Asking About Allergens

Literal I am allergic to dried fruits — can you verify the ingredients?

Combines a personal allergy statement with a polite verification request. 'Frutos secos' is the European Portuguese term for nuts (literally 'dried fruits').

• 'Sou alérgico' uses 'ser' for a permanent condition — 'sou' is first-person singular present
• 'a' after 'alérgico' introduces the allergen: alérgico/a a + allergen
• 'Pode verificar?' addresses the listener in third person — the standard polite form in European Portuguese

Literal This dish has gluten?

'Tem' from 'ter' (to have/contain) is the natural everyday verb for asking whether food contains something — no auxiliary verb needed.

• Rising intonation turns a statement into a yes/no question — no auxiliary verb required
• 'Este' (masculine) agrees with 'prato'; feminine equivalent would be 'esta tarte', 'esta sopa'

Literal I cannot eat seafood in any form.

'De forma alguma' intensifies the restriction to mean 'absolutely not, in no way'. This makes the severity of an allergy unmistakably clear.

• 'Não posso' (I cannot) is stronger and more medical than 'não quero' (I don't want to)
• 'De forma alguma' is an emphatic negation phrase meaning 'in absolutely no way'

Literal Can you tell-me if this was prepared with milk?

A polite, indirect question using 'pode dizer-me se...' — a very natural way to ask for ingredient information in European Portuguese.

• In European Portuguese, the clitic '-me' attaches to the infinitive: 'dizer-me', not 'me dizer'
• 'Foi preparado' is a passive construction: ser (past) + past participle
• 'Se' here means 'whether/if', introducing an indirect question

Literal Which are the ingredients of this tart?

'Quais são' is used when asking about items in a list or set. 'Desta' is a contraction of 'de + esta', the feminine form.

• 'Quais são' (which are) is preferred over 'o que são' when the answer is expected to be a list
• 'Desta' = de + esta — preposition automatically contracts with the feminine demonstrative

Literal This cake already was in contact with peanuts?

The key cross-contamination question. 'Já foi em contacto com' is the set phrase to ask about cross-contact with an allergen.

• European Portuguese often uses the simple past 'foi' where Brazilian Portuguese would use 'esteve' or a compound tense
• 'Em contacto com' = in contact with — a fixed prepositional phrase (note: European spelling 'contacto', not 'contato')

Literal I have intolerance to the lactose — there is an option without milk?

Combines stating a condition with a practical follow-up. 'Sem leite' (without milk) is the natural everyday way to ask for dairy-free.

• 'Tenho' from 'ter' — used to express having a condition or intolerance
• 'à' = a + a: the preposition 'a' contracts with the feminine article before 'lactose'
• 'Há' is the impersonal form of 'haver', meaning 'there is/are'

Literal With or without egg, this bread?

A short, elliptical question using 'com ou sem' — ideal for quick clarification at a market stall or bakery counter.

• 'Com ou sem + noun' is a compact, natural question shortcut used in everyday buying situations
• The verb 'é feito' (is made) is implied but dropped — elliptical speech is common in informal contexts

Literal Can you ask to the kitchen to avoid the soy, please?

A polite indirect request relayed through a waiter to the kitchen. 'Pode pedir... para evitar' is a flexible and very useful request structure.

• 'Pode pedir' + para + infinitive = 'can you ask [someone] to...' — a natural indirect request pattern
• 'À cozinha' = a + a cozinha — the preposition 'a' contracts with the feminine article
• 'Por favor' at the end softens the request and is always well received

Literal My allergic reaction can be serious — obliged for verifying.

A closing statement that communicates seriousness while expressing genuine gratitude. 'Pode ser grave' conveys urgency without alarm.

• 'Pode ser' (can be) uses the modal 'poder' + infinitive 'ser'
• 'Obrigado' (male speaker) or 'obrigada' (female speaker) — the form agrees with the speaker's own gender, not the listener's
• 'Por + infinitive' expresses 'for doing something': obrigado por verificar = thank you for checking