German Phrase
Bitte keine Zwiebeln.
Meaning
A polite way to tell someone, usually a waiter or chef, that you do not want onions in your dish. The word order mirrors a short request: ‘please no onions.’
When to use
Use this phrase in restaurants, cafés, or when ordering take‑away food, especially if you have a dietary restriction or simply dislike the taste of onions.
✦Grammar Breakdown
BittekeineZwiebeln
Bitte (please)
A polite particle used at the beginning of a request; it does not change form.
keine (no, not any)
The negative indefinite article for plural nouns; it replaces the indefinite article 'eine' and the definite article 'die'.
Zwiebeln (onions)
Plural noun; the singular is 'die Zwiebel'. In a negative construction the noun stays in the nominative/accusative plural.
🗨In Conversation
Bitte keine Zwiebeln.
Please, no onions.
Natürlich, wir nehmen die Zwiebeln heraus.
Of course, we’ll take the onions out.
✕Common Mistakes
Bitte nicht Zwiebeln.
‘Nicht’ negates verbs, adjectives or whole clauses, not nouns. Use ‘keine’ with nouns.
Bitte keine Zwiebel.
When negating a plural noun you need the plural form ‘Zwiebeln’. ‘Zwiebel’ is singular.
Bitte, keine Zwiebeln.
The comma is unnecessary and can make the sentence sound choppy. Keep it as a single smooth request.
↔Alternatives
Ohne Zwiebeln, bitte.
Without onions, please.
Keine Zwiebeln, danke.
No onions, thank you.
Ich möchte keine Zwiebeln.
I would like no onions.
Cultural Tip
In German‑speaking countries it is common to state dietary preferences directly and politely. Starting with ‘Bitte’ softens the request and shows good manners. Remember that ‘Zwiebeln’ is plural; if you only want to avoid a single onion you would still say ‘keine Zwiebeln’ because the dish usually contains more than one piece.