Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'married' holds a profound significance in cultures and societies worldwide. It signifies a committed relationship between two individuals, often formalized through ceremonies and legal procedures. The cultural importance of being married varies across regions and communities, with some viewing it as a rite of passage, while others see it as a sacred union.
Understanding the translation of 'married' in different languages can provide valuable insights into how various cultures perceive and value this institution. For instance, in Spanish, 'married' is 'casado/casada,' while in French, it's 'marié/mariée.' In Mandarin Chinese, it's '已婚' (yǐhūn), and in Japanese, it's '結婚' (kekkon).
Moreover, knowing the translation of 'married' in different languages can be practical in international settings, such as when filling out forms, traveling, or communicating with people from diverse backgrounds. It's a small step towards bridging cultural gaps and fostering global understanding.
Afrikaans | getroud | ||
The word "getroud" has been imported into Afrikaans from the Dutch "getrouwd", itself derived from "trouw" meaning 'loyalty' or 'fidelity'. | |||
Amharic | ያገባ | ||
In Amharic, “ያገባ” (“married”) is also used to describe something that is well-connected or firmly established. | |||
Hausa | yayi aure | ||
The word "yayi aure" has a dual meaning in Hausa, where it can also refer to the act of "tying the knot" during a wedding ceremony. | |||
Igbo | ọdọ | ||
Igbo word "ọdọ" can also refer to a young girl or a wife, and is often used to address married women. | |||
Malagasy | manambady | ||
The word "manambady" in Malagasy also means "to get used to something". | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | wokwatira | ||
The term 'wokwatira' originates from the marriage custom 'ukwatira', signifying a woman joining her husband's clan. | |||
Shona | akaroora | ||
'Akaroora' is derived from the verb 'kuroora', meaning 'to take a wife', and also refers to a married man. | |||
Somali | guursaday | ||
The term "guursaday" derives from "guur" (marriage) and "saday" (permanent). | |||
Sesotho | nyetse | ||
In Zulu, 'nyetse' means 'to get married', while in Xhosa, it signifies 'to be married'. | |||
Swahili | kuolewa | ||
The term 'kuolewa' in Swahili originated from the word 'kufa' meaning 'to die', as marriage was seen as a union that could only be dissolved through death. | |||
Xhosa | utshatile | ||
The word "utshatile" in Xhosa derives from the verb "ukutshata", meaning "to get married". | |||
Yoruba | iyawo | ||
The Yoruba word "iyawo" can also mean a beautiful woman, or a cherished object. | |||
Zulu | oshadile | ||
The term 'oshadile' also relates to a group or cluster of houses forming a village or homestead where the head of the family resides. | |||
Bambara | furulen | ||
Ewe | ɖe srɔ̃ | ||
Kinyarwanda | bashakanye | ||
Lingala | kobala | ||
Luganda | mufumbo | ||
Sepedi | nyetšwe | ||
Twi (Akan) | aware | ||
Arabic | متزوج | ||
The word "متزوج" (married) is derived from the root "زوج" (to pair), which also denotes "husband" or "spouse". | |||
Hebrew | נָשׂוּי | ||
The verb "נָשׂוּי" also has the meaning of "to carry". | |||
Pashto | واده شوی | ||
The Pashto word "واده شوی" ("married") literally means "one who has given a promise". | |||
Arabic | متزوج | ||
The word "متزوج" (married) is derived from the root "زوج" (to pair), which also denotes "husband" or "spouse". |
Albanian | i martuar | ||
The word "i martuar" in Albanian can also mean "witness". | |||
Basque | ezkonduta | ||
"Ezkontza" (marriage) and "ezkonduta" (married) are formed from the verb "ezkontzeko" (to consent), but the meaning "married" is not directly expressed in the latter. | |||
Catalan | casat | ||
