生卵は食べられません I can't eat raw eggs.

To express what you can't eat, say "[food] wa taberaremasen" or "I can't eat [food]." "Taberaremasen" is the polite negative form of "taberareru," the potential form of the verb "taberu" or "to eat."

Explaining what you can't drink:
The verb "nomu" or "to drink" in the potential form is "nomeru" or "can drink." The negative polite form of that is "nomemasen" or "can't drink." So, to express what you can't drink, say "[the name of the drink] wa nomemasen" or "I can't drink [the name of the drink]."

Particles "wa"/"ga":
In this skit, the food Tam is talking about is right in front of her. So, the topic-marker particle "wa" is used, as in "XXX wa taberaremasen." If you want to say for the first time that you can't eat something, as in responding to a question (and the food itself is not in sight), use the particle "ga." Thus, "[food] ga taberaremasen" or "I can't eat XXX."

Try explaining what you can't eat

1Which of these three choices is the correct way to say this sentence in Japanese?

Sorry. I can't eat shrimp.

shrimp

えび

ebi

2Say the sentence in Japanese, using the following word(s).

I’m sorry. I can't eat XXX.

すみません。私、～は食べられません。

Sumimasen. Watashi, ～wa taberaremasen.

pork

豚肉

butaniku

3Say the sentence in Japanese, using the following word(s).

I’m sorry. I can't drink XXX.

すみません。私、～は飲めません。

Sumimasen. Watashi, ～wa nomemasen.

alcoholic beverages

お酒

osake

People say this phrase before eating. It expresses thanks to those who prepared the meal. Once the meal is over, it’s customary to say "Gochisoosama deshita."

Tamago (egg)