Source: https://verify-veg.com/blog/how-to-ask-vegetarian-in-japanese/
Language: en

# How to Ask "Is This Vegetarian?" in Japanese, German, French and More

The word "vegetarian" does not travel perfectly. In some countries the term is not widely
understood, and in others fish is not always considered meat. Asking the right question, with the
right words, is the difference between a clear answer and a dish that surprises you.

> **Key Takeaways**
> - Ask three questions, not one: "Is this vegetarian?", "Does it contain meat or fish?", and "I don't eat meat or fish."
> - Fish is often not treated as meat, so name it explicitly.
> - In Japan, the word "vegetarian" is less common than in Europe, so listing what you avoid works better.
> - A scanner app sidesteps the language problem entirely by translating and flagging the label.

**TL;DR: Ask specifically about meat and fish, not just "vegetarian."** Name what you avoid, and
use the phrases below, or scan the label.

## Why "vegetarian" is not enough

Two things go wrong when you rely on the single word "vegetarian." First, the concept is not
universally understood, especially in parts of Asia. Second, fish is often not considered meat, so
a dish described as "no meat" can still contain fish sauce, shrimp paste or anchovy. Naming fish
explicitly is the single most important habit.

## The phrases to use

| Language | "Is this vegetarian?" | "Does it contain meat or fish?" | "I don't eat meat or fish." |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | Kore wa bejitarian desu ka? (これはベジタリアンですか？) | Niku ya sakana wa haitte imasu ka? (肉や魚は入っていますか？) | Niku to sakana wa tabemasen. (肉と魚は食べません。) |
| German | Ist das vegetarisch? | Enthält das Fleisch oder Fisch? | Ich esse kein Fleisch und keinen Fisch. |
| French | Est-ce végétarien ? | Contient-il de la viande ou du poisson ? | Je ne mange ni viande ni poisson. |
| Dutch | Is dit vegetarisch? | Bevat dit vlees of vis? | Ik eet geen vlees en geen vis. |
| Indonesian | Apakah ini vegetarian? | Apakah ini mengandung daging atau ikan? | Saya tidak makan daging atau ikan. |
| Spanish | ¿Esto es vegetariano? | ¿Contiene carne o pescado? | No como carne ni pescado. |
| Italian | È vegetariano? | Contiene carne o pesce? | Non mangio né carne né pesce. |

Say the phrase, or show it on your phone. Showing text avoids pronunciation problems and works
even when you are unsure of the accent.

## Add the words for the hidden ingredients

Beyond meat and fish, add the animal-derived ingredients that hide in sauces and sweets:

- Egg: tamago (Japanese), Ei (German), œuf (French), ei (Dutch), telur (Indonesian)
- Milk: gyūnyū (Japanese), Milch (German), lait (French), melk (Dutch), susu (Indonesian)
- Gelatin: zerachin (Japanese), Gelatine (German), gélatine (French), gelatine (Dutch), gelatin (Indonesian)

Naming these catches the additives that "is this vegetarian?" does not reach.

## The scanner shortcut

When the conversation is hard, skip it. Point your phone at a barcode or an ingredient list, and a
scanner app translates the text and flags the animal-derived ingredients against your diet, with no
phrase required. It works offline after you download a language, which is useful when you are
holding a package in a store with no signal.

## The bottom line

Ask about meat and fish specifically, add the words for egg, milk and gelatin, and fall back on a
scanner when the language barrier is too high. That combination handles nearly every situation a
traveling vegetarian runs into.

**Check before you eat.** The Verify Veg app scans a barcode or reads an ingredient list from a
photo, translates it, and flags ingredients against your diet (vegan, vegetarian, halal, kosher,
Jain and more).
[Download on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/verifyveg-vegan-scanner/id6758276834) -
Android is coming soon.

*Written by Samir Narain, founder of Verify Veg. Verify Veg helps people check packaged food
against their diet by scanning barcodes and reading ingredient lists from photos.*

*Note: Verify Veg provides ingredient-based compatibility checks, not certification. Recipes and
preparations vary by restaurant, region and cook, so always confirm with the restaurant, brand or vendor.*