# I'm allergic to...



## rutabaga

Hello! I'm going to Greece for the first time in May, and I've been trying to learn a little of this very interesting language. I will certainly not be fluent by May, but I would like to learn a couple of phrases that are very important to me, as they could make the difference between an enjoyable meal and a trip to the hospital. Here's what I need help with:

"I'm allergic to nuts."
"Does this contain nuts?"

(My attempt at the first one: "ιμε αλλεργικος σε καρυδια")

I'm also wondering if anyone knows the Greek word for "pine nuts." I've been through the dictionaries but can't find it.

If anyone can help, could you please include pronounciation? I'm learning to read Greek as well, but I want to make absolutely sure I get this right. ευχαριστώ!

Also: Please let me know if I should break this up into multiple posts. Thanks.


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## balgior

Hello rutabaga and welcome! 



rutabaga said:


> Here's what I need help with:
> "I'm allergic to nuts."
> "Does this contain nuts?"
> (My attempt at the first one: "ιμε αλλεργικος σε καρυδια")  That is good enough!



Or, to be perfect:

I'm allergic to nuts. - Είμαι αλλεργικός στα καρύδια - *I*me allergik*o*s sta kar*i*thia.

Does this contain nuts? - (Αυτό) περιέχει καρύδια; - (Aft*o*) peri*e*hi karithia?

Bold = stress
'i' as in "Italy"
'e' as in "pen"
'a' as in ..."allergic"
'th' as in "this"

(I can't help enough with the pronunciation... You can try her (choose Greek and copy-paste the Greek phrase))

However, "καρύδια" means *walnuts* and not nuts generally. We usually say "ξηροί καρποί" to describe all kind of nuts, but this term may also include "food" that is not called a *nut in English, such as almonds.

Είμαι αλλεργικός στους ξηρούς καρπούς. - *I*me allergik*o*s st*oo*s xir*oo*s karp*oo*s.

(Αυτό) περιέχει ξηρούς καρπούς; - (Aft*o*) peri*e*hi xir*oo*s karp*oo*s?

'x' as in "extra"



> I'm also wondering if anyone knows the Greek word for "pine nuts." I've been through the dictionaries but can't find it.


That would be "κουκουνάρι" - kookoon*a*ri (or something...  )

Είμαι αλλεργικός στο κουκουνάρι. - *I*me allergik*o*s st*o *kookoon*a*ri.


Oh... I really can't give a proper pronunciation...


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## Il_Trovatore

The word "αλλεργικός" is pronounced aler_*y*_ikos, with "y" as in word "yes."


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## rutabaga

Thank you balgior for your very helpful response, and thanks Il Trovatore for the clarification. I think I understand the pronounciation, but I'll probably write it down as well so I can show people if I'm unintelligible. Looking up every word in the dictionary has been slow going (and usually not very accurate), so it's really nice to have help from native speakers!


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## ireney

Also check this thread


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## pulcinella

Keep in mind, rutabaga, that pine nuts are very rarely used in Greek dishes and sweets so it's quite possible that some people may not understand you, at least not immediately, when you'll say "kukunaryia" - they will possible think you mean the whole fruit of the pine-tree where pine nuts are included.


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## anthodocheio

pulcinella said:


> Keep in mind, rutabaga, that pine nuts are very rarely used in Greek dishes and sweets so it's quite possible that *some* *people* may not understand you, at least not immediately, when you'll say "kukunaryia" - they will possible think you mean the whole fruit of the pine-tree where pine nuts are included.


 
I was going to say that this isn't true, but I'll just point out that are only "some people" that might not know it and, OK, it's true, you don't find it every day...

I love κουκουνάρι. A typical recipe that uses it is the turkey we eat on Christmas Day, at USA on Thanksgiving Day. Here you can find more recipes (Sorry, I know you don't speak Greek yet... )


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## rutabaga

Thanks again, everyone. I printed everything out on a piece of paper, including some pictures of nuts, so there will be no confusion. ευχαριστώ πολύ! I am really looking forward to this trip.


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## epam

I am not sure if this translation exists in Greek language or if that is just included in the Cypriot dialect but the phrase "pine nuts" can be translated into a single word "Πινόλια". I'm not quite sure though if the word is correct in spelling, but in any case i hope you caught the meaning.

As for greeklish



> Είμαι αλλεργικός στους ξηρούς καρπούς. - *I*me allergik*o*s st*oo*s xir*oo*s karp*oo*s.
> 
> (Αυτό) περιέχει ξηρούς καρπούς; - (Aft*o*) peri*e*hi xir*oo*s karp*oo*s?



Πώς προφέρεται ο τόνος (΄) με αγγλικούς χαρακτήρες;

Sounds funny trying to teach someone how to pronounce greek phrasing using greeklish. Specially if you don't explain how every letter pronounces. For example oo used as "ου" can be "ού" or "ωω" (greek characters). Ιn english we have words like door (definitely not pronounced ντουρ but ντόορ) and broom (pronounced μπρούμ).

Be careful rutabaga, you'll never learn Greek if you try to pronounce Greek words with latin characters, but if you want to follow that rule, which is in my opinion choosing the wrong way then go on. Better way for practice is make your own connections, friends, contacts and try to pursuade them to speak with you not explain to you in written form.

Anyway, that seems got me way far off the topic of discussion.


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## pulcinella

epam said:


> I am not sure if this translation exists in Greek language or if that is just included in the Cypriot dialect but the phrase "pine nuts" can be translated into a single word "Πινόλια". I'm not quite sure though if the word is correct in spelling, but in any case i hope you caught the meaning.


