Sono allergico alle noci.

I am allergic to nuts.

Pronunciation

al-LER-gi-co — four syllables, stress on the second. Female form: 'allergica'.

When to use it

Tell the waiter about any food allergy as soon as you sit down, before looking at the menu.

What it means

'Sono allergico/a' (I am allergic) is the clearest way to communicate an allergy. 'Alle noci' means 'to nuts' — you can substitute with 'ai crostacei' (shellfish), 'al latte' (dairy), 'alle uova' (eggs), etc.

Variations

Ho un'allergia ai latticini.

I have an allergy to dairy products.

'Latticini' covers all dairy — milk, cheese, butter, cream

Sono intollerante al lattosio.

I am lactose intolerant.

'Intollerante' is softer than 'allergico' — use for intolerances, not true allergies

Questo piatto contiene noci?

Does this dish contain nuts?

Useful when checking individual items on the menu

Mini Dialogue

— Buonasera, volevo avvertirvi: sono allergico alle noci. — Capito, lo segno subito. Alcuni nostri dolci le contengono — la avvisiamo caso per caso. — Perfetto, grazie per la disponibilità. — Figuriamoci, la sicurezza prima di tutto.

— Good evening, I wanted to let you know: I am allergic to nuts. — Understood, I'll note it straight away. Some of our desserts contain them — we'll let you know case by case. — Perfect, thank you for your helpfulness. — Of course, safety comes first.

Cultural Note

EU law (regulation 1169/2011) requires Italian restaurants to be able to declare all 14 major allergens for every dish. If a waiter cannot answer your allergy question, ask to speak with the chef.

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