How to say "marry" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 嫁ぐとつぐgodan verb, intransitive verbSaid of a woman: she marries, becoming a bride and joining her husband's family. The common choice when the bride herself is the subject, as when speaking of a daughter's marriage.
- 娶るめとるgodan verb, transitive verbSaid of a man: he marries a woman and takes her as his wife, with the woman as the object. A less common counterpart to 嫁ぐ; use it when the husband is the subject.
- 縁付くえんづくgodan verb, intransitive verbSimply 'to marry', with the nuance of a marriage tie coming about. A less common alternative to the more specific words above.
- nounA katakana rendering of the German verb heiraten — essentially a foreign borrowing rather than a native Japanese word. Seldom the word you want for 'marry'; use one of the other words above instead.
- 嫁に行くよめにいくexpression, godan verb (irregular)Said of a woman who marries and goes to join her husband's family, literally 'go as a bride'. A less common phrasal alternative to 嫁ぐ for the same sense.
Choose by viewpoint: 「嫁ぐ」, the common choice, and 「嫁に行く」 describe a woman marrying into a family, 「娶る」 a man taking a wife, 「縁付く」 simply 'to marry', while 「ハイラーテン」 is a marginal German borrowing.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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