How to say gluten-free in Spanish, plus the phrases for the table
“Gluten-free” in Spanish is sin gluten. That’s the word you’ll see on packs and menus. At the table you need a little more: that it’s a medical condition, which grains to avoid, and the kitchen questions. Here they are, in Spanish, with the English meaning.
The phrases that help at the table
Show the Spanish line to the staff; the English underneath tells you what it says.
| What it says | Spanish |
|---|---|
| I have coeliac disease I have coeliac disease, an autoimmune medical condition, not a diet choice or preference. |
Tengo enfermedad celíaca, una afección médica autoinmune, no una elección ni una preferencia alimentaria. |
| What I can’t eat I cannot eat wheat (including spelt, kamut, durum and semolina), barley, rye or standard oats, or anything made from them: bread, pasta, batter, breadcrumbs, flour. |
No puedo comer trigo (incluidos la espelta, el kamut, el trigo duro y la sémola), cebada, centeno ni avena convencional, ni nada elaborado con ellos: pan, pasta, rebozados, pan rallado, harina. |
| Even a crumb Even a tiny amount, a crumb, makes me genuinely ill. |
Incluso una cantidad mínima, una miga, me hace enfermar de verdad. |
| Clean pan and utensils Please use a clean pan, clean utensils and boards, and fresh oil. |
Por favor, usen una sartén limpia, utensilios y tablas limpios y aceite nuevo. |
| The shared fryer Was this fried in a shared fryer or in shared oil? Oil used for breaded food is not safe for me. |
¿Esto se ha frito en una freidora compartida o en el mismo aceite? El aceite usado para freír alimentos rebozados o empanados no es seguro para mí. |
| Hidden gluten Does this contain soy sauce, malt, flour, breadcrumbs or stock cubes? Could you check? |
¿Contiene salsa de soja, malta, harina, pan rallado o pastillas de caldo? ¿Podría comprobarlo? |
| Please check with the kitchen Could you please check the ingredients with the kitchen? I am very happy to wait. |
¿Podría consultar los ingredientes con la cocina? No me importa esperar. |
| What I can eat I can eat rice, corn, potatoes, plain fresh meat and fish, eggs, dairy, vegetables and fruit, as long as they are not cooked with, or alongside, the items above. |
Puedo comer arroz, maíz, patatas, carne y pescado frescos sin procesar, huevos, lácteos, verduras y fruta, siempre que no se cocinen con, o junto a, los alimentos mencionados arriba. |
| Thank you Thank you so much for taking care of this, it genuinely makes all the difference. |
Muchísimas gracias por tenerlo en cuenta, de verdad supone una gran diferencia para mí. |
What the staff might answer
- Sí, podemos prepararlo aparte, con una sartén y utensilios limpios.
Yes, we can prepare it separately, with a clean pan and clean utensils. - Lo siento, hoy no podemos garantizarlo.
I am sorry, we cannot guarantee that today. - Un momento, lo consulto con la cocina.
One moment, let me ask the kitchen.
On labels
In Spain and the rest of the EU, «sin gluten» on a pack or a menu is a regulated claim: 20 mg/kg or less, the Codex threshold. «Puede contener trazas» (may contain traces) is voluntary and doesn’t cancel a sin gluten claim. The national association is FACE; its certified products and trained restaurants are common in Spain.
Local things to watch
- Tapas bars share the fryer: croquetas, calamares a la romana and rebozados all go into the same oil.
- Tortilla de patatas is naturally gluten-free, but some bars add flour or fry in shared oil: ask.
- Stock cubes and many sauces can contain wheat: read the label.
- Beer (cerveza) is barley; look for ‘sin gluten’ beers, widely available.
- Spain is strong on labelling: FACE certification and ‘sin gluten’ menus are common, and asking is normal.
Latin America uses the same words. For Mexico, our card tool has a Mexican Spanish version with local traps (Salsa Inglesa, Maggi, flour-dusted tortillas).
About these translations: every line was checked in September 2026 by three AI models (Gemini, GPT and Claude) against our English master and corrected where needed. A native speaker hasn’t read them yet, so point at the words rather than paraphrase.
Take it with you
- Free card tool: these phrases on your phone, spoken aloud, with the staff answer buttons
- The printable Spanish card (A6, phone and wallet size)
- Our hand-picked gluten-free places in Spain
- The Atlas: gluten-free places near you
Reviewed against the HTGF methodology: every claim sourced, every listing tiered and dated. This article is practical guidance, not medical advice.
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