"Casat" is cognate to the French word "casé" which means someone who has settled down and gotten a job etc, not necessarily married. | |||
Croatian | oženjen | ||
The Croatian word "oženjen" is derived from the Old Church Slavonic word "ženiti", meaning "to marry", and has the same meaning in Bulgarian, Macedonian, and Serbian. | |||
Danish | gift | ||
The Danish word "gift" can also mean "dowry" or "talent" | |||
Dutch | getrouwd | ||
The word "getrouwd" originally meant "to be trustworthy" and is related to the word "trouw," meaning "faith" or "loyalty." | |||
English | married | ||
The etymology of 'married' traces back to the Old French word 'marier' meaning 'to take as a husband or wife', and ultimately derives from the Latin 'maritus' ('husband') and 'marita' ('wife'), suggesting a connection to marital unions. | |||
French | marié | ||
The verb "marier" derives from the Latin word "maritare," meaning "to give or take in marriage" or, "to bear." | |||
Frisian | troud | ||
The Frisian word 'troud' also means 'faithful'. | |||
Galician | casado | ||
In Galician, "casado" can also refer to a dish made with meat, potatoes, and vegetables. | |||
German | verheiratet | ||
The word "verheiratet" can also refer to a couple who are living together but are not legally married. | |||
Icelandic | kvæntur | ||
The word "kvæntur" in Icelandic originally meant "acquainted" or "familiar" with someone, and only later came to mean "married". | |||
Irish | pósta | ||
The Irish word "pósta" is derived from Latin, and it also means "messenger". | |||
Italian | sposato | ||
Sposato also means "betrothed" in older usage. | |||
Luxembourgish | bestuet | ||
The word "bestuet" in Luxembourgish, meaning "married", is derived from the French word "bête" (meaning "beast"). | |||
Maltese | miżżewweġ | ||
The word "Miżżewweġ" finds its etymological origins in the Arabic word "zawaj", meaning "marriage" or "union". | |||
Norwegian | gift | ||
In Norwegian, “gift” also means “poison.” | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | casado | ||
In Portuguese "casado" also means "paired" or "joined", for example, two pieces of furniture or two socks. | |||
Scots Gaelic | pòsta | ||
The Scots Gaelic word "pòsta" can be traced back to the Old Irish word "pòsadh", which originally meant "dwelling" or "settlement." | |||
Spanish | casado | ||
In the Canary Islands "casado" additionally refers to a popular dish of fried fish accompanied by "papas arrugadas" (wrinkled potatoes), "mojo" sauce and sometimes a green "gofio" sauce. | |||
Swedish | gift | ||
In Swedish, "gift" can also refer to poison or a dose of medicine. | |||
Welsh | priod | ||
Priod is also a noun meaning 'bride', deriving from the Latin word 'providere' meaning 'to foresee' or 'to provide'. |
Belarusian | жанаты | ||
The word "жанаты" in Belarusian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "žena", meaning "wife". | |||
Bosnian | oženjen | ||
"Oženjen" also sometimes refers to | |||
Bulgarian | женен | ||
The word "женен" comes from the Proto-Slavic word "*žьna", meaning "wife" or "woman", and is related to the word "жена" (wife). | |||
Czech | ženatý | ||
Estonian | abielus | ||
The Estonian word "abielus" originally referred to a union established by "abi", or "help," and was only used for marriages in the 17th century. | |||
Finnish | naimisissa | ||
The word "naimisissa" comes from the Old Finnish word "naimi", meaning "to marry". | |||
Hungarian | házas | ||
The word "házas" (meaning "married") in Hungarian shares its origin with a word meaning "with house" and can also be used to describe a person or animal that has a nest or a home. | |||
Latvian | precējies | ||
The Latvian word "precējies" can also mean "congealed" or "solidified". | |||
Lithuanian | vedęs | ||
