Love is in the air, and perhaps wedding bells are too! Whether you're planning a romantic proposal in Paris, attending a French wedding, or just want to expand your romantic vocabulary, knowing how to talk about marriage is essential.

The French language, known for its romantic flair, offers several nuanced ways to say 'to marry'. It's not just about one simple verb; the context and who is marrying whom can change the phrasing entirely.

Let's dive into nine different ways to express this ultimate commitment in French!

The standard 'to get married' – se marier (avec)

The most common and direct way to say 'to get married' in French is with the reflexive verb se marier. This is the standard verb you'll use in most general contexts when talking about the act of marriage.

As a reflexive verb, se marier requires a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nous, vous, se) that agrees with the subject. This pronoun indicates the action is being done to oneself or to each other. For example, Je me marie literally means 'I marry myself', but is understood as 'I am getting married'.

A crucial point for English speakers: in French, you get married avec (with) someone, not 'to' them. The correct structure is se marier avec quelqu'un. Forgetting this and using a different preposition is a common mistake.

To form the past tense (passé composé), se marier uses the auxiliary verb être, like all reflexive verbs. This means the past participle, marié, must agree in gender and number with the subject.

• Il s'est marié. (He got married.)
• Elle s'est mariée. (She got married.)
• Ils se sont mariés. (They got married - masculine or mixed group.)
• Elles se sont mariées. (They got married - all female group.)

Be careful not to confuse the reflexive se marier with the non-reflexive verb marier. The verb marier means to perform the marriage ceremony for someone else. For example, Le maire va les marier means 'The mayor is going to marry them'. The couple, however, vont se marier ('are going to get married').

💡 * Elle va se marier avec son amour de jeunesse.

• Nous nous sommes mariés en 2015.
• Quand est-ce que tu te maries ?
• Mon frère s'est marié avec une Américaine.
• Ils se sont mariés à la mairie samedi dernier.

The formal 'to wed' – épouser

The most formal and traditional verb for "to marry" in French is épouser. It directly translates to "to wed" or "to take as a spouse" and carries a strong sense of officialdom, ceremony, and legal commitment.

Unlike the more common reflexive verb se marier (to get married), épouser is a transitive verb. This means it requires a direct object. One person épouse another person. For example, you would say, Il épouse Marie (He is marrying Marie), focusing on his action of taking her as a wife.

You will most often encounter épouser in very formal settings. A mayor officiating a wedding would ask, Voulez-vous l'épouser ? (Do you wish to marry him/her?). It is the standard verb used in legal documents, wedding vows, historical accounts, and formal announcements.

The key difference lies in perspective. Épouser focuses on the one-way action of taking a spouse, while se marier describes the mutual event of two people getting married to each other. For instance, Ils se marient means "They are getting married."

The verb is directly linked to the formal nouns for "spouse": un époux (a husband) and une épouse (a wife). This connection reinforces its serious and lifelong connotation, as it literally means to make someone your spouse.

💡 * Le prince a annoncé qu'il allait épouser sa fiancée en juin.

• Voulez-vous prendre cet homme pour époux ? (A common variation in vows, using the noun form)
• Mon grand-père a épousé ma grand-mère en 1960.
• C'est un grand honneur de vous voir épouser ma fille.

The ceremonial 'to take as one's husband/wife' – prendre pour époux/épouse

The expression prendre pour époux (to take as one's husband) or prendre pour épouse (to take as one's wife) is a highly formal and traditional phrase used almost exclusively within the context of a wedding ceremony.

You will almost exclusively hear this phrase during the exchange of vows, often spoken by the officiant. It translates literally to "to take for husband/wife" and carries a solemn, official, and somewhat dated tone. It is not used in everyday conversation.

The structure is straightforward: the verb prendre (to take) is followed by the person being married, then the preposition pour (for/as), and finally the noun époux (husband) or épouse (wife). For example, Je te prends pour épouse (I take you as my wife).

While épouser also means "to marry" or "to wed," prendre pour époux/épouse is specific to the ceremonial act of acceptance during the vows. You would say Il va épouser Marie (He is going to marry Marie) in general conversation, but during the wedding, the officiant might ask, Voulez-vous prendre Marie pour épouse ? (Do you take Marie to be your wife?).

Think of prendre pour époux/épouse as the French equivalent of the English vow "to take thee... to be my wedded husband/wife." Reserve it for understanding wedding ceremonies, and use se marier or épouser for all other situations.

💡 * Voulez-vous prendre Jean ici présent pour votre époux ? (Do you take Jean, here present, to be your husband?)

