Ich bin Vegetarier
In German, the English phrase 'I am vegetarian' is expressed as Ich bin Vegetarier.
This phrase is used to state that a person does not eat meat.
Which one should you use?
If you do not consume any animal products at all, such as dairy and eggs, you should use Ich bin Veganer instead of Ich bin Vegetarier.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the word changes based on the gender of the speaker. A male speaker uses the masculine form Ich bin Vegetarier, while a female speaker should use the feminine form Ich bin Vegetarierin.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the adjective vegetarisch to describe themselves. In German, you must use the noun form to refer to your identity.
Did you know?
- Depending on the region, some Germans might use the term grün ('green') as a colloquial shorthand to describe someone with a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle.
- While the dictionary meaning of Fleisch is 'meat', the word literally means 'flesh' and is a direct cognate of the English word 'flesh'.
- In Germany, many restaurants and supermarkets use the 'V-Label' logo, a yellow circle with a leaf, to help customers distinguish vegetarian and vegan items at a glance.
Examples in context
- Ich esse kein Fleisch. Ich bin Vegetarier.I don't eat meat. I am vegetarian.Tatoeba #13735918 by Biderl, translation #13736050 by Adelpa
- Ich bin Vegetarier.I am vegetarian.Tatoeba #367937 by rike, translation #1880029 by Asma
- Ich bin Vegetarier, deshalb esse ich kein Schnitzel.I am a vegetarian, therefore I don't eat schnitzel.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hannah and Lukas are looking at a restaurant menu.
- HannahSoll ich uns zwei Burger bestellen?Should I order two burgers for us?
- LukasNein, ich bin Vegetarier.No, I am vegetarian.
- HannahOh, Entschuldigung, Lukas! Was möchtest du stattdessen?Oh, sorry, Lukas! What would you like instead?
- LukasDer vegetarische Salat klingt super.The vegetarian salad sounds great.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