Vedęs is the Lithuanian past participle of the verb vesti, which means 'to lead' or 'to marry'. | |||
Macedonian | оженет | ||
The word "оженет" in Macedonian is also used in the context of a dowry given by the bride's family. | |||
Polish | żonaty | ||
In Polish, "żonaty" can also refer to someone who is married to a woman (as opposed to "mężaty", which refers to someone married to a man). | |||
Romanian | căsătorit | ||
"Căsătorit" derives from "căsătorie" (marriage), itself from the Slavic word "kъštъ" (house) and the suffix "-at" (meaning "with"), which alludes to the merging of two households into one. | |||
Russian | в браке | ||
The Russian word "в браке" literally means "in matrimony" and implies religious overtones. | |||
Serbian | ожењен | ||
The word "ожењен" is etymologically connected to the word "жена" and means "to take a woman" or "to get married". | |||
Slovak | ženatý | ||
The Slovak word "ženatý" also means "husband" and is derived from the verb "žeňit" ("to marry"). | |||
Slovenian | poročen | ||
The word "poročen" ("married") in Slovenian originates from the Proto-Slavic word "porokъ", meaning "pledge" or "guarantee". | |||
Ukrainian | одружений | ||
"Одружений" comes from "дружба", meaning "friendship" or "companionship". |
Bengali | বিবাহিত | ||
The word 'বিবাহিত' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'विवाह' (vivāha), which means 'wedding' or 'marriage'. | |||
Gujarati | પરણિત | ||
The word "પરણિત" is derived from the Sanskrit word "परिणीत" which means "joined together" or "united." | |||
Hindi | विवाहित | ||
The word "विवाहित" derives from the Sanskrit root "vivaha" meaning "marriage", and can also mean "lawful" or "permissible". | |||
Kannada | ವಿವಾಹಿತ | ||
The word "ವಿವಾಹಿತ" can also refer to someone who has been initiated into a religious order or who has taken a vow of chastity. | |||
Malayalam | വിവാഹിതൻ | ||
The word "വിവാഹിതൻ" also denotes a person who has been divorced or widowed. | |||
Marathi | विवाहित | ||
The word "विवाहित" can also mean "separated" or "divorced" in Marathi. | |||
Nepali | विवाहित | ||
Nepali word 'विवाहित' is used in both noun and adjective forms and it originated from the Sanskrit word 'विवाह' meaning 'marital union'. | |||
Punjabi | ਸ਼ਾਦੀਸ਼ੁਦਾ | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | විවාහක | ||
The word 'vivahāka' in Sinhala ultimately comes from the Sanskrit word 'vivāha,' meaning 'act of being carried off,' referring to the old custom of bride abduction or capture. | |||
Tamil | திருமணமானவர் | ||
Telugu | వివాహం | ||
The word "వివాహం" (married) in Telugu is derived from the Sanskrit word "विवह" (vivah), which means "union" or "conjoining." | |||
Urdu | شادی شدہ | ||
Chinese (Simplified) | 已婚 | ||
“已” also means “in possession of”, so “已婚” literally means “in possession of a marriage”. | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 已婚 | ||
The characters in the word "已婚" (married), when separated, mean "already" (已) and "finished, done, concluded" (婚), implying the completion of marriage as a significant event. | |||
Japanese | 既婚 | ||
The kanji 既 can also mean "already" or "past", while 婚 refers to "marriage" or "wedding". | |||
Korean | 기혼 | ||
기혼, or "gibon," means "married" but its Hanja root means "to be a root." This is because marriage was seen as the foundation of the family unit in traditional Korean society. | |||
Mongolian | гэрлэсэн | ||
The word "гэрлэсэн" also means "the person being married" in Mongolian. | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | လက်ထပ်ခဲ့သည် | ||
Indonesian | menikah | ||
The Indonesian word "menikah" is related to the Arabic word "nikah," which means "marriage contract." | |||
Javanese | dhaup | ||
The word "dhaup" in Javanese can also mean "to become one" or "to unite". | |||
