Potluck

How to talk about food allergies in Spanish

Plan the shared meal, flag an allergy clearly, and describe your dish — out loud.

CONVERSATION PACK · 5 LESSONS · B1

Be specific, not polite-vague — safety beats manners here. Name the allergy exactly: soy alérgico a los mariscos, or with stakes, tengo alergia grave a los mariscos. Ask about ingredients directly: soy intolerante a la lactosa, ¿lleva leche? — ¿el plato tiene gluten? And if you're the one cooking for a group, ask before you cook: ¿alguien es alérgico a algo que deba saber? One regional trap: peanut is maní across Latin America but cacahuete in Spain.

Below: the phrases that keep a potluck safe and organized, what locals actually say, the words that change by country — and a way to rehearse the whole allergy conversation out loud before dinner's on the line.

Say this

The phrases that carry the conversation

Discussing dietary restrictions

¿Hay alguien vegetariano o vegano en el grupo?Is anyone in the group vegetarian or vegan?
Soy intolerante a la lactosa, ¿lleva leche?I'm lactose intolerant, does it contain milk?
Mi hija es celíaca, ¿el plato tiene gluten?My daughter is celiac, does the dish have gluten?
¿Puedes hacer una versión sin frutos secos?Can you make a version without nuts?

Handling food allergies safely

Tengo alergia grave a los mariscos.I have a severe allergy to shellfish.
¿Puedes etiquetar qué ingredientes lleva tu plato?Can you label what ingredients your dish has?
¿Se ha cocinado en el mismo aceite que el pescado?Was it cooked in the same oil as the fish?
Mejor pongo mi plato separado para evitar contaminación.I'd better put my dish separate to avoid cross-contamination.

Describing your dish at the event

Hice una tortilla española con cebolla caramelizada.I made a Spanish omelette with caramelized onion.
Lleva pollo, arroz y un poco de azafrán.It has chicken, rice, and a bit of saffron.
Es una receta de mi abuela, espero que les guste.It's my grandmother's recipe, I hope you like it.
Está un poco picante, aviso.It's a bit spicy, just a heads up.

Regional Spanish

What locals actually say

Textbooks teach one word. Locals use several — pick your region's and stay consistent.

English	Mexico	Argentina
beans	los frijoles	los porotos
disposable (plates & cutlery)	desechables	descartables
"this is delicious!"	¡está bien chido!	¡está riquísimo, che!

Watch out

Mistakes that mark you as a textbook speaker

Being vague about allergies (no puedo comer de todo)Be specific (soy alérgico a los mariscos, no puedo comer nada con gluten)
Not asking about restrictions before cookingAsk the group first (¿alguien tiene alguna alergia o restricción?)
Forgetting logisticsAssign non-food items too (platos, cubiertos, servilletas, hielo)

The part no phrase list can do

Rehearse it before it's real

Isabella

Your conversation teacher for this pack

In the Potluck pack, the final lesson is a WhatsApp voice-note exchange two days before the dinner — and Isabella is the host: easygoing, allergic to duplicate dishes, keeps a running list she reads back twice to confirm. Then the twist lands: one guest is celiac, another is allergic to shellfish, and your dish is suddenly a problem. You adapt it, label the ingredients, and lock in who brings what. Out loud. And she confirms every detail back at you:

Isabella reveals one guest is celiac and another is allergic to shellfish — student must adapt their dish or label ingredients using 'puedo etiquetar qué ingredientes lleva'
Two people already signed up to bring dessert — student must propose a swap using 'yo me encargo del postre, ¿alguien trae ensalada?'
Isabella asks the student to handle logistics (plates, cutlery, ice) instead of a dish — student must accept and confirm what's needed using 'yo llevo platos y cubiertos desechables'

Blank mid-sentence and nothing bad happens — she waits. That's the practice, without unnecessary judgement.

Finish the 5 lessons and Potluck is yours — earned, not given.

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Quick answers

Questions people ask

How do I say I'm allergic to something in Spanish?

Soy alérgico a los mariscos — I'm allergic to shellfish. If it's serious, say so: tengo alergia grave a los mariscos. Never soften it into something vague like 'I can't eat everything' — name the ingredient.

How do I ask if a dish has gluten or dairy in Spanish?

Ask about the dish, not the cook: ¿el plato tiene gluten? — soy intolerante a la lactosa, ¿lleva leche? Llevar is the everyday verb for what a dish 'has in it'.

Is peanut 'maní' or 'cacahuete' in Spanish?

Both — maní across Latin America, cacahuete in Spain. If it's an allergy, say it the local way and clearly: soy alérgico al maní.

How do I organize a potluck in Spanish?

Open with ¿qué tal si cada uno trae un plato?, then keep it duplicate-free: ¿hacemos una lista para no repetir platos? Claim your slot — yo me encargo del postre, ¿alguien trae ensalada? — and don't forget logistics: yo llevo platos y cubiertos desechables.

How do I describe a dish I brought in Spanish?

Ingredients first: lleva pollo, arroz y un poco de azafrán. Add the story — es una receta de mi abuela — and any warnings: está un poco picante, aviso, or se come frío, así que no hace falta calentarlo.