soy vegetariano
/soi bexetaɾjano/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "I am a vegetarian" is translated as soy vegetariano.
This phrase is used to state that a person does not eat meat.
Which one should you use?
The form soy vegetariano is used by men or when referring to a person of unspecified gender. The form soy vegetariana is used exclusively by women.
How does it change in a sentence?
A female speaker should use the feminine form soy vegetariana instead of the masculine soy vegetariano.
Did you know?
- The word vegetariano was actually borrowed from English into Spanish rather than being derived from the Latin root for vegetable.
- In Spain, mentioning you are vegetariano may prompt a waiter to suggest a tortilla española, which is a staple vegetable-heavy dish despite its name.
- To avoid confusion in restaurants, some people say no como carne ('I don't eat meat') because some servers might think vegetariano still allows for chicken or fish.
Examples in context
- Soy vegetariano.I am a vegetarian.Tatoeba #399432 by catakaoe, translation #367935 by rike
- Soy vegetariano, no como carne.I am a vegetarian, I don't eat meat.Tatoeba #11128976 by carlosalberto, translation #11128950 by carlosalberto
- No como carne, soy vegetariano/a. ¿Tienen alguna recomendación de platos vegetarianos?I don't eat meat, I am a vegetarian. Do you have any vegetarian dish recommendations?
- Como muchas verduras porque soy vegetariano.I eat many vegetables because I am a vegetarian.
Example conversation
At a restaurant, they are looking at the menu.
- María¿Quieres probar el filete de ternera?Do you want to try the beef steak?
- DanielNo gracias, soy vegetariano.No thanks, I am a vegetarian.
- MaríaAh, lo siento, no lo sabía.Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know that.
- DanielNo pasa nada, pediré una ensalada.It's okay, I will order a salad.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries soy, vegetariano, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
