How to Order Vegan Food Abroad in 50 Languages
Knowing the word vegan is just the start. In many places it means vegetarian or gets misunderstood. These cards show what to say, how to say it, and the common traps to avoid.
English
UK, USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, Ireland
I'm vegan
VEE-gun
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No meat, poultry, fish or seafood. No dairy, eggs, honey or gelatine.
VTG Destinations
German
Germany, Austria, Switzerland
Ich bin vegan
ikh bin VAY-gahn
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Ohne Fleisch, Geflügel, Fisch oder Meeresfrüchte. Ohne Milchprodukte, Eier, Honig oder Gelatine.
VTG Destinations
French
France, Belgium, Switzerland, Quebec
Je suis vegan
zhuh swee vay-GAHN
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Sans viande, volaille, poisson ni fruits de mer. Sans produits laitiers, œufs, miel ni gélatine.
VTG Destinations
Dutch
Netherlands, Belgium (Flanders)
Ik ben veganist
ik ben vay-gah-NIST
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Geen vlees, gevogelte, vis of zeevruchten. Geen zuivel, eieren, honing of gelatine.
VTG Destinations
Swedish
Sweden, Norway, Denmark
Jag är vegan
yah air VAY-gahn
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Inget kött, fågel, fisk eller skaldjur. Inga mejeriprodukter, ägg, honung eller gelatin.
VTG Destinations
Finnish
Finland
Olen vegaani
OH-len veh-GAH-nee
Karelian pies and casseroles traditionally use voi (butter). Kerma (cream) in Christmas dishes.
Ilman voita, ilman kermaa
"Without butter, without cream" — IL-man VOY-ta, IL-man KEHR-maa
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Ei lihaa, ei kanaa, ei kalaa, ei äyriäisiä. Ei maitotuotteita, ei kananmunia, ei hunajaa.
VTG Destinations
Icelandic
Iceland
Ég er vegan
yeh air VEH-gahn
Mysingur (whey) in traditional recipes. Skyr is dairy. Fish stock in soups. Smjör (butter) in baked goods.
Án smjörs, án mjólkur
"Without butter, without milk" — ow-n SMYUR-s, ow-n MYOL-kur
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Ekkert kjöt, alifuglar, fiskur eða sjávarfang. Engin mjólkurvara, egg, hunang eða gelatín.
VTG Destinations
Norwegian
Norway
Jeg er veganer
yay air veh-gah-NEHR
Brunost (brown cheese) is iconic. Smør (butter) in baked goods. Fish-heavy cuisine — stock in soups.
Uten smør, uten fløte
"Without butter, without cream" — OO-ten smur, OO-ten FLUH-teh
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Ingen kjøtt, fjærfe, fisk eller sjømat. Ingen meieriprodukter, egg, honning eller gelatin.
VTG Destinations
Slovenian
Slovenia
Sem vegan
sem VEH-gahn
Smetana (sour cream) with štruklji (rolled dumplings). Potica (nut roll) has butter. Cream-based sauces common.
Brez smetane, brez masla
"Without cream, without butter" — brez smeh-TAH-neh, brez MAHS-la
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Brez mesa, perutnine, ribe ali morskih sadežev. Brez mlečnih izdelkov, jajc, medu ali želatine.
VTG Destinations
Spanish
Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Colombia
Soy vegano / vegana
soy veh-GAH-no / veh-GAH-na
Beans, tortillas, tamales, rice often cooked in pork fat (manteca).
¿Tiene manteca?
"Does it have lard?" — tee-EN-eh man-TEH-ka
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Sin carne, aves, pescado ni mariscos. Sin lácteos, huevos, miel ni gelatina.
VTG Destinations
Portuguese
Portugal, Brazil
Sou vegano / vegana
soh veh-GAH-noo / veh-GAH-nah
Portugal uses lard (banha) in pastries. Brazil uses bacon fat in rice and feijoada.
Tem banha? Tem caldo de carne?
"Lard? Meat stock?" — teng BAH-nya, teng KAL-doo deh KAR-neh
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Sem carne, aves, peixe ou frutos do mar. Sem laticínios, ovos, mel ou gelatina.
