Italian Phrase
Questo piatto è senza latticini?
Meaning
A polite way to ask whether a dish contains any dairy products. It’s especially useful for people with lactose intolerance, vegans, or anyone avoiding dairy for health or religious reasons.
When to use
Use it in restaurants, cafés, or at a friend’s home when you need to confirm the ingredients of a dish. It’s also handy when reading a menu or asking a chef about a recipe.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Questopiattoèsenzalatticini?
Questo (demonstrative adjective)
Matches the gender and number of the noun it modifies; here masculine singular to agree with "piatto".
è (essere)
Third‑person singular present of "essere"; used for identity, description, and state.
senza (preposition)
Means “without” and is followed directly by a noun without an article.
latticini (noun, plural)
Plural noun meaning “dairy products”; often used when talking about allergens.
Question intonation
In spoken Italian the rising intonation at the end signals a yes/no question; the word order stays the same.
🗨In Conversation
Scusi, questo piatto è senza latticini?
Excuse me, is this dish dairy‑free?
Sì, è preparato senza formaggio né panna.
Yes, it’s prepared without cheese or cream.
✕Common Mistakes
Questo piatto non è senza latticini?
This means the opposite – “it is not dairy‑free”. Use "è senza latticini" for a positive question.
Questo piatto è senza i latticini?
The preposition "senza" never takes an article; drop "i".
Questo piatto è di latticini?
"di" changes the meaning to “of dairy”, not “without dairy”.
↔Alternatives
Questo piatto non contiene latticini.
This dish does not contain dairy.
Il piatto è privo di latticini.
The dish is free of dairy.
È un piatto senza latticini?
Is it a dairy‑free dish?
Cultural Tip
Italian cuisine frequently uses cheese, butter, and milk, even in seemingly simple dishes. When you ask "senza latticini?" you’re being clear and respectful. In the north, dairy‑free options are more common, while in the south you may need to specify "senza formaggio" or "senza panna" because those are the usual dairy ingredients.