New here? This is lesson 53 of a free 240-lesson English course.
Food I can't eat in English
Ana is at the Blue Plate again. Murray has already ordered eggs for her. She needs to say what she cannot eat.
Dee has the eggs ready. Ana wants to know what is in them.
By the end, you'll say you cannot eat a food, ask if a dish has something in it, and ask if food is spicy.
You'll also say you do not eat meat, and you'll name a peanut allergy.
By the end of this lesson
Say what you don't eat, and ask if something has an ingredient.
- I can't eat ___.This food is not OK for me
- Does it have ___ in it?Is this ingredient in this dish?
- I'm vegetarian.I do not eat meat
- I'm allergic to peanuts.Peanuts make me sick
- Is this spicy?Does this food have a hot taste?
- No onions, please.Do not put onions in this
Scene — just eggs
Same diner morning on Larch Street. Ana sits at the counter. Dee holds a plate with two eggs. The pie case glows behind her.
Murray sits on two stools. He has already ordered two eggs over easy for Ana. His black coffee is still full. The jukebox by the door stays quiet.
Learn — food I can't eat
Six short lines help you say what you cannot eat, and ask what is in a dish.
You'll also say you do not eat meat, and ask if food is hot.
I can't eat ___.
This food is not OK for me
When to use it: Say this when a food is not OK for you.
Learn it as one piece, then name the food.
Say it: Can't is longer and stronger than can.
Does it have ___ in it?
Is this ingredient in this dish?
When to use it: Ask this to check one food inside a dish.
Learn it as one piece, then name the food.
I'm vegetarian.
I do not eat meat
When to use it: Say this so people do not give you meat.
Learn it as one piece about food you skip.
Say it: The stress is on tar.
I'm allergic to peanuts.
Peanuts make me sick
When to use it: Say this when peanuts make you sick.
Learn it as one piece. Peanuts is the example food.
Say it: The stress is on ler.
Is this spicy?
Does this food have a hot taste?
When to use it: Ask this before you eat food that may be hot.
Learn it as one piece for a hot taste.
No onions, please.
Do not put onions in this
When to use it: Say this when you do not want onions in your food.
Learn it as one piece at the diner.
Story — the eggs
Watch Ana check the eggs at the counter. Murray has already ordered eggs for her.
The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.
- Dee sets a warm plate on the counter.
MurrayEggs over easy.fried eggs, still soft in the middle
AnaDoes it have ham in it?Is ham in this dish?
DeeJust eggs, hon.The plate has only eggs.- AnaI eat toast too.She thinks just eggs means no other food.
- DeeJust the eggs, hon.She means the plate has only eggs.
- AnaI'm vegetarian. I can't eat ham.She does not eat meat, so ham is not OK.
- MurrayWell, no ham then.He agrees the eggs will have no ham.
- AnaNo onions, please.Do not put onions in this
- DeeSure, hon.Dee agrees to leave the onions out.
- Murray looks at the pie case, then at Ana's plate.
- AnaI'm allergic to peanuts. Is this spicy?Peanuts make her sick, and she asks if the food is hot.
- DeeNo, hon. Just eggs.The eggs are not hot, and they are only eggs.
Practice — ham or onions
Ten quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and build a line.
They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.
0 of 10 done
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
Match the pairs
English
I'm vegetarian.Drop the Simple English hereI'm allergic to peanuts.Drop the Simple English hereIs this spicy?Drop the Simple English hereNo onions, please.Drop the Simple English hereSimple English
What do you say?
What do you say?
Dee puts ham in the eggs. Tell her why you skip meat.
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
I'm allergic to peanuts.
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
Do not put onions in this
No ____, please.
Build the line
Build the line
Does this food have a hot taste?
?
Tap the words in order.
Pick the reply
Dee says:
Pick the reply
It's your eggs, hon.
She names the egg dish on the plate.
And you reply with:
What do you say?
What do you say?
Murray already ordered your breakfast eggs. Name that order.
Swap the word
Swap the word
Peanuts make you sick. Tell Dee.
I'm allergic to ____.
What do you say?
What do you say?
You do not want cheese on the eggs.
Say it — tell Dee
Now you're Ana at the diner. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.
Tap play first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.
- DeeIt's your eggs, hon.She names the egg dish on the plate.
- Ana (you)Ask if ham is inside the dish.
Ask if ham is inside the dish.
Does it have ___ in it?
Is this ingredient in this dish?
0 of 6 said
Recap — what you can say now
| English | Simple English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| I can't eat ___. | This food is not OK for me | |
| Does it have ___ in it? | Is this ingredient in this dish? | |
| I'm vegetarian. | I do not eat meat | |
| I'm allergic to peanuts. | Peanuts make me sick | |
| Is this spicy? | Does this food have a hot taste? | |
| No onions, please. | Do not put onions in this |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Want to keep these food lines handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.
A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your food lines ready for the diner.
Open Yak Cards