French Phrase
Je suis allergique aux crustacés.
Meaning
This sentence means “I am allergic to crustaceans.” It is used to inform someone—often a waiter, a doctor, or a friend—that you cannot safely eat shrimp, crab, lobster, and similar seafood. The structure follows the typical French pattern ‘Je suis + adjective + à/aux + noun.’
When to use
Use this phrase when ordering food at a restaurant, filling out a medical form, or explaining dietary restrictions to a host. It is especially handy in French‑speaking regions where seafood is common on menus.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Jesuisallergiqueauxcrustacés
Je (subject pronoun)
First‑person singular pronoun used as the subject of the verb.
suis (être, present)
Present tense of the verb être; agrees with the subject ‘je’.
allergique (adjective)
An adjective that stays invariable in gender and number when it follows the verb être.
aux (à + les)
The preposition à combined with the plural definite article les; used before a plural noun to indicate ‘to’ or ‘against.’
crustacés (noun, plural)
Masculine plural noun meaning ‘crustaceans’; the object of the preposition aux.
🗨In Conversation
Vous avez des allergies alimentaires ?
Do you have any food allergies?
Oui, je suis allergique aux crustacés.
Yes, I am allergic to crustaceans.
✕Common Mistakes
Je suis allergie aux crustacés.
‘Allergie’ is a noun; you need the adjective ‘allergique’ after être.
Je suis allergique à les crustacés.
The preposition ‘à’ contracts with the plural article ‘les’ to form ‘aux.’
Je suis allergique aux crustacé.
If you want to speak about a single type, use ‘au crustacé’ (singular).
↔Alternatives
Je suis intolérant aux crustacés.
I am intolerant to crustaceans.
Je ne peux pas manger de crustacés.
I cannot eat crustaceans.
J’ai une allergie aux crustacés.
I have an allergy to crustaceans.
Cultural Tip
In France, it is polite to tell the staff about allergies as early as possible, ideally when you are seated. Many menus include a ‘Allergènes’ section, but it is not mandatory, so a clear verbal statement like this one is the safest way to avoid cross‑contamination. Remember that “crustacés” covers shrimp, crab, lobster, crawfish, and even some types of fish roe.