How to Say "I Am Vegetarian" in Korean and Explain What You Don't Eat
Learn to state that you are vegetarian in Korean, name the foods you avoid, and ask whether a dish contains meat, fish, or broth.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
If you follow a vegetarian diet, the single most useful Korean sentence you can learn is 저는 채식주의자예요 (jeoneun chaesikjuuijayeyo), "I am a vegetarian." But in Korea, saying only that often is not enough: many dishes that look meat-free are seasoned with fish sauce, anchovy broth, or bits of ham. This lesson teaches you to state your diet, list the foods you do not eat, and ask a clear yes-or-no question about a dish. You will use two polite patterns: -이에요/예요 for "is" and 안 먹어요 for "I don't eat." Everything here is polite informal speech (해요체), which is safe with strangers, restaurant staff, and acquaintances.
By the end, you can…
- say "I am a vegetarian" politely in Korean.
- name at least four foods I do not eat using 안 먹어요.
- ask whether a dish contains meat, fish, or meat broth.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
저는 채식주의자예요.
I am a vegetarian.
jeo-neun chae-sik-ju-ui-ja-ye-yo
The standard polite way to state your diet. Use it first when speaking to restaurant staff or a host.
저는 고기를 안 먹어요.
I don't eat meat.
jeo-neun go-gi-reul an meo-geo-yo
고기 (gogi) means meat in general, including beef, pork, and chicken. 안 먹어요 is a plain, polite negative.
저는 생선을 안 먹어요.
I don't eat fish.
jeo-neun saeng-seon-eul an meo-geo-yo
Say this too, because many people understand "vegetarian" as avoiding only red meat.
여기에 고기가 들어가요?
Does this have meat in it?
yeo-gi-e go-gi-ga deu-reo-ga-yo
A yes-or-no question about a specific dish. 들어가요 literally means "goes in," used for ingredients.
육수에 고기나 생선이 들어가요?
Does the broth contain meat or fish?
yuk-su-e go-gi-na saeng-seon-i deu-reo-ga-yo
Broth is the most common hidden source of meat or fish, so ask this before ordering soup or noodles.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To say what you do not eat, put the food before the verb and use 안 before 먹어요: 저는 [food]을/를 안 먹어요. The object particle 을 comes after a consonant, 를 after a vowel: 고기를 안 먹어요 (I don't eat meat), 생선을 안 먹어요 (I don't eat fish), 달걀을 안 먹어요 (I don't eat eggs). To ask about a dish, use [food]이/가 들어가요? — 여기에 고기가 들어가요? (Does this have meat in it?). Answer yes with 네, 들어가요 and no with 아니요, 안 들어가요.
When to use it
Start with 저는 채식주의자예요 to set the context, then add specific 안 먹어요 sentences, because 채식주의자 alone may be understood differently by different people. At a restaurant, combine it with a question: 저는 채식주의자예요. 고기하고 생선을 안 먹어요. 이 국에 육수가 들어가요? (I'm vegetarian. I don't eat meat or fish. Does this soup contain meat broth?) With a host at home, the same sentences work; adding 죄송하지만 (I'm sorry, but) before a request sounds extra considerate.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
저는 채식주의자예요. 고기하고 생선을 안 먹어요.
I am a vegetarian. I don't eat meat or fish.jeo-neun chae-sik-ju-ui-ja-ye-yo. go-gi-ha-go saeng-seon-eul an meo-geo-yo네, 알겠어요. 이 비빔밥에는 고기가 들어가요.
Okay, I understand. This bibimbap has meat in it.ne, al-get-eo-yo. i bi-bim-bap-e-neun go-gi-ga deu-reo-ga-yo그럼 고기 빼 주세요. 육수에도 고기가 들어가요?
Then please leave out the meat. Does the broth have meat in it too?geu-reom go-gi ppae ju-se-yo. yuk-su-e-do go-gi-ga deu-reo-ga-yo아니요, 이 육수는 다시마로 만들어요. 고기 안 들어가요.
No, this broth is made with kelp. There's no meat in it.a-ni-yo, i yuk-su-neun da-si-ma-ro man-deu-reo-yo. go-gi an deu-reo-ga-yoA little context goes a long way
Polite informal speech (해요체) is the safe default with restaurant staff and people you have just met; plain speech (반말) is for close friends and children. Vegetarianism is less common in Korea than in many English-speaking countries, so staff may not know exactly what you avoid. Stating your diet clearly and politely, then asking about specific ingredients, is more effective than expecting the word 채식주의자 to cover every detail.
One thing to watch for
Saying 저는 고기를 안 먹어요 and assuming that covers all meat and fish products.
Try this instead: 고기 usually refers to meat such as beef, pork, and chicken, and it may not be understood to include fish, seafood, or meat-based broth. Add 생선을 안 먹어요 (I don't eat fish) and ask 육수에 고기가 들어가요? (Does the broth contain meat?) so your meaning is clear.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say "I am a vegetarian" politely in Korean?
Show a sample answer
저는 채식주의자예요.
저는 means "as for me," and 채식주의자예요 means "am a vegetarian" in polite informal speech. 저는 채식주의자입니다 is also correct but more formal.
2Say "I don't eat meat" using 안 먹어요.
Show a sample answer
저는 고기를 안 먹어요.
고기 (meat) takes the object particle 를 because it ends in a vowel, and 안 먹어요 means "don't eat." 저는 고기 안 먹어요 is also acceptable in casual speech.
3Ask whether a dish contains fish.
Show a sample answer
여기에 생선이 들어가요?
생선 (fish) takes the subject particle 이 because it ends in a consonant, and 들어가요 asks whether it is included. 여기에 생선 들어가요? is also understood.
Lead with 저는 채식주의자예요, then add specific 안 먹어요 sentences for meat, fish, and eggs, and always ask 육수에 고기가 들어가요? before ordering soup or noodles.
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