French Vocabulary for Vegans and Vegetarians
Looking for French words & phrases related to being a vegan or vegetarian? Here is your list of the most commonly used French words & phrases for vegetarians and vegans
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How to convey your dietary restrictions in FrenchVegan / Vegetarian French VocabularyConclusionFrench cuisine is all about lots of lusciously meaty dishes. What would you expect from the land that birthed steak tartare, foie gras and hearty meat stews like bœuf bourguignon and cassoulet?
But alas, if you have turned away from eating meat and embraced vegetarianism or veganism due to one reason or another, don’t worry, you will still be able to survive a visit or even a long stay in France.
For starters, you can use this useful list of French words and phrases that are truly helpful as a vegan or vegetarian.
Plus, we have a second part of this article:
7 Ways to Survive as a Vegan or Vegetarian in France
How to convey your dietary restrictions in French
It can be difficult to explain in your own language that you cannot eat meat or other types of food. Imagine how hard it could be to say it in a foreign language like French! Thankfully, we prepared a list of words and terms you can readily draw from to inform people of your special diet.
Here are the French words and phrases to memorize.
- Végétalien(ne)vegan
- Végétarien(ne)vegetarian
- Je suis végétarien(ne)I am a vegetarian
- Je ne mange pas de viande, de porc ou de pouletI do not eat meat, pork or chicken
- Je mange des œufs, du lait et du fromageI eat eggs, milk and cheese
- Je suis végétalien(ne)I am a vegan
- Je ne mange ni œufs ni laitI do not eat eggs or milk
- Je suis au régimeI am on a diet
- Je ne peux pas manger de….I can’t eat…
- Je ne mange que…I only eat…
- Avez-vous des plats végétariens?Do you have any vegetarian dishes?
- Y a-t-il un restaurant végétarien près d’ici?Is there a vegetarian restaurant near here?
- Je ne mange que des légumes, des céréales et des grains.I only eat vegetables, cereals and grains.
- Je ne mange pas de produits issus des animaux ou de leur exploitation, ni de miel, ni d’œufs, ni de laitages ou de leurs dérivés.I don’t eat any animal products, nor honey, eggs, or dairy and their derivatives.
Vegan / Vegetarian French Vocabulary
Now for this part, learn French words for foods that are commonly restricted in special diets.
- Avoine (f)Oats
- Bio (adjectif invariable)Organic
- Blé (m)Wheat
- Céréales (f)Cereals
- CœliaqueCoeliac (celiac)
- Lentilles (f)Lentils
- Lentilles vertes (f)Green lentils
- Farine complète (f)Wholemeal flour
- Fromage (m)Cheese
- Gélatine (f)Gelatine
- Germes de soja (m)Bean sprouts
- Haricots (m)Beans
- Noisette (f)Hazelnut
- Noix (f)Walnut(s)
- Lait (m)Milk
- Boulgour (m)Bulgur wheat
- Gluten (m)Gluten
- Soja (m)Soy
- Tofu (m)Tofu
- Noix de cajou (f)Cashew nuts
- Pousses (f)Sprouts
- Pois chiches (m)Chickpeas
- Magasin diététique (m)Health Food Shop
- Œuf (m)Egg
- Produits laitiers (m)Dairy products
- Sans graisse animaleWithout animal fat
- Sarrasin (m)Buckwheat
- Viande (f)Meat
Conclusion
Being vegan or vegetarian already has a lot of challenges. Hopefully with this article, you’ll be able to dine in France with less difficulty.
For more related articles, check out the following:
Eating out in France: the Ultimate Guide to Ordering Food Like a Local
115 French Food and Drinks Vocabulary
How to Read and Understand a French Menu