VTG Destinations
Italian
Italy, San Marino, Ticino
Sono vegano / vegana
SOH-noh veh-GAH-noh / veh-GAH-nah
Parmigiano added by default to pasta, risotto, soups. Fresh pasta has egg. Pesto has cheese.
Senza formaggio, per favore
"Without cheese, please" — SEN-tsa for-MAH-joh
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Senza carne, pollame, pesce o frutti di mare. Senza latticini, uova, miele o gelatina.
VTG Destinations
Greek
Greece, Cyprus
Είμαι βίγκαν
EE-may VEE-gan
Greek salads have feta by default. Tzatziki accompanies everything. Honey on desserts.
Χωρίς τυρί, χωρίς γιαούρτι
"No cheese, no yogurt" — ho-REES tee-REE, ho-REES yah-OOR-tee
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Χωρίς κρέας, πουλερικά, ψάρι ή θαλασσινά. Χωρίς γαλακτοκομικά, αυγά, μέλι ή ζελατίνη.
VTG Destinations
Turkish
Turkey
Ben veganım
ben veh-gah-NUHM
Yogurt served with most dishes. Butter in rice, vegetables, pastries. Meat stock in soups.
Yoğurt yok, tereyağı yok
"No yogurt, no butter" — yo-OORT yok, teh-reh-ya-UH yok
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Et yok, tavuk yok, balık yok, deniz ürünleri yok. Süt ürünleri yok, yumurta yok, bal yok.
VTG Destinations
Georgian
Georgia
მე ვარ ვეგანი
meh var VEH-gah-nee
ხაჭაპური (khachapuri/cheese bread) is national dish. სულგუნი (sulguni cheese) in everything. კარაქი (butter) in khinkali dough. Matsoni (yogurt) common.
ყველის გარეშე, კარაქის გარეშე
"Without cheese, without butter" — KVEH-lis gah-REH-sheh, kah-RAH-kis gah-REH-sheh
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ხორცის გარეშე, ფრინველის გარეშე, თევზის გარეშე, ზღვის პროდუქტების გარეშე. რძის პროდუქტების გარეშე, კვერცხის გარეშე, თაფლის გარეშე.
VTG Destinations
Polish
Poland
Jestem weganinem / weganką
YES-tem veh-gah-NEE-nem / veh-GAN-koh
Smalec (lard) for frying. Śmietana (sour cream) with pierogi, soups, everything.
Bez smalcu, bez śmietany
"No lard, no sour cream" — bez SMAL-tsoo, bez shmyeh-TAH-nee
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Bez mięsa, drobiu, ryb lub owoców morza. Bez nabiału, jajek, miodu lub żelatyny.
VTG Destinations
Czech
Czechia
Jsem vegan
sem VEH-gan
Sádlo (lard) used extensively. Smetana (cream) with everything. Dumplings often contain egg.
Bez sádla, bez smetany
"No lard, no cream" — bez SAHD-la, bez SMEH-ta-nee
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Bez masa, drůbeže, ryb nebo mořských plodů. Bez mléčných výrobků, vajec, medu nebo želatiny.
VTG Destinations
Slovak
Slovakia
Som vegán
som VEH-gahn
Bryndzové halušky (sheep cheese dumplings) is the national dish. Kyslá smotana (sour cream) with everything. Bravčová masť (lard) for frying.
Bez bryndze, bez smotany
"No sheep cheese, no cream" — bez BRIN-dzeh, bez smo-TAH-nee
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Bez mäsa, hydiny, rýb alebo morských plodov. Bez mliečnych výrobkov, vajec, medu alebo želatíny.
VTG Destinations
Hungarian
Hungary
Vegán vagyok
VEH-gahn VAH-dyok
Zsír (lard) for frying. Tejföl (sour cream) with everything including goulash.
Zsír nélkül, tejföl nélkül
"No lard, no sour cream" — zheer NEL-kool, TAY-fool NEL-kool
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Hús, baromfi, hal vagy tenger gyümölcsei nélkül. Tejtermékek, tojás, méz vagy zselatin nélkül.
VTG Destinations
Russian
Russia
Я веган
ya VEH-gan
Сметана (sour cream) with everything. Сало (lard) for frying. Mayonnaise in salads.