Khmer | រៀបការ | ||
The word "រៀបការ" can also mean "to arrange" or "to put in order" in Khmer. | |||
Lao | ແຕ່ງງານ | ||
Malay | sudah berkahwin | ||
In the Malay language, the term "sudah berkahwin" can also refer to being betrothed or engaged. | |||
Thai | แต่งงาน | ||
แต่งงาน also means "to get married" or "to marry" and is the past tense of แต่ง, meaning "to dress up (with makeup and jewelry)." | |||
Vietnamese | cưới nhau | ||
In northern dialects of Vietnamese, the term "cưới nhau" can also refer to a first date between two individuals, or simply to dating in general. | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | may asawa | ||
Azerbaijani | evli | ||
The word "evli" is derived from the Arabic word "`awwal" meaning "first," and can also refer to a first marriage or to a spouse's first marriage. | |||
Kazakh | үйленген | ||
The word "үйленген" in Kazakh can also mean "to build a house" or "to start a family". | |||
Kyrgyz | үйлөнгөн | ||
Tajik | оиладор | ||
The word "oilador" shares the same root as the word "oila", meaning "family". | |||
Turkmen | öýlenen | ||
Uzbek | uylangan | ||
The word "uylangan" is derived from the verb "uylangmoq", meaning "to go home" or "to settle down. | |||
Uyghur | توي قىلغان | ||
Hawaiian | ua male ʻia | ||
Ua male ʻia was originally used to describe the tying together of two fish in a net and comes from the word male, meaning "to bind". | |||
Maori | kua marenatia | ||
In Maori, 'kua marenatia' also carries the connotation of 'completed' or 'achieved', implying the binding and permanence of marriage beyond its legal status. | |||
Samoan | faaipoipo | ||
The word faaipoipo, meaning "married", also refers to the act of cooking food over an open fire in Samoan culture. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | may asawa | ||
'May asawa' literally means 'with spouse,' but it is also used to describe a person who is legally married. |
Aymara | jaqichata | ||
Guarani | omendáva | ||
Esperanto | edziĝinta | ||
Edziĝinta derives from 'edzo' (husband), itself from the Slavic word for 'lord' | |||
Latin | nupta | ||
The word "nupta" also means "bride" and is related to the word "nuptiae" meaning "wedding". |
Greek | παντρεμένος | ||
The Greek word "παντρεμένος" means not only "married" but also "well-fed" due to its derivation from the root word "τρέφω," which means "to nourish" or "to raise." | |||
Hmong | sib yuav | ||
The word "sib yuav" literally translates to "to make a bond" or "to seal a promise". | |||
Kurdish | zewicî | ||
In the Dimili dialect of Gilaki, 'zewicî' means 'to marry' rather than 'to get married'. | |||
Turkish | evli | ||
Evli, which means 'married,' is actually derived from the Arabic word 'awlad,' meaning 'children.' | |||
Xhosa | utshatile | ||
The word "utshatile" in Xhosa derives from the verb "ukutshata", meaning "to get married". | |||
Yiddish | חתונה געהאט | ||
The Yiddish word "חתונה געהאט" (married) literally means "to have had a wedding". | |||
Zulu | oshadile | ||
The term 'oshadile' also relates to a group or cluster of houses forming a village or homestead where the head of the family resides. | |||
Assamese | বিবাহিত | ||
Aymara | jaqichata | ||
Bhojpuri | बियाहल | ||
Dhivehi | މީހަކާ އިނދެގެން | ||
Dogri | ब्होतर | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | may asawa | ||
Guarani | omendáva | ||
Ilocano | naasawaan | ||
Krio | mared | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | هاوسەرگیری کردوو | ||
Maithili | विवाहित | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯀꯨꯍꯣꯡꯂꯕ | ||
Mizo | innei | ||
Oromo | kan fuudhe | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ବିବାହିତ | ||
Quechua | casarasqa | ||
Sanskrit | विवाहित | ||
Tatar | өйләнгән | ||
Tigrinya | ምርዕው | ||
Tsonga | vukatini | ||