Translation guide
How to express 'marry' in Japanese, covering getting married, marrying someone, and related expressions.
I'm getting married next year.
She married a doctor.
To express the act of getting married, entering into marriage.
To express marrying a specific person.
To express that two people marry each other.
When the subject is plural or understood as a couple, 結婚する alone can mean 'get married (to each other)'.
To express the state of being married.
The standard way to say 'be married'. Uses ている form to indicate a state.
To express marrying and becoming part of a family, often with connotation of joining the spouse's household.
Used for a woman marrying into a family (traditional). Implies moving into the husband's household.
To express officiating or conducting a wedding.
Means 'hold a wedding ceremony'. Not exactly 'marry' in the sense of officiating, but often used when talking about the act of getting married ceremonially.
The English word 'marry' is sometimes borrowed as マリーする in very casual or playful contexts, but it is not standard and sounds unnatural. Stick to 結婚する.
結婚する is the everyday word for 'get married'. 婚姻する is a formal, legal term used in documents or official announcements. In conversation, always use 結婚する.
I want to marry him.
She married a doctor.
Formal/legal version of 'marry someone'. Rare in everyday speech.
She married a nobleman.
We are getting married.
Literally 'become husband and wife', a more emotional or traditional way to say 'get married'.
We finally got married.
Is he married?
I'm not married.
Formal/literary way to say 'be married'. Often used in written contexts or forms.
He is married.
She married into a wealthy family.
Used for a man marrying into the wife's family (taking her family name).
He married into her family.
We got married in a church.
To officiate a ceremony. Used for the person conducting the wedding.
The pastor married them.