Which Spanish phrases matter most here?

“Soy vegetariano.” (I’m vegetarian); “¿Hay algo sin carne?” (Is there anything without meat); “Sin cebolla, por favor.” (No onion, please). The full list is above.

Can I hear how they sound?

Yes: press the speaker next to a phrase to hear it, recorded for the Frasa app.

How can I practise this conversation?

Press “Start the conversation” above to play it through and choose your replies, with a note on why some fit better in Spain. Frasa, an iPhone app, lets you save these phrases and rehearse them out loud.

Spanish phrases for saying you're vegetarian or vegan in Spain

Tell the waiter early: “Soy vegetariano” (or “vegetariana”), then ask “¿Hay algo sin carne?”. To check a dish, ask “¿Este plato lleva jamón?”. Leave things out with “Sin cebolla, por favor”. If you’re vegan, say what you skip: “No como huevos ni lácteos”.

Try it · about two minutes

Before ordering, you explain what you don’t eat and check which dishes on the menu fit.

Sound on: the waiter speaks Spanish. You choose what to say back, and Frasa tells you why it works.

How does the conversation usually go?

You’ve read the menu and most dishes seem to have meat. The waiter stops at your table.
You
Soy vegetariano.
I’m vegetarian.
Waiter
De primero tenemos lentejas, ensalada o gazpacho.
For the first course we have lentils, salad or gazpacho.
You
¿Hay algo sin carne?
Is there anything without meat?
Waiter
Las lentejas llevan chorizo, pero el gazpacho y la ensalada no llevan carne.
The lentils have chorizo, but the gazpacho and the salad have no meat.
You
¿Qué lleva la ensalada?
What’s in the salad?
Waiter
¿Ya saben qué van a pedir?
Are you ready to order?
You
La ensalada, pero sin atún, por favor.
The salad, but without tuna, please.
Waiter
¿Qué van a beber?
What would you like to drink?
You
Para beber, agua sin gas.
Still water to drink.
Waiter
¿Qué tal estaba todo?
How was everything?
You
Todo muy rico, gracias.
Everything was delicious, thank you.

Which Spanish phrases do you need?

Soy vegetariano.
I’m vegetarian.
¿Hay algo sin carne?
Is there anything without meat?
Sin cebolla, por favor.
No onion, please.
¿Qué es el pisto?
What is pisto?
¿Ya saben qué van a pedir?
Are you ready to order?
De primero tenemos lentejas, ensalada o gazpacho.
For the first course we have lentils, salad or gazpacho.
¿Qué van a beber?
What would you like to drink?
Para beber, agua sin gas.
Still water to drink.
Todo muy rico, gracias.
Everything was delicious, thank you.

What is worth knowing in Spain?

Checking the menu

1
Tell the waiter what you don’t eat before you order.
I’m vegetarian.
2
Ask which dishes have no meat, or what is in one.
Is there anything without meat?
3
Order, and leave out anything you don’t want.
No onion, please.

Spell out what you don’t eat

Some cooks may not count ham or fish as meat, so a plain “vegetariano” can still bring a dish with them. If you’re vegan, say what you skip.

Soy vegano: no como carne, pescado, huevos ni lácteos.

I’m vegan: I don’t eat meat, fish, eggs or dairy.

Ask what’s in it

Traditional dishes are often cooked with ham, chorizo or meat stock. It’s normal to ask, using “llevar” (to contain) with any ingredient.

¿Este plato lleva jamón o chorizo?

Does this dish have ham or chorizo in it?

Questions about this situation

Which Spanish phrases matter most here?: “Soy vegetariano.” (I’m vegetarian); “¿Hay algo sin carne?” (Is there anything without meat); “Sin cebolla, por favor.” (No onion, please). The full list is above.
Can I hear how they sound?: Yes: press the speaker next to a phrase to hear it, recorded for the Frasa app.
How can I practise this conversation?: Press “Start the conversation” above to play it through and choose your replies, with a note on why some fit better in Spain. Frasa, an iPhone app, lets you save these phrases and rehearse them out loud.

Related situations in Spanish

All situations in Spanish

Practise these phrases in Frasa

Frasa is an iPhone app for the conversations in front of you. Save phrases like these, rehearse them out loud, and they come back until they stick.

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AI-generated. May be inaccurate.