French Phrase
C'est sans gluten ?
Meaning
Literally “Is it without gluten?” – a quick way to ask whether a food item, dish, or product contains no gluten. It’s the go‑to phrase for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.
When to use
Use it in restaurants, cafés, grocery stores, or when someone offers you a plate and you need to confirm it’s safe for a gluten‑free diet. It works for both packaged products and freshly prepared dishes.
✦Grammar Breakdown
C'estsansgluten?
C'est
Contraction of *ce* + *est*; used to identify or describe something. In questions it can stay in the same order.
sans
Preposition meaning “without”. It never takes an article, so you say *sans gluten*, not *sans le gluten*.
gluten
A noun borrowed from English; in French it stays masculine and invariable.
Question intonation
When the sentence starts with *C'est*, you simply raise your intonation at the end to turn it into a question; no inversion needed.
🗨In Conversation
C'est sans gluten ?
Is it gluten‑free?
Oui, c’est totalement sans gluten.
Yes, it’s completely gluten‑free.
✕Common Mistakes
C'est le sans gluten ?
Do not use an article after *sans*; the preposition already means “without”.
C'est sans le gluten ?
The article *le* is unnecessary and sounds unnatural.
Est‑ce que c’est sans gluten ?
While grammatically correct, it’s overly wordy for everyday speech; native speakers prefer the shorter *C’est sans gluten ?*
↔Alternatives
Est‑ce sans gluten ?
Is it gluten‑free?
Ce produit est‑il sans gluten ?
Is this product gluten‑free?
Il est sans gluten ?
Is it gluten‑free?
Cultural Tip
In France, the label *sans gluten* is regulated by the EU and must be verified by a laboratory. When you ask *C'est sans gluten ?* in a restaurant, staff will usually check the kitchen’s allergen list. In Québec, you’ll also see the English phrase “gluten‑free” on menus, but the French version is still the most polite way to ask.