Translation guide
Describes the state of being married to a woman, or the condition of having a wife. In Japanese, this is usually expressed with phrases meaning 'married' or 'has a wife', and the natural choice depends on the speaker's gender and the context.
To say that a man is married or has a wife, typically from his own perspective or about a man in general.
He has a wife, so he goes home early.
Means 'is married'. This is a very common and natural way to express the state of being married, without specifying 'wife'. It is gender-neutral but often used by men.
私は結婚しています。
I am married.
結婚している男性は長生きするそうです。
They say married men live longer.
A more formal or written way to say 'is a married person'. It is often used in documents or when clarifying marital status.
私は既婚者です。
I am a married person.
To say that a woman is married or has a husband. Note that 'having a wife' is not used for women; instead, the equivalent is 'having a husband'.
Literally 'there is a husband'. This is the direct equivalent for a woman saying she has a husband.
私は夫がいます。
I have a husband.
Gender-neutral 'is married'. Commonly used by women as well.
彼女は結婚しています。
She is married.
To describe a man who is married, often in a narrative or descriptive context.
A formal or literary term meaning 'a married man' or 'a man with a wife'. It is rarely used in conversation.
彼は妻帯者だ。
He is a married man.
Literally 'has wife and children'. This implies having a family, not just a wife. It is somewhat old-fashioned or literary.
彼は妻子がある身だ。
He is a man with a wife and children.
In Japanese, the word for 'wife' (妻) is used when referring to one's own wife or a man's wife. When a woman speaks about her spouse, she uses 夫 (husband). Using 妻 for a woman's spouse is incorrect. The phrase 'having a wife' is inherently male-centric; for female speakers, the concept is 'having a husband'.
妻がいる explicitly states the existence of a wife, while 結婚している simply means 'married'. Both are natural, but 結婚している is more common in general statements about marital status. 妻がいる can sound slightly more personal or emphatic about the wife's presence.