Portuguese Phrase
Tem alguma restrição alimentar?
Meaning
This question asks whether the listener has any dietary restrictions, such as allergies, vegetarian or vegan preferences, or specific health‑related limits. It is a polite way to gather information before serving food.
When to use
Use it in restaurants, at a friend's house, during event planning, or any situation where you need to know what foods are safe or acceptable for the other person.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Temalgumarestriçãoalimentar?
Ter (3ª pessoa singular)
‘Tem’ is the third‑person singular present of ‘ter’, used here as the polite/formal ‘you have’ (você tem).
Indefinite adjective ‘alguma’
‘Alguma’ agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies (restrição – feminine singular).
Noun + adjective order
In Portuguese the adjective usually follows the noun, so ‘restrição alimentar’ (food‑related restriction).
Question intonation
Portuguese often forms yes/no questions by keeping the statement order and raising intonation at the end, no inversion needed.
🗨In Conversation
Tem alguma restrição alimentar?
Do you have any dietary restrictions?
Sim, sou intolerante à lactose.
Yes, I'm lactose intolerant.
✕Common Mistakes
Tem alguma restrição alimentar?
If you want to be explicit, add ‘você’ before ‘tem’; otherwise the verb alone is acceptable in informal speech.
Tem alguma restrição?
Do not drop the adjective; ‘restrição’ alone is vague. Keep ‘alimentar’ to specify it’s about food.
Tem algum restrição alimentar?
Using ‘algum’ (masculine) would be incorrect because ‘restrição’ is feminine.
↔Alternatives
Você tem alguma restrição alimentar?
Do you have any dietary restrictions?
Há alguma restrição alimentar?
Is there any dietary restriction?
Existe alguma restrição alimentar?
Is there any dietary restriction?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil it’s common etiquette to ask about dietary restrictions before a meal, especially when hosting guests or ordering for a group. Common restrictions include vegetarian, vegan, gluten‑free, and lactose intolerance. Using a polite tone and the formal ‘você’ (or simply ‘tem’) shows respect for the guest’s health and preferences.