Dietary & Allergies

1. Ég er grænmetisæta.

   I am a vegetarian.

   Usage

   Say it before ordering so no meat or fish is served

   Grammar Note

   "Grænmetisæta" is a feminine noun used by speakers of any gender. It is a compound of "grænmeti" (vegetables) and "æta" (eater). Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

2. Ég er vegan og borða engar dýraafurðir.

   I'm vegan and eat no animal products.

   Usage

   Explain that you avoid meat, fish, eggs and dairy

   Grammar Note

   "Vegan" is a masculine noun, used here for "a vegan person". "Engar" is the feminine plural accusative, agreeing with "dýraafurð" (animal product). The negation is carried by "engar" rather than "ekki". Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

3. Ég er með ofnæmi fyrir hnetum.

   I'm allergic to nuts.

   Usage

   Say it when ordering so the kitchen can avoid nuts

   Grammar Note

   "Ofnæmi fyrir" takes the dative, and the dative plural of "hneta" (nut) is "hnetum". Swap in other foods in the same slot. Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

4. Eruð þið með glútenlausan matseðil?

   Do you have a gluten-free menu?

   Usage

   Ask at a restaurant if you have coeliac disease or cannot eat wheat

   Grammar Note

   "Glútenlaus" is "glúten" plus "laus" (without). It takes the masculine accusative "glútenlausan" to agree with "matseðil". Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

5. Ég er múslimi og borða ekki svínakjöt.

   I'm Muslim and don't eat pork.

   Usage

   State that you avoid pork for religious reasons

   Grammar Note

   "Múslimi" is a masculine noun. "Ekki" comes after the verb. Names for believers are not capitalised. Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

6. Ég þoli ekki laktósa.

   I can't tolerate lactose.

   Usage

   Use it to explain why you avoid dairy

   Grammar Note

   "Þola" means "to tolerate", so "þola ekki" is "cannot stand or tolerate". The object is accusative; "laktósi" is masculine, giving "laktósa". "Mjólkursykur" is another word for it. Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

7. Ég er með ofnæmi fyrir skelfiski.

   I'm allergic to shellfish.

   Usage

   Tell the staff in a seafood restaurant

   Grammar Note

   "Ofnæmi fyrir" takes the dative. "Skelfiskur" is masculine, with the dative "skelfiski". Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

8. Hvað er í þessum rétti?

   What is in this dish?

   Usage

   Ask the staff what goes into a dish

   Grammar Note

   "Í" takes the dative for location, and "réttur" (dish) is masculine, giving "þessum rétti". Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

9. Getið þið sleppt lauknum?

   Can you leave out the onion?

   Usage

   Ask the kitchen to leave out an ingredient

   Grammar Note

   "Sleppa" takes the dative, so "laukur" (onion) appears as "lauknum" with the suffixed article. You can swap in other ingredients. Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

10. Ég er með ofnæmi fyrir eggjum.

    I'm allergic to eggs.

    Usage

    Say it to avoid dishes made with egg

    Grammar Note

    "Egg" is neuter, with the dative plural "eggjum", used after "ofnæmi fyrir". Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

11. Eruð þið með upplýsingar um ofnæmisvalda?

    Do you have information on allergens?

    Usage

    Ask whether the menu or staff can list the allergens

    Grammar Note

    "Upplýsing" is feminine; the plural "upplýsingar" means "information". "Um" takes the accusative, and the accusative plural of "ofnæmisvaldur" is "ofnæmisvalda". Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

12. Ofnæmið mitt er lífshættulegt. Farið mjög varlega.

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

    Usage

    Use it to stress that the allergy is serious

    Grammar Note

    "Ofnæmi" is neuter, so "mitt" and "lífshættulegt" are neuter. "Fara varlega" means "to proceed with care", here in the plural imperative "Farið". Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

13. Er olía úr jarðhnetum í þessu?

    Is there peanut oil in this?

    Usage

    Check whether fried or sautéed food uses peanut oil

    Grammar Note

    "Úr" takes the dative, and the dative plural of "jarðhneta" (peanut) is "jarðhnetum". It is built from "jörð" (ground) and "hneta" (nut). "Í þessu" means "in this". Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

14. Notið þið sérstök áhöld fyrir mat án ofnæmisvalda?

    Do you use separate utensils for food without allergens?

    Usage

    Ask when you worry about cross-contamination in the kitchen

    Grammar Note

    "Áhöld" is a plural-only neuter noun, so the adjective is neuter plural "sérstök". "Án" takes the genitive, hence "ofnæmisvalda". Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

15. Takk fyrir að taka tillit til mataræðis míns.

    Thank you for taking my diet into account.

    Usage

    Thank the staff after they adapt a meal for you

    Grammar Note

    "Taka tillit til" means "to take into account", and "til" takes the genitive. "Mataræði" (diet) is neuter, with the genitive "mataræðis" and the possessive "míns". Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

16. Ég borða ekki nautakjöt af trúarlegum ástæðum.

    I don't eat beef for religious reasons.

    Usage

    Explain a religious reason for avoiding beef

    Grammar Note

    "Af ... ástæðum" means "for ... reasons", and "af" takes the dative. "Ástæða" is feminine, with the dative plural "ástæðum", and the adjective also takes the dative plural "trúarlegum". Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

17. svínakjöt

    Pork

    Usage

    Point to this to check whether a dish contains pork

    Grammar Note

    Neuter noun. A compound of "svín" (pig) and "kjöt" (meat)

18. nautakjöt

    Beef

    Usage

    Point to this to check whether a dish contains beef

    Grammar Note

    Neuter noun. A compound of "naut" (cattle) and "kjöt" (meat)

19. kjúklingur

    Chicken

    Usage

    Point to this to check whether a dish contains chicken

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun, used for both the bird and its meat

20. fiskur

    Fish

    Usage

    Point to this to check whether a dish contains fish

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun; with the article it is "fiskurinn"

21. egg

    Egg

    Usage

    Point to this to check whether a dish contains egg

    Grammar Note

    Neuter noun; the plural stays "egg" and the dative plural is "eggjum"

22. mjólkurvörur

    Dairy products

    Usage

    Point to this to check whether a dish contains dairy

    Grammar Note

    Feminine plural noun. A compound of "mjólk" (milk) and "vörur" (goods)

23. jarðhnetur

    Peanuts

    Usage

    Point to this to check whether a dish contains peanuts

    Grammar Note

    Plural of the feminine noun "jarðhneta". "Hnetur" alone refers to nuts in general

24. skelfiskur

    Shellfish

    Usage

    Point to this to check for shellfish and crustaceans

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun. A compound of "skel" (shell) and "fiskur" (fish)

25. hveiti

    Wheat

    Usage

    Point to this to check for wheat or gluten

    Grammar Note

    Neuter noun, also used for wheat flour

26. soja

    Soy

    Usage

    Point to this to check whether a dish contains soy

    Grammar Note

    Neuter noun that does not change its form

27. sesamfræ

    Sesame

    Usage

    Point to this to check whether a dish contains sesame

    Grammar Note

    Neuter noun, normally plural. "Fræ" means "seed"

28. áfengi

    Alcohol

    Usage

    Point to this to check whether a dish or drink contains alcohol

    Grammar Note

    Neuter noun. "Óáfengur" means non-alcoholic

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