Spanish for Home Stays: Tell Your Host About Dietary Restrictions
Learn to tell a host family in Spanish about dietary restrictions before you arrive, using polite phrases for meals at home, not restaurants.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When you stay with a host family, meals are shared at home, so you need to explain dietary restrictions in advance. This lesson teaches you polite Spanish phrases to tell your host what you cannot eat or drink, ask what they plan to serve, and offer to bring your own food. You will use the verb 'poder' (to be able to) and 'tener' (to have) to talk about restrictions. The focus is on home meals, not restaurant orders. You will practice a short conversation and learn to avoid common mistakes.
By the end, you can…
- politely tell my host about foods I cannot eat or drink.
- ask what meals will be served and offer to bring my own food.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
No puedo comer carne.
I can't eat meat.
noh PWEH-doh koh-MEHR KAR-neh
Use this to state a restriction clearly. 'Carne' means meat; replace with other foods as needed.
Soy alérgico/a a los frutos secos.
I am allergic to nuts.
soy ah-LEHR-hee-koh (male) / ah-LEHR-hee-kah (female) ah lohs FROO-tohs SEH-kohs
Use 'alérgico' if you are male, 'alérgica' if female. 'Frutos secos' covers nuts and peanuts in many regions.
No como cerdo por motivos religiosos.
I don't eat pork for religious reasons.
noh KOH-moh SEHR-doh pohr moh-TEE-vohs reh-lee-HYOH-sohs
Use this to explain a religious restriction. 'Cerdo' means pork.
¿Qué piensa preparar para las comidas?
What do you plan to prepare for meals?
keh PYEHN-sah preh-pah-RAR PAH-rah lahs koh-MEE-dahs
Polite way to ask about upcoming meals. Use 'piensa' (you plan) for formal 'usted'.
Puedo llevar mi propia comida.
I can bring my own food.
PWEH-doh yeh-VAR mee PROH-pee-ah koh-MEE-dah
Offer to bring your own food to make things easier for your host.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To talk about what you cannot eat, use 'No puedo comer' + food. For example: 'No puedo comer mariscos' (I can't eat shellfish). To talk about what you do not eat, use 'No como' + food: 'No como gluten' (I don't eat gluten). To say you are allergic, use 'Soy alérgico/a a' + food: 'Soy alérgico a la leche' (I am allergic to milk). These patterns let you state restrictions clearly and politely.
When to use it
Use these phrases before you arrive, in a message or a phone call. For example, write: 'Hola, antes de llegar, quiero decirle que no puedo comer carne.' (Hello, before arriving, I want to tell you that I can't eat meat.) At the home, if offered something you cannot eat, say 'No, gracias, no puedo comer eso.' (No, thank you, I can't eat that.) Always be polite and explain briefly. If you have a severe allergy, say 'Es una alergia grave' (It's a serious allergy).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Hola, antes de llegar, quiero decirle que no puedo comer carne ni mariscos.
Hello, before arriving, I want to tell you that I can't eat meat or shellfish.OH-lah AHN-tehs deh yeh-GAR KYEH-roh deh-SEER-leh keh noh PWEH-doh koh-MEHR KAR-neh nee mah-REES-kohsGracias por avisarme. ¿Puede comer pollo o pescado?
Thanks for letting me know. Can you eat chicken or fish?GRAH-syahs pohr ah-vee-SAR-meh PWEH-deh koh-MEHR POH-yoh oh pehs-KAH-dohSí, pollo y pescado están bien. También como verduras y arroz.
Yes, chicken and fish are fine. I also eat vegetables and rice.see POH-yoh ee pehs-KAH-doh ehs-TAHN byehn tahm-BYEHN KOH-moh behr-DOO-rahs ee ah-ROHSPerfecto. Prepararé pollo con verduras. ¿Tiene alguna otra restricción?
Perfect. I'll prepare chicken with vegetables. Do you have any other restriction?pehr-FEHK-toh preh-pah-rah-REH POH-yoh kohn behr-DOO-rahs TYEH-neh ahl-GOO-nah OH-trah rehs-treek-SYOHNA little context goes a long way
In many Latin American homes, hosts show care by offering food, so refusing can feel personal. Explain your restriction as a health or religious need, not a preference. Use 'por motivos de salud' (for health reasons) or 'por motivos religiosos' (for religious reasons). If you are allergic, say 'Es una alergia' to show it is serious. The term 'frutos secos' varies by region: in Spain it usually means nuts such as almonds, walnuts, and hazelnuts, while peanuts are called 'cacahuetes'; in much of Latin America 'maní' or 'cacahuate' (Mexico) is the word for peanut, and it may or may not be grouped with 'frutos secos'. If your allergy includes peanuts, name them explicitly. Always thank your host for their effort.
One thing to watch for
Saying 'No quiero comer carne' to mean 'I can't eat meat.'
Try this instead: 'No quiero' means 'I don't want to,' which can sound like a preference. Use 'No puedo comer carne' (I can't eat meat) or 'No como carne' (I don't eat meat). For example: 'No puedo comer carne por motivos de salud.'
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I am allergic to milk' if you are female?
Show a sample answer
Soy alérgica a la leche.
Use 'alérgica' for a female speaker. 'Alérgico' is for male speakers. Both are correct depending on the speaker.
2Ask your host politely what they plan to prepare for meals.
Show a sample answer
¿Qué piensa preparar para las comidas?
This uses 'piensa' (you plan) for formal 'usted'. You could also say '¿Qué va a preparar para las comidas?' with the same meaning.
3Offer to bring your own food.
Show a sample answer
Puedo llevar mi propia comida.
This politely offers to bring your own food. You could also say 'Puedo traer mi propia comida' in some regions, but 'llevar' is common for bringing something to a place.
Tell your host about dietary restrictions before you arrive using 'No puedo comer...' or 'No como...', ask what they plan to serve, and offer to bring your own food. Be polite and explain briefly.
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