In this workshop you will practice a short restaurant exchange in Spanish. You will learn how to say what you do not eat, how to ask whether there are vegetarian options, and how to answer a question about allergies. You will hear each line first, understand what it means in English, and then use it in guided speaking tasks. You can play both roles with the audio, but there is no automatic assessment, so check your answers with the keys provided.
Saying what you don't eat
The simplest way to state a dietary need is to say what you do not eat. The line «No como carne.» means 'I don't eat meat.' The line «No como lácteos.» means 'I don't eat dairy.' The line «No como frutos secos.» means 'I don't eat nuts.' Notice that each line names one food or food group after the same opening. To use these in a real situation, say the line clearly and calmly, then wait for the other person to respond. You do not need to add extra explanations at this point. If you want to ask about options, you can combine your need with a question, as in «No como carne. ¿Tienes opciones vegetarianas?», which means 'I don't eat meat. Do you have vegetarian options?'
Asking about options and allergies
After you say what you do not eat, the other person may ask a follow-up question. The line «¿Qué te gustaría comer?» means 'What would you like to eat?' This is a general question about your choice. The line «Sí, tenemos ensalada y pasta. ¿Alguna alergia?» means 'Yes, we have salad and pasta. Any allergies?' Here the speaker first answers the vegetarian question, then asks about allergies. If you have an allergy, you can answer with «Soy alérgico/a a los frutos secos.», which means 'I'm allergic to nuts.' The shorter line «No como frutos secos.» means 'I don't eat nuts,' which states a dietary need but does not say why. Use «Soy alérgico/a a los frutos secos.» when you need to make an allergy clear, and use «No como frutos secos.» when you are simply stating what you do not eat.
Putting the exchange together
A natural order for this exchange is: the staff member asks what you would like, you state your need and ask about options, the staff member answers and asks about allergies, and you reply. In the recordings, «¿Qué te gustaría comer?» is the opening question from the staff member. Then «No como carne. ¿Tienes opciones vegetarianas?» is the customer's reply with a need and a question. Next «Sí, tenemos ensalada y pasta. ¿Alguna alergia?» is the staff member's answer and follow-up question. Finally «Soy alérgico a los frutos secos.» is the customer's answer about an allergy. Keep this order when you practice. If you swap roles, you change who reads each part, but the order of question, reply, follow-up, and answer stays the same.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
No como carne.
I don't eat meat.
noh KOH-moh KAR-neh
No como lácteos.
I don't eat dairy.
noh KOH-moh LAHK-teh-ohs
No como frutos secos.
I don't eat nuts.
noh KOH-moh FROO-tohs SEH-kohs
Soy alérgico/a a los frutos secos.
I'm allergic to nuts.
soy ah-LEHR-hee-koh (male) / ah-LEHR-hee-kah (female) ah lohs FROO-tohs SEH-kohs
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
¿Qué te gustaría comer?
What would you like to eat?No como carne. ¿Tienes opciones vegetarianas?
I don't eat meat. Do you have vegetarian options?Sí, tenemos ensalada y pasta. ¿Alguna alergia?
Yes, we have salad and pasta. Any allergies?Soy alérgico a los frutos secos.
I'm allergic to nuts.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided exchange: customer and staff
You will practice a short restaurant exchange with two roles. One person is the staff member and one person is the customer. Use the recordings as your model. If you are alone, play both roles with the audio.
Your task: Staff member: say «¿Qué te gustaría comer?». Customer: say «No como carne. ¿Tienes opciones vegetarianas?». Staff member: say «Sí, tenemos ensalada y pasta. ¿Alguna alergia?». Customer: say «Soy alérgico a los frutos secos.». Then swap roles and repeat the same order.
Choose the right reply
Read each situation and choose the line that fits. All lines come from the recordings. Say your choice out loud before checking the answer key.
Your task: 1. A staff member asks «¿Qué te gustaría comer?». You do not eat meat and want to know about vegetarian options. Which line do you say? 2. A staff member says «Sí, tenemos ensalada y pasta. ¿Alguna alergia?». You have a nut allergy. Which line do you say? 3. You want to state that you do not eat dairy, without mentioning allergies. Which line do you say?
Recall with correct roles
Now practice without looking at the lines. Keep the same order: question, reply, follow-up, answer. One person is the staff member and one person is the customer.
Your task: Staff member: ask what the customer would like to eat. Customer: state that you do not eat meat and ask about vegetarian options. Staff member: answer that there are salad and pasta, then ask about allergies. Customer: answer that you are allergic to nuts. Then swap roles and repeat.
Common questions
What is the difference between saying I don't eat nuts and I'm allergic to nuts?
The line «No como frutos secos.» means 'I don't eat nuts.' It states a dietary need without saying why. The line «Soy alérgico/a a los frutos secos.» means 'I'm allergic to nuts.' It makes the allergy clear. Use «Soy alérgico/a a los frutos secos.» when you need to communicate an allergy, and «No como frutos secos.» when you are simply stating what you do not eat.
Can I practice alone if I do not have a partner?
Yes. You can play both roles with the audio. Read the staff member's lines and then the customer's lines in the same order. There is no automatic assessment, so use the answer keys and success criteria to check your own speaking.
Sources and further reading
- spanish: express simple dietary needsChecked September 2026
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