   Grammar Note

   "den" is the common-gender pronoun

10. Jag är allergisk mot ägg.

    I'm allergic to eggs.

    Usage

    Watch for hidden eggs

    Grammar Note

    "ägg" has the same form in sing. and pl.

11. Har ni information om allergener?

    Do you have allergen information?

    Usage

    Mandatory in EU restaurants

    Grammar Note

    "om + noun" = "about ~"

12. Den här allergin är livshotande. Var snälla och var mycket försiktiga.

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

    Usage

    Communicates anaphylaxis risk

    Grammar Note

    "Var snäll(a) och" politely prefaces a request; with several people it is "snälla" (Var snälla och var ... försiktiga)

13. Innehåller det här jordnötsolja?

    Does this contain peanut oil?

    Usage

    Important at Asian restaurants

    Grammar Note

    Compound "jord (ground) + nöt + s + olja (oil)"

14. Använder ni separata redskap för allergenfri mat?

    Do you use separate equipment for allergen-free food?

    Usage

    Checks cross-contamination

    Grammar Note

    "korskontaminering" is the technical term

15. Tack för att ni tar hänsyn till mina kostbehov.

    Thank you for taking my dietary needs into consideration.

    Usage

    Polite gratitude

    Grammar Note

    "Tack för att + clause" = "Thanks for ~ing"

16. Av religiösa skäl äter jag inte nötkött.

    For religious reasons I don't eat beef.

    Usage

    Explains religious avoidance of beef

    Grammar Note

    V2 word order with fronted phrase

17. fläskkött

    Pork

    Usage

    Point to this to ask whether a dish contains pork; ham and bacon count too

    Grammar Note

    A neuter "ett" word, definite "fläskköttet"; often shortened to "fläsk". Bacon is "bacon" and ham is "skinka"

18. nötkött

    Beef

    Usage

    Point to this to ask whether a dish contains beef

    Grammar Note

    A neuter "ett" word, definite "nötköttet". Here "nöt" means cattle — it is a homonym of "nöt" (a nut), so always use the plural "nötter" when asking about nut allergies

19. kyckling

    Chicken

    Usage

    Point to this to ask whether a dish contains chicken

    Grammar Note

    An "en" word, definite "kycklingen"; other poultry is "fågel" (duck "anka", turkey "kalkon")

20. fisk

    Fish

    Usage

    Point to this to ask whether a dish contains fish; Swedish cooking uses a lot of herring ("sill") and salmon ("lax")

    Grammar Note

    An "en" word, definite "fisken", plural "fiskar"; shellfish is counted separately as "skaldjur"

21. ägg

    Egg

    Usage

    Point to this to ask whether a dish contains egg; mayonnaise ("majonnäs") contains it too

    Grammar Note

    A neuter "ett" word, definite "ägget" (plural unchanged)

22. mjölkprodukter

    Dairy products

    Usage

    Covers milk, butter, cheese, and cream when checking a dish

    Grammar Note

    A plural; the singular is "en mjölkprodukt". "Lactose-free" is "laktosfri" and "dairy-free" is "mjölkfri"

23. jordnötter

    Peanuts

    Usage

    For a peanut allergy — a different allergen from tree nuts ("nötter"), so show them separately

    Grammar Note

    Normally used in the plural; the singular is "en jordnöt" ("earth nut") — botanically a legume

24. nötter

    Tree nuts

    Usage

    Covers almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts and other tree nuts when checking for an allergy

    Grammar Note

    A plural. The singular "en nöt" is a homonym of the word for cattle, so always use "nötter" when talking about allergies

25. skaldjur

    Shellfish

    Usage

    For a shrimp, crab, or shellfish allergy; watch out for the Swedish crayfish ("kräftor") season

    Grammar Note

    A neuter "ett" word with an unchanged plural; "skal" (shell) + "djur" (animal). A separate allergen from fish

26. vete

    Wheat

    Usage

    For a wheat allergy or gluten intolerance; "gluten-free" is "glutenfri"

    Grammar Note

    A neuter "ett" word, definite "vetet"; wheat flour is "vetemjöl"

27. soja

    Soy

    Usage

    For a soy allergy; soy sauce is also called "soja" or "sojasås"

    Grammar Note

    An "en" word, definite "sojan"; say "sojabönor" for the beans and "sojasås" for the sauce to be precise

28. sesam

    Sesame

    Usage

    For a sesame allergy; it often turns up in bread and hummus

    Grammar Note

    An "en" word, definite "sesamen"; sesame oil is "sesamolja" and the seeds "sesamfrön"

29. alkohol

    Alcohol

    Usage

    Checks whether a dish contains alcohol — for religious restrictions or intolerance

    Grammar Note

    An "en" word, definite "alkoholen"; "without alcohol" is "utan alkohol" and an alcohol-free drink is "alkoholfri"

Browse all TravelPhrases languages