駆け落ちする
kakeochi suru
To elope in Japanese is 駆け落ちする (kakeochi suru).
The term is used to describe the act of running away to get married. Depending on the context, you might see more descriptive alternatives: the formal expression 密かに結婚する can be used to mean 'to marry secretly', while the informal expression 逃げるように結婚する means 'to get married like running away'.
Meaning: to run away to get married (verb)
How does it change in a sentence?
駆け落ちする is a suru-verb, which is formed by combining the noun 駆け落ち with the verb する (to do). To express that the act has already happened, use the past tense form 駆け落ちした.
How do you pronounce it?
kakeochi suru
Did you know?
- In Kabuki theater, 駆け落ち is a classic plot device used to illustrate the tension between giri (social obligation) and ninjo (human emotion).
- The term 駆け落ち historically implied a tragedy where the couple lived in poverty or faced social exile rather than a romantic getaway.
- The noun 駆け落ち is composed of the verbs 駆け meaning 'to run' and 落ち meaning 'to fall'.
Examples in context
- 二人は駆け落ちする決心をしました。Futari wa kakeochi suru kesshin o shimashita.The two decided to elope.
- 昔の小説には駆け落ちする話が多い。Mukashi no shousetsu ni wa kakeochi suru hanashi ga ooi.There are many stories about eloping in old novels.
- 親に反対されても、駆け落ちするつもりです。Oya ni hantai sarete mo, kakeochi suru tsumori desu.Even if my parents oppose it, I intend to elope.
Example conversation
Misaki and Yota are discussing a drama they just watched.
- 美咲 Misakiあのドラマの主人公たちは駆け落ちするの？Ano dorama no shujinkou-tachi wa kakeochi suru no?Do the main characters in that drama elope?
- 陽太 Yotaうん、最後に駆け落ちする結末だったよ。Un, saigo ni kakeochi suru ketsumatsu datta yo.Yes, it ended with them eloping at the end.
- 美咲 Misaki陽太くんは、そんなドラマが好き？Youta-kun wa, sonna dorama ga suki?Yota, do you like those kinds of dramas?
- 陽太 Yota少しドラマチックすぎる気がするけどね。Sukoshi doramachikku sugiru ki ga suru kedo ne.I feel like they are a bit too dramatic, though.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “elope” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
