Vegan in Vietnam: Free Phrases for Travellers
‘I am vegan’
Dodgy Phrases I’ve Used as a Vegan in Vietnam
Now, I understand what you are thinking: “But Lucy, we can just Google translate that”. However, it’s not always completely reliable. For example, when I first moved to Vietnam I translated a sentence that included the word vegan and was shown ‘cháy’ (which means burnt), instead of ‘chay’. Safe to say, I really wasn’t looking to eat burnt rice that day!
Vietnamese have many uses for the same word by using different accents. This means you have to be extra careful to get it right, otherwise you may be asking for something completely different. Pronouncing these words is a whole other ball game, which is why I advise you to carry around the phrases we have provided below.
For extra help during your stay, make sure to check out the Vegan in Vietnam Facebook group:
Trusty Vegan Guide
This is a list compiled by a native Vietnamese speaker with a knowledge of vegan food. It has been trialled and tested and has not failed me yet.
We have collaborated with the wonderful Johanna Vargas Sanchez, a vegan illustrator. She has created vibrant pictures to illustrate and visually support the phrases. We believe these will help guide anyone you present your vegan questions to.
The Phrases
1. I am vegan – Tôi ăn chay
2. Sorry, but I don’t eat any animal products (even honey, milk, butter, egg, fish and seafood) – Xin lỗi nhưng tôi không ăn các sản phẩm từ động vật (bao gồm mật ong, sữa, bơ, trứng, cá và hải sản)
3. Excuse me, do you have any plant-based milk? – Cho tôi hỏi có các loại sữa hạt không? (sữa hạt là sữa từ các loại thực vật)
4. I do not eat meat, fish or eggs – Tôi không ăn thịt, cá và trứng.
5. Has your coffee been roasted in butter? Bạn có cà phê rang với bơ không?
6. Is there any fish sauce in this dish? Bạn có dùng nước mắm để nấu món ăn này không?
7. I do not consume dairy products – Tôi không ăn các sản phẩm từ sữa và không uống sữa
8. Excuse me, is there animal fat in this food? – Xin lỗi nhưng có chất béo động vật nào trong đây không?
9. Please use vegetable oil instead of butter for cooking – Xin vui lòng sử dụng dầu ăn thực vật thay vì bơ để nấu ăn
10. Could you please remove the cheese from this dish for me? – Tôi không ăn phô mai, có thể bỏ ra khỏi món ăn giúp tôi được không
11. Excuse me, do you have any vegan options? – Cho tôi hỏi có món ăn chay nào không?
