Dietary & Allergies

1. אני צמחוני.

   Ani tsimkhoni.

   I am vegetarian.

   Usage

   Male form. Females say "tsimhonit"

   Grammar Note

   Hebrew adjectives agree in gender with the subject

2. אני טבעוני, אני לא אוכל שום מוצר מן החי.

   Ani tiv'oni, ani lo okhel shum mutsar min hakhay.

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

   Usage

   Clarify avoidance of dairy/eggs/honey

   Grammar Note

   "shum" + negative = "no ~ at all"

3. יש לי אלרגיה לאגוזים.

   Yesh li alergya le'egozim.

   I have a nut allergy.

   Usage

   Declare nut allergy

   Grammar Note

   "Yesh li" = existential "I have"

4. יש לכם תפריט ללא גלוטן?

   Yesh lakhem tafrit lelo gluten?

   Do you have a gluten-free menu?

   Usage

   For celiac/gluten intolerance

   Grammar Note

   "lakhem" = "to you (pl.)" (le- + 2pl pronoun); "yesh lakhem" = "you have"

5. אני שומר כשרות ולא אוכל בשר חזיר.

   Ani shomer kashrut velo okhel besar khazir.

   I keep kosher and don't eat pork.

   Usage

   Explain Jewish dietary observance (kashrut)

   Grammar Note

   Kashrut is the typical reference in Hebrew, more so than halal

6. אני סובל מאי סבילות ללקטוז.

   Ani sovel me'i savilut lelaktoz.

   I am lactose intolerant.

   Usage

   Declare lactose intolerance

   Grammar Note

   "i" prefix = "non-/in-"

7. יש לי אלרגיה לפירות ים.

   Yesh li alergya leperot yam.

   I have a seafood allergy.

   Usage

   Shellfish/seafood allergy

   Grammar Note

   Literally "fruits of the sea" but idiomatically means shellfish/seafood

8. מה יש במנה הזאת?

   Ma yesh bamana hazot?

   What's in this dish?

   Usage

   Basic question to check ingredients

   Grammar Note

   "mana" is feminine, so the demonstrative is "hazot"

9. אפשר להכין את זה בלי בצל?

   Efshar lehakhin et ze bli batsal?

   Can you make it without onion?

   Usage

   Ask to omit ingredient

   Grammar Note

   "Efshar" = generic "is it possible?"

10. יש לי אלרגיה לביצים.

    Yesh li alergya lebetsim.

    I have an egg allergy.

    Usage

    Avoid egg-containing dishes

    Grammar Note

    "le-" = "to/toward" (preposition)

11. יש לכם רשימת אלרגנים?

    Yesh lakhem reshimat alergenim?

    Do you have an allergen list?

    Usage

    Request allergen list

    Grammar Note

    "reshimat" is the construct (smikhut) form

12. זאת אלרגיה מסכנת חיים.

    Zot alergya mesakenet khayim.

    This is a life-threatening allergy.

    Usage

    Warn of severity

    Grammar Note

    "alergya" is feminine, so "mesakenet" agrees in feminine

13. יש בזה שמן או תבלינים?

    Yesh baze shemen o tavlinim?

    Does this contain oil or spices?

    Usage

    Check for oil/spice content

    Grammar Note

    "be + ze" contracts to "baze"

14. יש סיכון לזיהום צולב מאוכל אחר?

    Yesh sikun lezihum tsolev me'okhel akher?

    Is there a risk of cross-contamination from other food?

    Usage

    Ask about cross-contamination risk

    Grammar Note

    "me-" prefix = "from"

15. תודה רבה על ההתחשבות.

    Toda raba al hahit'khashvut.

    Thank you very much for your consideration.

    Usage

    Thank for accommodating

    Grammar Note

    "al" = "for/about" marks the reason of thanks

16. אני לא יכול לאכול בשר.

    Ani lo yakhol le'ekhol basar.

    I can't eat meat.

    Usage

    State you can't eat meat

    Grammar Note

    "lo yakhol" = "cannot"

17. בשר חזיר

    basar khazir

    Pork

    Usage

    Point at this to check a dish for pork. Kosher establishments never serve it, but non-kosher places do — sometimes under the euphemism "basar lavan" (white meat)

18. בשר בקר

    basar bakar

    Beef

    Usage

    Checks a dish for beef; "basar" alone just means meat in general

19. עוף

    of

    Chicken

    Usage

    Checks a dish for chicken. The same spelling also means "fowl" in general and, as an imperative, "fly!" — but on a menu it is always chicken

20. דגים

    dagim

    Fish

    Usage

    Checks a dish for fish; the singular is "dag"

21. ביצים

    betsim

    Eggs

    Usage

    Checks a dish for egg; the singular is "betsa"

22. מוצרי חלב

    mutsrei khalav

    Dairy products

    Usage

    Checks a dish for dairy. Anything marked "khalavi" under kosher labelling contains dairy by definition

23. בוטנים

    botnim

    Peanuts

    Usage

    For a peanut allergy. Bamba, Israel's ubiquitous snack, is peanut-based — watch for it

24. אגוזים

    egozim

    Tree nuts

    Usage

    Covers walnuts, almonds and other tree nuts; peanuts are a separate word, "botnim", and are not included here

25. פירות ים

    perot yam

    Shellfish / seafood

    Usage

    Literally "fruits of the sea" — shrimp, crab and shellfish; fish is excluded and has its own word, "dagim". Kosher venues do not serve any of it

26. חיטה

    khita

    Wheat

    Usage

    Checks a dish for wheat; gluten itself is "gluten"

27. סויה

    soya

    Soy

    Usage

    Checks a dish for soy; soy sauce is "rotev soya"

28. שומשום

    shumshum

    Sesame

    Usage

    Critical in Israel: tehina, the sesame paste in hummus, falafel and halva, is everywhere

29. אלכוהול

    alkohol

    Alcohol

    Usage

    Checks whether a dish was cooked with alcohol — for religious or medical avoidance

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