Без сметаны, без сала
"No sour cream, no lard" — byez smeh-TAH-nee, byez SAH-la
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Без мяса, птицы, рыбы или морепродуктов. Без молочных продуктов, яиц, мёда или желатина.
VTG Destinations
Ukrainian
Ukraine, Diaspora communities
Я веган
ya VEH-gahn
Сметана (smetana/sour cream) in borscht, varenyky, everywhere. Сало (salo/cured pork fat) is cultural. Lard in varenyky dough.
Без сметани, без сала
"No sour cream, no lard" — bez smeh-TAH-nee, bez SAH-la
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Без м'яса, птиці, риби або морепродуктів. Без молочних продуктів, яєць, меду або желатину.
VTG Destinations
Croatian
Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, Montenegro
Ja sam vegan
yah sahm VEH-gahn
Kajmak (creamy spread), sir (cheese), pavlaka (sour cream) everywhere. Meat stock common.
Bez mliječnih proizvoda
"Without dairy" — bez mlee-YECH-neekh pro-EEZ-vo-da
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Bez mesa, peradi, ribe ili morskih plodova. Bez mliječnih proizvoda, jaja, meda ili želatine.
VTG Destinations
Romanian
Romania
Sunt vegan
soont veh-GAHN
Smântână (sour cream) served with sarmale, soups, polenta. Brânză (cheese) in pastries. Untură (lard) for frying.
Fără smântână, fără brânză
"No sour cream, no cheese" — FAH-rah smun-TUH-nah, FAH-rah BRUN-zah
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Fără carne, fără pui, fără pește, fără fructe de mare. Fără lactate, fără ouă, fără miere.
VTG Destinations
Bulgarian
Bulgaria
Аз съм веган
az sum VEH-gahn
Сирене (sirene/white cheese) in shopska salad, banitsa, everywhere. Кисело мляко (yogurt) with most meals. Кашкавал (yellow cheese) common.
Без сирене, без кисело мляко
"No cheese, no yogurt" — bez SEE-reh-neh, bez KEE-seh-lo MLYAH-ko
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Без месо, птици, риба или морски дарове. Без млечни продукти, яйца, мед или желатин.
VTG Destinations
Estonian
Estonia
Ma olen vegan
ma OH-len VEH-gahn
Kohuke (curd snacks) everywhere. Hapukoor (sour cream) with most dishes. Või (butter) in black bread. Fish in traditional soups.
Ilma võita, ilma hapukooreta
"Without butter, without sour cream" — IL-ma VUH-ee-ta, IL-ma HA-poo-koo-reh-ta
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Ilma liha, linnuliha, kala või mereande. Ilma piimatooteid, mune, mett või želatiini.
VTG Destinations
Hebrew
Israel
אני טבעוני / טבעונית
ah-NEE tiv-oh-NEE (m) / tiv-oh-NEET (f)
Pareve (neither meat nor dairy) can still include fish, eggs, and honey. Don't assume kosher labelling means vegan-safe.
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בלי בשר, עוף, דגים או פירות ים. בלי מוצרי חלב, ביצים, דבש או ג׳לטין.
VTG Destinations
Farsi
Iran
من گیاهخوار کامل هستم
man gee-AH-khaar KAH-mel HAS-tam
Kashk (کشک) — fermented whey — is used in ash-e reshteh, kashk bademjan, and many stews. Ghee in rice dishes.
بدون کشک، بدون کره
"Without kashk, without butter" — bedoon-eh KASHK, bedoon-eh kah-REH
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بدون گوشت، بدون مرغ، بدون ماهی، بدون غذای دریایی. بدون لبنیات، بدون تخم مرغ، بدون عسل.
VTG Destinations
Korean
South Korea
저는 비건이에요
juh-neun BEE-gun-ee-eh-yo
Anchovy stock (myeolchi) and fish sauce (jeotgal) in kimchi, soups, stews. Many banchan contain seafood.
멸치 없이, 젓갈 없이
"No anchovy, no fish sauce" — myuhl-chee uhp-shee, juht-gahl uhp-shee
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고기 없이, 닭고기 없이, 생선 없이, 해산물 없이. 유제품 없이, 계란 없이, 꿀 없이.
VTG Destinations
Mandarin
China, Taiwan, Singapore
我吃全素
woh chir chwan-soo
蚝油 (oyster sauce) in most stir fries. 猪油 (lard) in rice, pastries, dumplings. Chicken powder common.
不要蚝油，不要猪油
"No oyster sauce, no lard" — boo yow how-yo, boo yow joo-yo
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不吃肉，不吃鸡，不吃鱼，不吃海鲜。不吃奶制品，不吃蛋，不吃蜂蜜。
VTG Destinations
Cantonese
Hong Kong, Macau, Guangdong
我食全素
ngo sik chyun sou
蠔油 (hou yau) default for veg dishes. Dried shrimp in noodle soups. Dim sum often has hidden pork/shrimp.
唔要蠔油，唔要豬油
"No oyster sauce, no lard" — mm yiu hou yau, mm yiu jyu yau
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唔食肉，唔食雞，唔食魚，唔食海鮮。唔食奶類，唔食蛋，唔食蜜糖。
VTG Destinations
Arabic
UAE, Qatar, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco
أنا نباتي صرف
AH-na nah-bah-TEE sarf
نباتي (nabati) alone = vegetarian. Add صرف (sarf/strict) for vegan. Samn (clarified butter) in rice/pastries.
بدون سمن، بدون حليب
"No butter, no milk" — bidoon samn, bidoon haleeb
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بدون لحم، بدون دجاج، بدون سمك، بدون مأكولات بحرية. بدون حليب، بدون بيض، بدون عسل.
VTG Destinations
Swahili
Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar
Mimi ni mboga tu
MEE-mee nee mm-BOH-ga too
"Mboga tu" = vegetables only, doesn't exclude dairy/eggs. Meat stock in bean dishes. Dried fish in stews.
Bila nyama, bila samaki, bila maziwa, bila mayai
"No meat, fish, milk, eggs" — BEE-la NYAH-ma, BEE-la sah-MAH-kee, BEE-la mah-ZEE-wa, BEE-la mah-YAH-ee
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Bila nyama, bila kuku, bila samaki. Bila maziwa, bila mayai, bila asali.
VTG Destinations
Amharic
Ethiopia
የጾም ምግብ ብቻ እበላለሁ
yeh-TSOM muh-GUB buh-CHA uh-beh-LAH-leh-hoo
Niter kibbeh is in most dishes outside fasting periods. Clarified butter added to lentils, vegetables, stews.
ያለ ቅቤ፣ ያለ ወተት
"Without butter, without milk" — yah-LEH kuh-BEH, yah-LEH wuh-TET
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ያለ ሥጋ፣ ያለ ዶሮ፣ ያለ ዓሣ። ያለ ወተት፣ ያለ እንቁላል፣ ያለ ማር፣ ያለ ቅቤ።
VTG Destinations
Afrikaans
South Africa, Namibia
Ek is 'n vegaan
ek is uh veh-KHAHN
Botter (butter) in everything. Boerewors grease on shared braai grills. Biltong culture. Cream in sauces. Potjiekos often has hidden stock.
Sonder botter, sonder room
"Without butter, without cream" — SON-der BO-ter, SON-der roam
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Geen vleis, hoender, vis of seekos nie. Geen suiwelprodukte, eiers, heuning of jellie nie.
VTG Destinations
Albanian
Albania, Kosovo
Jam vegan
yahm VEH-gahn
Kos (yogurt) served with everything. Djathë (cheese) in byrek and most dishes. Gjalpë (butter) in traditional cooking. Outside Tirana, vegan concept is unfamiliar.
Pa djathë, pa kos, pa gjalpë
"No cheese, no yogurt, no butter" — pah DYAH-thuh, pah kohs, pah GYAHL-puh
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Pa mish, pa pulë, pa peshk, pa fruta deti. Pa produkte qumështi, pa vezë, pa mjaltë.
VTG Destinations
Japanese
Japan, Okinawa
私はヴィーガンです
watashi wa VEE-gahn des
Dashi (fish stock) is in miso soup, ramen, simmered vegetables, rice seasonings. Saying "vegan" is not enough.
