How to Say 'I Don't Eat ___' in Korean for Meat, Dairy, or Nuts
Learn to express personal food restrictions in Korean using the pattern '저는 ___을/를 안 먹어요' for meat, dairy, and nuts.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When you need to tell someone in Korean that you don't eat a specific food—whether for dietary, allergic, or personal reasons—the most straightforward pattern is '저는 ___을/를 안 먹어요' (Jeoneun ___eul/reul an meogeoyo). This literally means 'I don't eat ___.' Unlike asking about ingredients (which would involve questions like '이거에 ___이/가 들어 있어요?'—Does this contain ___?), this pattern states your personal restriction directly. In this lesson, you'll learn how to name common meat, dairy, and nut items and combine them with the negation pattern. We'll use the polite informal style (해요체) that is appropriate for most everyday situations, such as talking to a server, a friend, or a host. By the end, you'll be able to clearly communicate what you don't eat, which is especially useful when dining out or accepting invitations. Let's begin with the key phrases.
By the end, you can…
- say 'I don't eat ___' for meat, dairy, or nuts in Korean.
- name at least five common food items in Korean that fall into these categories.
- use the polite negation pattern '안 먹어요' correctly with different objects.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
저는 고기를 안 먹어요.
I don't eat meat.
jeo-neun go-gi-reul an meo-geo-yo
Use this to state that you don't eat meat in general. '고기' means meat; '를' is the object particle after a vowel-ending noun.
저는 유제품을 안 먹어요.
I don't eat dairy products.
jeo-neun yu-je-pum-eul an meo-geo-yo
Use for dairy. '유제품' is a word for dairy products; '을' is the object particle after a consonant-ending noun.
저는 견과류를 안 먹어요.
I don't eat nuts.
jeo-neun gyeon-gwa-ryu-reul an meo-geo-yo
Use for nuts. '견과류' means nuts; '를' is the object particle after a vowel-ending noun.
저는 우유를 안 먹어요.
I don't drink milk. (Literally: I don't eat milk.)
jeo-neun u-yu-reul an meo-geo-yo
In Korean, '먹다' (to eat) is sometimes used for milk and other drinks in casual speech, though '마시다' (to drink) is more standard for liquids. This sentence is understandable and used, but '저는 우유를 안 마셔요' is the more natural choice for milk.
저는 땅콩을 안 먹어요.
I don't eat peanuts.
jeo-neun ttang-kong-eul an meo-geo-yo
Use for peanuts specifically. '땅콩' is peanut; '을' is the object particle after a consonant-ending noun.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is '저는 [food]을/를 안 먹어요.' Here, '저는' means 'I' (polite) with the topic particle '는'. The food noun takes either '을' or '를' depending on whether it ends in a consonant or vowel: use '을' after a consonant, '를' after a vowel. Then '안 먹어요' means 'don't eat' (polite informal negative). For example: '저는 고기를 안 먹어요' (I don't eat meat), '저는 우유를 안 마셔요' (I don't drink milk). To ask about ingredients, you would use a different pattern, such as '이거에 고기가 들어 있어요?' (Does this contain meat?). The '안 먹어요' pattern is about your personal restriction, not about the dish's contents.
When to use it
Use this pattern when you want to inform someone about your dietary restriction, such as at a restaurant, at a friend's home, or when ordering food. It is polite and direct. For example, if a server offers you a dish, you can say '저는 유제품을 안 먹어요' (I don't eat dairy). If you have a nut allergy, you might say '저는 견과류를 안 먹어요' (I don't eat nuts) to warn them. Note that this pattern states a general habit or restriction; if you want to say you're not eating a specific food right now, you might use '안 먹을래요' (I won't eat) or '못 먹어요' (I can't eat). But for most situations, '안 먹어요' is clear and appropriate.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
손님, 주문하시겠어요?
Sir/Ma'am, would you like to order?son-nim, ju-mun-ha-si-get-eo-yo?네, 저는 고기를 안 먹어요. 채식 메뉴가 있어요?
Yes, I don't eat meat. Do you have vegetarian menu items?ne, jeo-neun go-gi-reul an meo-geo-yo. chae-sik me-nyu-ga it-eo-yo?네, 채식 파스타가 있어요. 유제품은 괜찮으세요?
Yes, we have vegetarian pasta. Are you okay with dairy?ne, chae-sik pa-seu-ta-ga it-eo-yo. yu-je-pum-eun gwaen-chan-eu-se-yo?아니요, 저는 유제품도 안 먹어요. 견과류는 괜찮아요.
No, I don't eat dairy either. Nuts are okay.a-ni-yo, jeo-neun yu-je-pum-do an meo-geo-yo. gyeon-gwa-ryu-neun gwaen-chan-a-yo.A little context goes a long way
In Korean dining culture, stating your dietary restrictions directly is acceptable, but it's often softened with a brief explanation if you're at someone's home. For example, you might add '죄송하지만' (I'm sorry, but) or '건강 때문에' (for health reasons). Also, the word '채식' (vegetarian) is widely understood, but veganism ('비건') is less common in traditional restaurants, so specifying '저는 고기, 유제품, 계란을 안 먹어요' (I don't eat meat, dairy, or eggs) can be helpful. When eating out, it's polite to ask about ingredients rather than assume, using phrases like '이거에 ___이/가 들어 있어요?' (Does this contain ___?).
One thing to watch for
Using '안 먹어요' with the wrong object particle, such as saying '고기 안 먹어요' without '를' or using '가' instead of '를'.
Try this instead: In polite speech, it's better to include the object particle: '고기를 안 먹어요' (I don't eat meat). The particle '를' marks '고기' as the object. Omitting it can sound abrupt or incomplete. Also, don't confuse '안 먹어요' (don't eat) with '못 먹어요' (can't eat); use '안' for choice or habit, '못' for inability.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you say 'I don't eat dairy' in Korean?
Show a sample answer
저는 유제품을 안 먹어요.
This uses the pattern '저는 [noun]을/를 안 먹어요.' '유제품' ends in a consonant, so it takes '을'. You could also say '저는 유제품을 먹지 않아요' (more formal), but '안 먹어요' is standard in polite informal speech.
2What is the correct object particle in '저는 땅콩__ 안 먹어요'?
Show a sample answer
을
'땅콩' ends in a consonant (ㅇ), so it takes '을'. The full sentence is '저는 땅콩을 안 먹어요.' If the noun ended in a vowel, like '고기', you would use '를'.
3Translate to Korean: 'I don't eat meat or nuts.' (Hint: use '고기' and '견과류' with the appropriate particles and '안 먹어요'.)
Show a sample answer
저는 고기와 견과류를 안 먹어요.
Here, '와' connects two nouns (meat and nuts). The object particle '를' is attached to the last noun '견과류' because it ends in a vowel. Alternatively, you could say '저는 고기를 안 먹어요. 그리고 견과류도 안 먹어요.' Both are correct.
To state a food restriction in Korean, use '저는 [food]을/를 안 먹어요.' Remember to choose '을' or '를' based on the final sound of the food noun. This pattern is polite and clear for everyday situations.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s Korean into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr