German word

heiraten

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈhaɪ̯ʁaːtən/

Meaning

  • verbget married

Example

Wir heiraten im Sommer.

We are getting married in the summer.

Illustration for heiraten (get married)

More examples

Ich möchte nicht sofort heiraten.

I don't want to get married right away.

Core concept

A wedding changes a couple's relationship into marriage, and the same verb can describe the couple's action without naming either partner.

Common phrases

  • jemanden heiraten

    marry someone

  • auf dem Standesamt heiraten

    get married at the registry office

  • kirchlich heiraten

    get married in church

Similar words

sich verloben: Make a promise to marry and become engaged.
zusammenleben: Share a home and life without entering a marriage.
verheiraten: Cause one person to marry another legally.
sich scheiden lassen: Legally dissolve a marriage and return to unmarried status.

Definition in German

Eine Ehe schließen; transitiv jemanden heiraten oder intransitiv ohne Objekt (z. B. Wir heiraten).

Word origin

Heiraten is the verb formed from the older German noun Heirat by adding the productive ending -en.

Usage tips

  • English "get married" does not require the same object pattern: German uses "jemanden heiraten" without a preposition when naming the partner.

Opposites

  • sich scheiden lassenget divorcedverb

Related words

Word lists with this word