だしも使わないでください
"Please don't use dashi" — dashi mo tsukawanaide kudasai
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肉、鶏肉、魚介類は食べません。乳製品、卵、はちみつも食べません。
VTG Destinations
Thai
Thailand
ผม/ฉัน กินเจ
pom/chan gin jay
น้ำปลา (nam pla) is a staple — curries, stir fries, soups, salads, desserts. Shrimp paste (กะปิ) equally common.
ไม่ใส่น้ำปลา ไม่ใส่กะปิ
"No fish sauce, no shrimp paste" — mai sai nam pla, mai sai kapi
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ไม่กินเนื้อสัตว์ ไม่กินไก่ ไม่กินปลา ไม่กินอาหารทะเล ไม่กินนม ไม่กินไข่ ไม่กินน้ำผึ้ง
VTG Destinations
Vietnamese
Vietnam
Tôi ăn chay
toy an chai
Nước mắm appears in most dishes — pho, stir fries, dipping sauces, marinades.
Không nước mắm, không trứng
"No fish sauce, no egg" — kohng nook mahm, kohng troong
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Không thịt, không gà, không cá, không hải sản. Không sữa, không trứng, không mật ong.
VTG Destinations
Lao
Laos
ຂ້ອຍກິນເຈ
khoy gin jeh
Padaek (ປາແດກ) — fermented fish paste — is a staple ingredient in Lao cuisine, from laap to soups.
ບໍ່ໃສ່ປາແດກ ບໍ່ໃສ່ນ້ຳປາ
"No padaek, no fish sauce" — bor sai pa-daek, bor sai nam pa
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ບໍ່ກິນຊີ້ນ ບໍ່ກິນໄກ່ ບໍ່ກິນປາ ບໍ່ກິນອາຫານທະເລ ບໍ່ກິນນົມ ບໍ່ກິນໄຂ່
VTG Destinations
Indonesian
Indonesia, Bali
Saya vegan
SAH-ya VEE-gan
Terasi (shrimp paste) in most sambals and dishes. Ikan bilis (dried anchovies) common. Kecap ikan (fish sauce) in some recipes. Egg in nasi goreng.
Tanpa terasi, tanpa ikan, tanpa kecap ikan
"No shrimp paste, no fish, no fish sauce" — TAN-pa tuh-RAH-see, TAN-pa EE-kan, TAN-pa KUH-chap EE-kan
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Tanpa daging, tanpa ayam, tanpa ikan, tanpa makanan laut. Tanpa susu, tanpa telur, tanpa madu.
VTG Destinations
Malay
Malaysia, Brunei
Saya vegan
SAH-ya VEE-gan
Belacan (shrimp paste) in most sambals and curries. Ikan bilis (anchovies) in nasi lemak.
Tanpa belacan, tanpa ikan bilis
"No shrimp paste, no anchovies" — TAN-pa buh-LAH-chan, TAN-pa EE-kan BEE-lis
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Tanpa daging, tanpa ayam, tanpa ikan, tanpa makanan laut. Tanpa susu, tanpa telur, tanpa madu.
VTG Destinations
Tagalog
Philippines
Vegan ako
VEE-gan ah-KOH
Patis (fish sauce) and bagoong (shrimp paste) are staple ingredients. Used in adobo, sinigang, kare-kare.
Walang patis, walang bagoong
"No fish sauce, no shrimp paste" — wah-LAHNG pah-TIS, wah-LAHNG bah-goh-ONG
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Walang karne, walang manok, walang isda, walang pagkaing-dagat. Walang gatas, walang itlog, walang pulot-pukyutan.
VTG Destinations
Khmer
Cambodia
ខ្ញុំញ៉ាំបួស
knyom nyam buos
Prahok (fermented fish paste) is a staple in Khmer cuisine. Fish sauce (tuk trey) equally common.
អត់ប្រហុក អត់ទឹកត្រី
"No prahok, no fish sauce" — ot prahok, ot tuk trey
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អត់សាច់ អត់មាន់ អត់ត្រី អត់អាហារសមុទ្រ។ អត់ទឹកដោះគោ អត់ពង អត់ទឹកឃ្មុំ។
VTG Destinations
Burmese
Myanmar
သက်သက်လွတ် စားပါတယ်
theht-theht-LOOT sa-ba-deh
Ngapi (ငါးပိ) — fermented fish paste — is a staple ingredient in Burmese cuisine. In salads, soups, curries, sauces.