I don't think it is used in Greece, some people may understand what you mean but others won't. By the way, this word of the Cypriot idiom comes from Italian ("pinoli" which is exactly what we are talking about).


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## epam

yes, a proof that Italians might have colonized the island in the past hihi


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## rutabaga

Thanks epam. I understand what you're saying about greeklish. I have listened (online and on CD) to the correct pronounciation of the alphabets, and I know for example that "g" is a different sound in Greek and in English. The greeklish is just a helpful reminder for me, as I am still very slow at reading - I wouldn't rely on it to learn how to pronounce something!


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## acaritj

Hi all! I speak zero Greek (and do not know the Greek alphabet), but have Celiac Disease and need to get this phrase down pat. To communicate that I am allergic to wheat (and most grains) would I say "Ime allergikos sta sitári"? 

Thank you!!


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## Perseas

acaritj said:


> "Ime allergikos st*ο* sitári" ?


I am allergic to wheat (and most grains).
Είμαι αλλεργικός στο σιτάρι (και στα περισσσότερα δημητριακά).


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## Αγγελος

pine nuts = κουκουναρόσποροι
Είμαι αλλεργικός στους κουκουναρόσπορους ([kukunar*ό*sporus])


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## rou1ette

Hi all! Thank you for the valuable thread here and for the other related threads here and here.  

I am also going to Greece for the first time and am allergic to chickpeas and lentils (as well as to nuts and peanuts).  I have put together some wording to capture those as well (following the style of the suggestions in the threads) and would be grateful if I could check that my proposal below makes sense as I am not familiar with the Greek alphabet. 

I have also set out below what I am trying to say in English - the intention is to capture chickpeas, lentils, broad beans, peas, fava beans kidney beans and Jerusalem artichokes with the wording in bold. 

Any other comments on the full wording are most welcome!  Very many thanks for any help!

Έχω σοβαρή αλλεργία σε όλους τους ξηρούς καρπούς (φιστίκια, φουντούκια, φυστίκια αιγίνης, καρύδια, αμύγδαλα, κάσιους κτλ) *και στα ρεβίθια, τις φακές, τα κουκιά, τα μπιζέλια, τα κουκιά, τα φασόλια και τις αγκινάρες Ιερουσαλήμ*. Σας παρακαλώ να βεβαιωθείτε ότι αυτός που θα ετοιμάζει το φαγητό μου το γνωρίζει αυτό και δεν θα βάζει ξηρούς καρπούς, *ρεβίθια* ή προϊόντα από ξηρούς καρπούς (όπως το λάδι) στο φαγητό μου.

Παρακαλώ ενημερώστε με για το αν αυτό είναι δυνατόν.

Ευχαριστώ για τη κατανόηση.

_I have a severe allergy to all nuts (peanuts, hazelnuts, pistachio, walnuts, almonds, cashews etc) and to chickpeas, lentils, broad beans, peas, fava beans, kidney beans and Jerusalem artichokes. Could you please make sure that whoever is preparing my food is aware of this and does not put any nuts or nut products (e.g. nut oil) in my food.

Please let me know if this is possible.

Thank you for your understanding._


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## Αγγελος

rou1ette said:


> Έχω σοβαρή αλλεργία σε όλους τους ξηρούς καρπούς (φιστίκια, φουντούκια, φυστίκια αιγίνης, καρύδια, αμύγδαλα, κάσιους κτλ) *και στα ρεβίθια, τις φακές, τα κουκιά, τα μπιζέλια, τα κουκιά, τα φασόλια και τις αγκινάρες Ιερουσαλήμ*. Σας παρακαλώ να βεβαιωθείτε ότι αυτός που θα ετοιμάζει το φαγητό μου το γνωρίζει αυτό και δεν θα βάζει ξηρούς καρπούς, *ρεβίθια* ή προϊόντα από ξηρούς καρπούς (όπως το λάδι) στο φαγητό μου.


This is extremely detailed, as well it should be if you have such a serious allergy problem, but I would suggest you say *και σε όλα τα όσπρια (ρεβίθια, φακές, κουκιά, μπιζέλια, αρακά, φασόλια και αγκινάρες Ιερουσαλήμ)*, and that you replace the word *ρεβίθια *by *όσπρια *in the second sentence. 'Οσπρια means 'legumes', but unlike the English equivalent it is a very common word in Greek, and everybody understands that it includes beans, peas, lentils etc. (even φάβα and αρακά, which you have not explicitly mentioned in your list).
Ι would also suggest you put the words "όπως το λάδι" after "προϊόντα". As written, your sentence could be misunderstood to mean that you are allergic to olive oil as well -- which I hope is not the case!

So better say "Έχω σοβαρή αλλεργία σε όλους τους ξηρούς καρπούς (φιστίκια, φουντούκια, φυστίκια αιγίνης, καρύδια, αμύγδαλα, κάσιους κτλ) *και σε όλα τα όσπρια (ρεβίθια, φακές, κουκιά, μπιζέλια, φάβα, αρακά, φασόλια και αγκινάρες Ιερουσαλήμ)*. Σας παρακαλώ να βεβαιωθείτε ότι αυτός που θα ετοιμάζει το φαγητό μου το γνωρίζει αυτό και δεν θα βάζει ξηρούς καρπούς, *όσπρια *ή προϊόντα (π.χ. λάδι) από ξηρούς καρπούς στο φαγητό μου.


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## rou1ette

Thank you, that is so very helpful and appreciated!!  

I am definitely not allergic to olive oil so will reorder as you suggest - as otherwise I imagine I will find it quite difficult to get anyone to serve me anything!  I read on one of the other threads here that nut oils are not much used in Greece, but I usually include a reference in this type of wording just in case the chef does use them.


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