Dietary & Allergies

1. Mi no save kaikai abus.

   I don't eat meat.

   Usage

   Vegetarian declaration

   Grammar Note

   "no save" habitual negation

2. Mi vigan; mi no save kaikai wanpela samting bilong animal.

   I'm vegan; I don't eat anything from animals.

   Usage

   Vegan declaration

   Grammar Note

   "bilong" indicates possession/relation

3. Sapos mi kaikai ol kain nat, mi save sik.

   If I eat nuts, I get sick.

   Usage

   How to declare a tree-nut allergy; always keep "ol kain" ("all kinds of"). Use galip only when you specifically mean the galip nut

   Grammar Note

   The allergy is expressed as "eat-then-sick". "ol" is the plural marker, so "ol kain" = "all kinds of". Do NOT use galip — it is the fruit of one particular tree widely eaten in Papua New Guinea (Canarium indicum, the galip nut), not a category, and it would let almonds and cashews read as safe. The generic is nat, from English "nut" (the neighbouring Melanesian creole Bislama uses nat too)

4. Yupela i gat kaikai we i no gat gluten?

   Do you have food without gluten?

   Usage

   Gluten-free inquiry

   Grammar Note

   "i" marks predicate

5. Mi muslim; mi no save kaikai abus bilong pik.

   I'm Muslim and don't eat pork.

   Usage

   Halal observance

   Grammar Note

   "abus bilong" + animal = "meat of"

6. Susu i mekim mi sik.

   Milk makes me sick.

   Usage

   Lactose intolerance

   Grammar Note

   "mekim" causative

7. Sapos mi kaikai pis o krayfis, mi save sik tumas.

   If I eat fish or shellfish I get very sick.

   Usage

   Seafood allergy

   Grammar Note

   "o" = "or"

8. Wanem samting i stap insait long kaikai ya?

   What's in this food?

   Usage

   Ingredient inquiry

   Grammar Note

   "ya" emphasizes proximity

9. Yu inap mekim em i no gat anian?

   Can you make it without onion?

   Usage

   Request to omit ingredient

   Grammar Note

   "i no gat" = "without"

10. Kiau i mekim mi sik.

    Eggs make me sick.

    Usage

    Egg allergy expression

    Grammar Note

    "kiau" = "egg"

11. Yu inap soim mi olgeta samting we i save mekim sik?

    Can you show me everything that can cause allergy?

    Usage

    Allergen info request

    Grammar Note

    "we" introduces relative clause

12. Sampela kaikai inap kilim mi i dai.

    My allergy can kill me.

    Usage

    Severe allergy warning

    Grammar Note

    "Kilim ... i dai" (kill ... dead) is the strong, unambiguous way to say something is life-threatening. Tok Pisin has no settled word for "allergy", so name the cause instead — "sampela kaikai" (certain foods) as the subject.

13. I gat wel o spais insait?

    Is there oil or seasoning inside?

    Usage

    Asks about oil/spice

    Grammar Note

    "o" = "or"

14. Kaikai bilong mi inap miks wantaim narapela?

    Could my food get mixed with others?

    Usage

    Cross-contamination check

    Grammar Note

    "wantaim" = "with"

15. Tenkyu tumas long halivim mi.

    Thank you very much for helping me.

    Usage

    Formal thanks

    Grammar Note

    "long" marks purpose/object

16. Abus bilong pik

    Pork

    Usage

    Point at it to check whether a dish contains pork

17. Abus bilong bulmakau

    Beef

    Usage

    Point at it to check whether a dish contains beef

18. Kakaruk

    Chicken

    Usage

    Point at it to check whether a dish contains chicken

19. Pis

    Fish

    Usage

    Point at it to check whether a dish contains fish

20. Kiau

    Egg

    Usage

    Point at it to check whether a dish contains egg

21. Susu

    Milk / dairy

    Usage

    Check for dairy; "susu" also means breast, so point at the food

22. Pinat

    Peanut

    Usage

    Point at it to check for peanut, a common allergen

23. Plaua

    Wheat flour

    Usage

    Point at it when avoiding gluten

24. Alkohol

    Alcohol

    Usage

    Use when you must avoid alcohol

Browse all TravelPhrases languages