Say 'I am vegetarian' in Spanish and explain what you don't eat
Learn to state that you are vegetarian in Latin American Spanish, name the foods you avoid, and ask whether a dish contains meat, poultry, or seafood.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
To say you are vegetarian in Spanish, the most useful phrase is Soy vegetariano (if you are male) or Soy vegetariana (if you are female). Spanish adjectives of this type change with the speaker's gender, so choose the ending that matches you. From there, you can add what you do not eat using no como..., and ask about dishes with ¿Lleva...? This lesson gives you complete sentences, not just one word, so you can handle a restaurant or a friend's kitchen.
By the end, you can…
- say whether I am vegetarian, using the correct adjective ending for my gender.
- name common foods I do not eat, such as meat, chicken, fish, and seafood.
- ask whether a specific dish contains an ingredient I avoid.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Soy vegetariano.
I am vegetarian. (said by a male speaker)
soy beh-heh-tah-RYAH-noh
Use this if you are male. The adjective agrees with the speaker, not with the person you are talking to.
Soy vegetariana.
I am vegetarian. (said by a female speaker)
soy beh-heh-tah-RYAH-nah
Use this if you are female. The final -a is the feminine form of the adjective.
No como carne ni pollo.
I don't eat meat or chicken.
noh KOH-moh KAR-neh nee POH-yoh
Ni means 'nor' or 'or' in negative sentences. After no, Spanish normally uses ni instead of o.
Tampoco como pescado ni mariscos.
I also don't eat fish or seafood.
tahm-POH-koh KOH-moh pehs-KAH-doh nee mah-REES-kohs
Tampoco means 'neither' or 'not either.' It adds a second group of foods you avoid.
¿Lleva carne este plato?
Does this dish contain meat?
LYEH-vah KAR-neh EHS-teh PLAH-toh
Llevar literally means 'to carry,' but for food it means 'to contain' or 'to have in it.' This is a natural way to ask about a dish.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is Soy + vegetarian adjective, then No como + food. For example: Soy vegetariana y no como carne. To add more foods, use ni: No como carne ni pollo ni pescado. If you want to ask about a dish, use ¿Lleva...? as in ¿Lleva carne? or ¿Lleva mariscos? The verb llevar is very common in Latin American Spanish for asking what a food contains.
When to use it
Use Soy vegetariano/a when you need to state your diet clearly, for example when a host offers you food: Soy vegetariana, ¿hay algo sin carne? Use No como... to list specific foods. If you eat fish but not meat, say No como carne, pero sí como pescado. If you avoid eggs and dairy too, add No como huevos ni lácteos. These sentences let you be precise without giving a long explanation.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Buenas tardes. ¿Qué me recomienda?
Good afternoon. What do you recommend?BWEH-nahs TAR-dehs. keh meh reh-koh-MYEN-dahLe recomiendo el pollo con arroz.
I recommend the chicken with rice.leh reh-koh-MYEN-doh ehl POH-yoh kohn ah-ROHSSoy vegetariana. No como carne ni pollo. ¿Lleva carne la sopa de verduras?
I am vegetarian. I don't eat meat or chicken. Does the vegetable soup contain meat?soy beh-heh-tah-RYAH-nah. noh KOH-moh KAR-neh nee POH-yoh. LLYEH-vah KAR-neh lah SOH-pah deh behr-DOO-rahsNo, la sopa no lleva carne. También tenemos ensalada y frijoles.
No, the soup doesn't contain meat. We also have salad and beans.noh, lah SOH-pah noh LLYEH-vah KAR-neh. tahm-BYEN teh-NEH-mohs ehn-sah-LAH-dah ee free-HOH-lehsA little context goes a long way
In much of Latin America, 'vegetariano' is widely understood, but practices vary: some people who say they are vegetarian still eat chicken or fish, so it is useful to state exactly what you do not eat. In more traditional settings, asking ¿Lleva carne? is clearer than assuming everyone shares the same definition of vegetarian. If you avoid animal products entirely, say Soy vegano (male) or Soy vegana (female).
One thing to watch for
Using the wrong adjective ending, such as a male speaker saying Soy vegetariana.
Try this instead: The adjective agrees with the speaker's gender. A male says Soy vegetariano; a female says Soy vegetariana. The same pattern applies to vegano/vegana. If you are unsure, you can also say No como carne, which avoids the adjective ending.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would a female speaker say 'I am vegetarian'?
Show a sample answer
Soy vegetariana.
The adjective vegetariana has the feminine -a ending, matching a female speaker. A male speaker would say Soy vegetariano.
2Translate: 'I don't eat meat or fish.'
Show a sample answer
No como carne ni pescado.
No como introduces the negative, and ni connects the two foods. You could also say No como carne ni pescado ni mariscos if you also avoid seafood.
3Ask whether a dish contains seafood.
Show a sample answer
¿Lleva mariscos?
Llevar is used for what a food contains. ¿Lleva mariscos? is a natural, polite question. ¿Tiene mariscos? is also understandable.
Remember two pieces: Soy vegetariano/a states your diet, and No como... ni... lists what you avoid. When in doubt, ask ¿Lleva carne? to check a dish before ordering.
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