ငါးပိ မပါဘူး၊ ငါးငံပြာရည် မပါဘူး
"No ngapi, no fish sauce" — nga-pi ma-pa-boo, nga-ngan-pya-yay ma-pa-boo
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အသား မစား၊ ကြက်သား မစား၊ ငါး မစား၊ ပင်လယ်စာ မစား။ နို့ မစား၊ ကြက်ဥ မစား၊ ပျားရည် မစား။
VTG Destinations
Hindi
India (North)
मैं वीगन हूँ
main VEE-gun hoon
"Vegetarian" in India = lacto vegetarian. Ghee is sacred — in dal, rice, roti, vegetables, sweets, chai. Many won't know "vegan" — say "शुद्ध शाकाहारी" (pure vegetarian) then clarify no dairy.
घी नहीं, दूध नहीं, पनीर नहीं
"No ghee, no milk, no paneer" — ghee nah-HEE, doodh nah-HEE, pa-NEER nah-HEE
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दूध नहीं, घी नहीं, मक्खन नहीं, दही नहीं, पनीर नहीं, शहद नहीं
VTG Destinations
Bengali
Bangladesh, West Bengal (India)
আমি ভেগান
AH-mee VEH-gahn
Bengali culture considers fish vegetarian. Ghee (ঘি) added to rice, dal, sweets. All traditional sweets (rasgulla, sandesh) are dairy-based.
মাছ ছাড়া, ঘি ছাড়া, দুধ ছাড়া
"No fish, no ghee, no milk" — MAACH chha-ra, GHEE chha-ra, DOODH chha-ra
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মাংস নেই, মুরগি নেই, মাছ নেই, সামুদ্রিক খাবার নেই। দুধ নেই, ডিম নেই, মধু নেই, ঘি নেই।
VTG Destinations
Tamil
Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, N. Sri Lanka
நான் வீகன்
naan VEE-gan
Ghee (நெய்) in dosas, sweets, rice. Curd (தயிர்) served with most meals.
நெய் வேண்டாம், தயிர் வேண்டாம்
"No ghee, no curd" — ney VEN-daam, thayir VEN-daam
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இறைச்சி இல்லை, கோழி இல்லை, மீன் இல்லை, கடல் உணவு இல்லை. பால் இல்லை, முட்டை இல்லை, தேன் இல்லை.
VTG Destinations
Malayalam
Kerala, India
ഞാൻ വീഗൻ ആണ്
nyaan VEE-gan AAN
Kerala is a coastal state — fish curry (മീൻ കറി) is staple food. Fish stock can appear in "vegetarian" dishes.
മീൻ വേണ്ട, മീൻ വെള്ളം വേണ്ട
"No fish, no fish stock" — meen VEN-da, meen VEL-lam VEN-da
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ഇറച്ചി വേണ്ട, കോഴി വേണ്ട, മീൻ വേണ്ട, കടൽ വിഭവങ്ങൾ വേണ്ട. പാൽ വേണ്ട, മുട്ട വേണ്ട, തേൻ വേണ്ട.
VTG Destinations
Nepali
Nepal
म भिगन हुँ
ma VEE-gan hoon
Ghee in dal bhat (national dish), butter in momo dough, curd (dahi) with meals. Milk tea is default.
घिउ छैन, दूध छैन
"No ghee, no milk" — ghee-oo CHAI-na, doodh CHAI-na
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मासु छैन, माछा छैन, दूध छैन, अण्डा छैन, मह छैन, घिउ छैन
VTG Destinations
Sinhala
Sri Lanka
මම වීගන්
mama VEE-gan
Umbalakada (dried tuna) is a base flavoring in curries, sambols, pol sambol. Often not mentioned as it's assumed.
උම්බලකඩ නෑ, කිරි නෑ
"No Maldive fish, no milk" — um-ba-la-KA-da neh, KEE-ree neh
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මස් නෑ, කුකුල් මස් නෑ, මාළු නෑ, මුහුදු ආහාර නෑ। කිරි නෑ, බිත්තර නෑ, මී පැණි නෑ।
VTG Destinations