結婚して下さい
kekkon-shite kudasai
To say "marry me" in Japanese, the default form is 結婚して下さい (kekkon-shite kudasai). Wiktionary also lists 結婚してくれ (kekkon-shite kure).
Meaning: marriage proposal from a man to a woman (the shortest form) (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 結婚して下さい | kekkon-shite kudasai |
| 結婚してくれ | kekkon-shite kure |
These phrases are used by a man to propose marriage to a woman.
Which one should you use?
結婚して下さい (kekkon-shite kudasai) is a polite request. In contrast, 結婚してくれ (kekkon-shite kure) is a more blunt, masculine and informal command-style request that uses the imperative-style kure, which sounds more direct and is typically used by men in a casual or highly emotional setting.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
結婚して下さい is the standard polite way to phrase a proposal. 結婚してくれ is informal and carries a more direct, masculine tone. For very intimate or casual settings, one might even drop the polite endings entirely and simply say 結婚して (kekkon-shite).
How do you pronounce it?
kekkon-shite kudasai
Did you know?
- In modern Japan, some people use 'propose English' by saying 'Will you marry me?' in English instead of Japanese, as it is often perceived as more romantic or less awkward.
- In traditional Japanese culture, a formal marriage proposal was often handled by the families through an exchange of symbolic gifts called 結納 (yuinō) rather than a single verbal phrase between the couple.
- The word 結婚 ('marriage') contains the character 結 which means 'to tie' or 'to bind', suggesting that marriage is literally the act of tying two people together.
Examples in context
- 結婚してくれませんか。Will you marry me?This sentence shows a polite way to ask "Will you marry me?" using the form 結婚してくれ.Tatoeba #175775 by bunbuku, translation #35835 by CK
- 彼女に結婚してくれないかと言ったら彼女は承知してくれた。I asked her to marry me and she accepted.This sentence illustrates a scenario where someone used the form 結婚してくれ to ask for marriage and was accepted.Tatoeba #94842 by bunbuku, translation #308865 by CK
- 結婚して下さい。Kekkon shite kudasai.Please marry me.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hiroto proposes to Himari at a nice restaurant.
- 大翔 Hiroto陽葵さん、結婚して下さい。Himari-san, kekkon shite kudasai.Himari, please marry me.
- 陽葵 Himariえっ、本当に！？E, hontō ni!?What, really!?
- 大翔 Hirotoはい。ずっと一緒にいたいです。Hai. Zutto issho ni itai desu.Yes. I want to be with you forever.
- 陽葵 Himariはい、喜んで！Hai, yorokonde!Yes, gladly!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “marry me” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
