アレルギーがあります
arerugī ga arimasu
The phrase "I am allergic to" in Japanese is アレルギーがあります (arerugī ga arimasu).
This phrase is used to state that a person has a medical sensitivity to a specific substance.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the phrase means "an allergy exists", where アレルギー (arerugī) is "allergy" and あります (arimasu) is the verb for "existence" or "possession".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The default form アレルギーがあります is polite and suitable for use with doctors, restaurant staff or strangers. For an informal context with friends or family, you can use the version アレルギーがある.
How does it change in a sentence?
To specify what you are allergic to, place the substance before the particle が (e.g., [substance] アレルギーがあります). You may also use the form わたしは～にアレルギーがあります to say "I am allergic to [food/item]" in a formal way, or [food/item]アレルギーです to express "[food/item] allergy" in a formal context.
How do you pronounce it?
arerugī ga arimasu
Did you know?
- Japanese culture has a specific term 花粉症 (kafunshō) for hay fever, which is treated as a distinct social phenomenon and national seasonal event rather than just a general 'allergy'.
- In Japanese, the word アレルギー (arerugī) is a loanword from German rather than English, which is why the phonetic spelling follows German-influenced katakana patterns.
- When checking for food allergies at a restaurant, instead of the full phrase, many people simply point at a menu item and say ～はダメです (…wa dame desu), which means '…is no good'.
Examples in context
- わたしは牛乳にアレルギーがあります。I am allergic to milk.
- 卵アレルギーです。I have an egg allergy.
- 花粉にアレルギーがある。I am allergic to pollen.
- 卵のアレルギーがあります。Tamago no arerugii ga arimasu.I am allergic to eggs.
- ピーナッツのアレルギーがありますか？Piinattsu no arerugii ga arimasu ka?Are you allergic to peanuts?
Example conversation
At a restaurant, Kenta is checking the ingredients with Yui.
- 健太 Kenta結衣さんは、エビのアレルギーがありますか？Yui-san wa, ebi no arerugii ga arimasu ka?Yui, are you allergic to shrimp?
- 結衣 Yuiいいえ、エビのアレルギーはありません。Iie, ebi no arerugii wa arimasen.No, I don't have a shrimp allergy.
- 健太 Kentaよかったです。僕は、そばのアレルギーがあります。Yokatta desu. Boku wa, soba no arerugii ga arimasu.That's good. I am allergic to buckwheat.
- 結衣 Yuiじゃあ、そばは避けましょうね。Jaa, soba wa sake mashou ne.Then let's avoid buckwheat.
