senz'aglio
No garlic in Italian is senz'aglio, meaning without garlic, the phrase to use when ordering food.
Say it when ordering a dish you want made without garlic. Adding please gives senza aglio, per favore.
What does it mean word for word?
senza means without and aglio means garlic.
Which one should you use?
senz'aglio and senza aglio mean the same thing, the first one just drops a vowel. Niente aglio is a casual way to say no garlic. To ask politely for a dish without it, say Posso avere il piatto senza aglio?
How does it change in a sentence?
The final a of senza is dropped and replaced by an apostrophe because aglio begins with a vowel.
When do people say it?
Adding per favore at the end makes the request more polite in a restaurant.
Did you know?
- In Italian folklore, garlic was historically used not just for cooking but as a charm to ward off the 'evil eye' or vampires. This cultural superstition makes the word aglio appear in many traditional rural idioms regarding protection.
- The word aglio is the root of the English word 'allium', which is the scientific genus for onions, leeks and garlic. While the English common name changed, the Italian word preserved the ancient Latin root.
- While senza aglio is a standard request, some Italians distinguish between aglio and aglio in polvere (garlic powder). In traditional Italian cooking, powdered garlic is often viewed with suspicion and is rarely used in authentic recipes.
Examples in context
- Vorrei la pasta senz'aglio, per favore.I would like the pasta without garlic, please.
- Può preparare questo piatto senz'aglio?Can you prepare this dish without garlic?
- Per me, un risotto senz'aglio.For me, a risotto without garlic.
Example conversation
Ordering food at a restaurant.
- MatteoPrendo la bruschetta, ma senz'aglio.I'll have the bruschetta, but without garlic.
- MartinaCertamente, Matteo. Lo segno subito.Certainly, Matteo. I'll note it down immediately.
- MatteoGrazie, Martina. È molto importante.Thanks, Martina. It is very important.
- MartinaNon si preoccupi, sarà senz'aglio.Don't worry, it will be without garlic.
