Dietary & Allergies

1. Saya vegetarian.

   I am vegetarian.

   Usage

   Declares vegetarianism

   Grammar Note

   Indonesian omits the copula

2. Saya vegan. Saya tidak makan produk hewani apa pun.

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

   Usage

   Avoids all animal-derived foods

   Grammar Note

   "apa pun" emphasizes "any whatsoever"

3. Saya alergi semua jenis kacang, termasuk kacang pohon.

   I'm allergic to nuts.

   Usage

   Declares an allergy to legumes and tree nuts together. Say kacang tanah for peanuts alone, or kacang pohon for tree nuts alone

   Grammar Note

   "Saya alergi + noun" = "I'm allergic to ~". kacang alone is not enough: Indonesian kacang spans the legumes (kacang kedelai soy, kacang hijau mung bean) through to peanuts (kacang tanah), and a bare "alergi kacang" is in practice usually heard as a peanut allergy, leaving almonds and cashews to read as safe. The term that names tree nuts is kacang pohon, so the phrase casts wide with semua jenis ("every kind") and then spells out termasuk kacang pohon ("including tree nuts")

4. Apakah ada menu bebas gluten?

   Is there a gluten-free menu?

   Usage

   Standard celiac question

   Grammar Note

   "Apakah" introduces yes/no questions

5. Saya makan halal. Saya tidak makan babi.

   I keep halal. I don't eat pork.

   Usage

   In Indonesia (largest Muslim country) halal is standard

   Grammar Note

   "tidak" negates verbs and adjectives

6. Saya intoleran laktosa.

   I am lactose intolerant.

   Usage

   Declares lactose intolerance

   Grammar Note

   Distinct from an allergy

7. Saya alergi makanan laut.

   I'm allergic to seafood.

   Usage

   Broad seafood allergy

   Grammar Note

   "laut" means "sea"

8. Apa saja bahan-bahan dalam masakan ini?

   What ingredients are in this dish?

   Usage

   Standard ingredient-check question

   Grammar Note

   Reduplication "bahan-bahan" indicates plurality

9. Bisa dibuat tanpa bawang?

   Can it be made without onion?

   Usage

   Request to omit an ingredient

   Grammar Note

   "di-" is the passive voice prefix

10. Saya alergi telur.

    I'm allergic to eggs.

    Usage

    Watch for hidden eggs

    Grammar Note

    "alergi" is followed directly by the noun

11. Apakah ada informasi alergen?

    Is there allergen information?

    Usage

    Asks for allergen info

    Grammar Note

    "ada" is the existence verb "to be / exist"

12. Alergi ini bisa mengancam jiwa. Mohon sangat berhati-hati.

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

    Usage

    Communicates anaphylaxis risk

    Grammar Note

    "Mohon" politely introduces a request

13. Apakah ini mengandung minyak kacang?

    Does this contain peanut oil?

    Usage

    Important at Asian restaurants

    Grammar Note

    "meN-" forms transitive verbs

14. Apakah Anda menggunakan peralatan terpisah untuk makanan bebas alergen?

    Do you use separate utensils for allergen-free food?

    Usage

    Checks cross-contamination

    Grammar Note

    "ter-" prefix indicates state

15. Terima kasih telah mengakomodasi kebutuhan diet saya.

    Thank you for accommodating my dietary needs.

    Usage

    Polite gratitude for accommodation

    Grammar Note

    "telah" marks completed aspect

16. Karena alasan agama, saya tidak makan daging sapi.

    For religious reasons I don't eat beef.

    Usage

    Explains religious avoidance of beef

    Grammar Note

    "Karena" introduces a reason clause

17. Daging babi

    Pork

    Usage

    Use to check for halal food or confirm a dish has no pork

18. Daging sapi

    Beef

    Usage

    Use to confirm a dish has no beef, including for religious reasons

19. Daging ayam

    Chicken

    Usage

    Use to check whether a dish contains chicken

20. Ikan

    Fish

    Usage

    Use to check for fish in a dish

21. Telur

    Egg

    Usage

    Use to check for egg in a dish

22. Produk susu

    Dairy products

    Usage

    Use for lactose intolerance or a dairy allergy

23. Kacang tanah

    Peanut

    Usage

    "Kacang" alone covers beans and nuts generally, so "tanah" pins it to peanuts

24. Kacang pohon

    Tree nuts

    Usage

    Almonds, cashews and other tree nuts — separate from peanuts ("kacang tanah")

25. Udang dan kepiting

    Shrimp and crab

    Usage

    Names the crustaceans directly; the technical word "krustasea" appears on labels but is not understood at street stalls

26. Gandum

    Wheat

    Usage

    For gluten allergy or coeliac disease; wheat flour is "tepung terigu"

27. Kedelai

    Soy

    Usage

    For a soy allergy; soy is also in "kecap" (soy sauce) and tempeh

28. Wijen

    Sesame

    Usage

    Use to check for sesame

29. Alkohol

    Alcohol

    Usage

    To check that no alcohol is used, for religious or medical reasons; Chinese-Indonesian kitchens often add cooking wine ("angciu")

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