German Vocabulary for Food Preferences and Allergies

Ordering food is easier when you can explain what you enjoy and what you need to avoid. Here are useful German phrases for food preferences, allergies, intolerances, shopping and emergencies.

Allergies, intolerances and dietary requirements

Die Allergie means allergy; die Unverträglichkeit means intolerance. These are different conditions, although symptoms can overlap. A food allergy involves the immune system and can cause a serious reaction. Do not assume that a small amount is safe or that the absence of immediate symptoms makes a food suitable. Your own diagnosis and medical advice determine what you need to avoid. See the German federal health portal’s information on food allergies.

Zöliakie is coeliac/celiac disease, an autoimmune condition. It is different from a wheat allergy. People with coeliac disease need to avoid gluten; even small amounts can matter. The IQWiG guide to gluten-free eating explains this distinction. Use the phrase that accurately describes your condition.

Vegetarian food excludes meat and fish; vegan food excludes animal products. Neither label alone tells you whether a dish is suitable for a particular allergy. For example, vegan food can contain nuts, and lactose-free milk can still contain milk proteins.

Checking ingredients at a restaurant

In Germany, specified allergens must be identified on packaged foods, and allergen information must also be available for food sold unpackaged, including restaurant dishes. Ask to see the information and explain your particular requirement; do not rely on a dish’s name alone. See the official allergen-labelling guidance.

The everyday word Schalentiere can be imprecise. Ingredient information distinguishes Krebstiere (crustaceans, such as prawns) and Weichtiere (molluscs, such as mussels). Schalenfrüchte refers to the listed tree nuts, not shellfish. Say exactly which foods you must avoid.

Getting help

For a life-threatening emergency in Germany, call 112. A severe allergic reaction, difficulty breathing or loss of consciousness can require emergency help. If you cannot rule out a danger to life or serious harm, call 112. The federal health portal explains when to use the emergency numbers.

Ingredients and symptoms

Learn ingredient words in context rather than assuming that every item in this list causes an intolerance.

Examples: Ich habe Bauchschmerzen. — I have a stomach ache. Ich habe Durchfall. — I have diarrhoea. Mir ist übel. — I feel nauseated. Ich habe Blähungen. — I have bloating/gas. These phrases describe symptoms; they do not identify their cause.

Shopping and measurements

German food packaging and recipes normally use metric measurements: Gramm (g), Kilogramm (kg), Milliliter (ml) and Liter (l). Oven temperatures are usually given in degrees Celsius (°C). Recipe abbreviations include TL for Teelöffel (teaspoon) and EL for Esslöffel (tablespoon).

A shopping list in German gives you a small reading task on each visit. At a food counter, quantities are useful too. German often places the food directly after the measure, without an equivalent of English “of”.

Describing food

Die Suppe ist lecker, aber sehr salzig. — The soup is delicious, but very salty. Das Hauptgericht war furchtbar. — The main course was terrible. Der Fisch war gut, aber die Pommes waren eklig. — The fish was good, but the chips/fries were disgusting.

Probiere die Fischsuppe. Sie ist lecker. — Try the fish soup. It is delicious. Die Weinkarte ist ausgezeichnet. — The wine list is excellent. Das Mittagessen war fantastisch. — Lunch was fantastic. Die Mahlzeit im neuen Restaurant war wunderbar. — The meal at the new restaurant was wonderful.

Likes and dislikes

Use mögen with a food, or gern essen to say that you enjoy eating it. Sehr gern means very much/really, rather than merely “quite”.

Morgens means “in the mornings”; morgen früh means “tomorrow morning”. That small difference changes the meaning of the sentence.

Giving opinions and expressing preferences

Ich bin der Meinung, dass … means “I am of the opinion that …”; ich denke, dass … means “I think that …”. The conjugated verb comes at the end of the clause introduced by dass.

Vorziehen is a separable verb: Sie zieht … vor. You can also use lieber with a verb, or ist mir lieber to compare preferences.

Practice

Translate: I have coeliac disease. / Does the dish contain peanuts? / Please call 112! / I hate eating early in the morning. / I prefer rice to pasta.