épouse-moi
The French phrase for the marriage proposal 'marry me' is épouse-moi.
épouse-moi is the shortest way for a man to propose marriage to a woman.
Meaning: marriage proposal from a man to a woman (the shortest form) (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the imperative form of the verb épouser (to marry) and the direct object pronoun moi (me).
How does it change in a sentence?
Because this is an imperative command, the pronoun moi is attached to the verb with a hyphen.
Did you know?
- If you were to use the word marier instead, such as in Marie-moi, it would actually mean 'marry me' in the sense of 'perform the wedding ceremony for me', like a priest would.
- The phrase épouser can also be used metaphorically in French to mean 'adopting' an idea or a cause, as in épouser une cause.
- The verb épouser comes from the Latin word sponsus, which refers to a betrothed person.
Examples in context
- Épouse-moi !Marry me.This example shows how to use the phrase épouse-moi.Tatoeba #2077435 by sacredceltic, translation #1954275 by CK
- Épouse-moi, ma chérie.Marry me, my darling.
- S'il te plaît, épouse-moi.Please, marry me.
Example conversation
Nathan is proposing to Emma during a romantic dinner.
- NathanTu es la femme de ma vie.You are the woman of my life.
- EmmaC'est tellement romantique, Nathan.It is so romantic, Nathan.
- NathanÉpouse-moi !Marry me!
- EmmaOui, je le veux !Yes, I do!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “marry me” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
