Spanish Conversation · Level 108
59 words
Spanish word
desposar
Pronunciation
IPA/despoˈsaɾ/
Meaning
- verbget married
Example
Mis abuelos se desposaron en 1960.
My grandparents got married in 1960.
More examples
En la novela, los protagonistas decidieron no desposarse.
In the novel, the protagonists decided not to get married.
Core concept
Contracting marriage in a formal setting.
Similar words
casarse: Become married through a wedding or civil ceremony.
comprometerse: Make a mutual promise to marry, entering into an engagement.
contraer matrimonio: Establish marriage by completing the required legal formalities.
Definition in Spanish
Significa casar a alguien; en forma pronominal (desposarse) indicar que una persona contrae matrimonio; uso más formal que casarse.
Word origin
Derives from Latin desponsāre (de- + spondēre 'to promise, pledge'), originally about betrothal and extended to mean giving or taking someone in marriage.
Usage tips
- Appropriate for formal announcements and translations of legal or religious texts, and generally avoided in casual speech because it sounds elevated compared with casarse.
Other meanings
- get engagedverb
- marry offverb
Opposites
- divorciarseget divorcedverb