• Je te prends pour épouse, pour t'aimer et te chérir jusqu'à la fin de mes jours. (I take you to be my wife, to love and to cherish you until the end of my days.)
• C'est le moment où il l'a officiellement prise pour épouse. (This is the moment when he officially took her as his wife.)
• Devant le maire, elle a répondu « oui » quand on lui a demandé si elle voulait le prendre pour époux. (In front of the mayor, she answered "yes" when asked if she wanted to take him as her husband.)

The romantic 'to be united in marriage' – s'unir par les liens du mariage

The romantic 'to be united in marriage' – s'unir par les liens du mariage

Literally translating to 'to unite by the bonds of marriage,' this phrase is a highly formal, poetic, and romantic way to describe the act of getting married. It evokes a sense of solemnity and deep commitment.

This expression is not for everyday conversation. You'll typically find s'unir par les liens du mariage in official contexts such as wedding ceremonies, formal announcements, literature, or in official documents. It's the French equivalent of 'to be joined in holy matrimony'.

While the standard and most common way to say 'to get married' is simply se marier, choosing s'unir par les liens du mariage elevates the language, adding a layer of gravity and romance to the statement.

💡 * Ils se sont unis par les liens du mariage le mois dernier. (They were united in marriage last month.)

• Le maire les a officiellement unis par les liens du mariage. (The mayor officially united them in the bonds of marriage.)
• Leur rêve a toujours été de s'unir par les liens du mariage. (Their dream has always been to be united in marriage.)
• La cérémonie visait à les unir par les liens sacrés du mariage. (The ceremony aimed to unite them in the sacred bonds of marriage.)

1. The Literary 'To Wed' – Convoler en (Justes) Noces

The expression convoler en (justes) noces is a formal, literary, and somewhat old-fashioned way to say 'to get married' or 'to wed'. You are most likely to encounter it in classic literature, historical documents, or for stylistic, sometimes humorous, effect in modern formal writing.

Let's deconstruct the phrase. The verb convoler historically meant 'to remarry' (often after widowhood), but in this idiom, it simply means 'to enter into marriage'. Noces means 'nuptials' or 'wedding'. The optional adjective justes means 'rightful' or 'legitimate', adding a layer of solemnity and officialdom.

This is a very high-register, formal expression. Using it in casual, everyday conversation would sound incredibly out of place—either overly dramatic, archaic, or ironic. Reserve it for understanding formal texts or for specific stylistic purposes in your own formal writing.

While you won't use this phrase to ask about a friend's wedding plans, recognizing it is key to advanced reading comprehension. It’s a beautiful, if somewhat dated, piece of vocabulary that enriches your understanding of the French language's depth.

💡 * Après des années de fiançailles, ils ont enfin décidé de convoler en justes noces. (After years of being engaged, they finally decided to wed.)

• Le roman se termine lorsque les deux protagonistes convolent en noces. (The novel ends when the two protagonists get married.)
• La presse a annoncé que l'héritière allait convoler avec un duc étranger. (The press announced that the heiress was going to marry a foreign duke.)

The idiomatic 'to put a ring on it' – se passer la bague au doigt

If you're looking for the French equivalent of Beyoncé's famous line, 'put a ring on it,' look no further than the charming idiom se passer la bague au doigt.

Literally, this phrase translates to 'to pass the ring onto each other's finger.' It breaks down as: se passer (to pass to one another), la bague (the ring), and au doigt (on the finger). This visual is quite direct, picturing the exchange of wedding rings.

Idiomatically, se passer la bague au doigt simply means 'to get married' or 'to tie the knot.' It’s a common and slightly informal way to talk about the act of getting married, focusing on the symbolic gesture of exchanging rings.

Notice the reflexive pronoun se. This indicates a reciprocal action – the couple performs the action on each other. You must conjugate the verb accordingly: nous nous passons la bague au doigt (we get married), ils se passent la bague au doigt (they get married).

This expression is widely understood in modern French. While not formal enough for a wedding invitation, it's perfect for conversations with friends about relationships and future plans. It’s the go-to phrase for expressing the idea of getting married in a contemporary, relatable way.

💡 * Alors, vous deux, quand est-ce que vous vous passez la bague au doigt ? (So, you two, when are you going to tie the knot?)

• Ils ont décidé de se passer la bague au doigt après cinq ans de vie commune. (They decided to get married after living together for five years.)
• Mon rêve, c'est de trouver quelqu'un avec qui me passer la bague au doigt. (My dream is to find someone to marry.)

The decisive 'to say "I do"' – se dire 'oui'

The French expression for the pivotal moment of getting married, or 'to say I do', is se dire 'oui'. This phrase literally translates to 'to say yes to each other' and captures the reciprocal commitment of a wedding ceremony.

Se dire 'oui' is a pronominal verb phrase. The reflexive pronoun se is crucial here, as it signifies a reciprocal action – the two people are saying 'yes' to each other. It is most commonly used with plural subjects like ils, elles, or nous.

While se marier is the general verb for 'to get married,' se dire 'oui' specifically refers to the act of exchanging vows and officially consenting to the marriage. It emphasizes the romantic and decisive moment of the union itself.

💡 * Après dix ans ensemble, ils se sont enfin dit 'oui'. (After ten years together, they finally said 'I do'.)

• Ils vont se dire 'oui' l'été prochain en Italie. (They are going to say 'I do' next summer in Italy.)
• C'est le jour où nous nous sommes dit 'oui' pour la vie. (This is the day we said 'yes' to each other for life.)

The common idiom 'to take the plunge' – franchir le pas

A very common and useful French idiom is franchir le pas, which directly translates to the English expression “to take the plunge.”

Literally, the verb franchir means “to cross” or “to get over,” and un pas means “a step.” So, you are literally “crossing the step.” This imagery helps to understand the figurative meaning of overcoming a barrier.

Figuratively, franchir le pas means to commit to a significant decision or action, especially after a period of hesitation. It’s often used for major life events like getting married, starting a business, or making a big move.

This expression implies that there was some kind of obstacle, fear, or hesitation that needed to be overcome. It highlights the courage or resolution required to finally make a definitive choice.

💡 * Après des années de réflexion, il a enfin franchi le pas et a demandé sa petite amie en mariage. (After years of thinking, he finally took the plunge and asked his girlfriend to marry him.)

• Nous hésitions à acheter une maison, mais nous avons franchi le pas le mois dernier. (We were hesitating to buy a house, but we took the plunge last month.)
• Elle a décidé de franchir le pas et de déménager à l'étranger pour son nouveau travail. (She decided to take the plunge and move abroad for her new job.)

The humorous 'to tie the knot' – se mettre la corde au cou

The French expression se mettre la corde au cou has a rather dark literal translation: 'to put the rope around one's neck.' While this sounds grim, its common usage in the context of marriage is purely humorous and cynical, not literal.

Figuratively, se mettre la corde au cou is the French equivalent of 'to tie the knot' or 'to get hitched.' It's an informal, colloquial way to talk about getting married, carrying a strong implication that marriage is the end of freedom or a trap.

This phrase is exclusively used in informal settings among friends and family who appreciate sarcasm. You might use it to playfully tease a friend who just got engaged, but it would be inappropriate for a formal announcement or a sincere congratulations card. The tone is key—it's meant to be a joke.

For a standard, neutral, and polite way to say 'to get married,' the verb to use is se marier. For instance, Mon ami va se marier (My friend is going to get married) is the common and appropriate phrase in most situations.

💡 *Alors, tu as finalement décidé de te mettre la corde au cou ? (So, you've finally decided to tie the knot?)
*Mon frère se met la corde au cou en juin. (My brother is getting hitched in June.)
*Je ne suis pas encore prêt à me mettre la corde au cou. (I'm not ready to take the plunge just yet.)
*Après 10 ans de vie commune, ils se sont mis la corde au cou. (After 10 years of living together, they tied the knot.)

Are there other ways to say 'to marry' in French?

Are there other ways to say “to marry” in French?

This list covers the most essential verbs for “to marry” in French, like se marier and épouser. But the French language is rich with nuance, offering various other expressions, from formal administrative terms to informal slang you might hear among friends.

For deeper exploration, you can search online for phrases like 'comment dire 'get hitched' en français' or look into vocabulary related to specific types of unions, like civil partnerships (le PACS).

As you discover new terms, remember that context is everything. A casual term like se passer la bague au doigt (literally 'to put the ring on the finger') has a very different feel from the formal verb contracter mariage (to enter into a marriage contract).

The best way to learn is through immersion. Pay close attention during wedding scenes in French films or TV shows, and you'll start to notice the subtle differences in how people talk about marriage.

For more synonyms and related expressions, the WordReference forum for mariage or the Larousse dictionary are excellent resources to see words used in real-world examples and discussions.

We hope this guide has helped clarify how to talk about marriage in French. To end, here is a beautiful thought from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry that perfectly captures the spirit of union: Aimer, ce n'est pas se regarder l'un l'autre, c'est regarder ensemble dans la même direction. (Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.)