convolare a nozze
To tie the knot in Italian is convolare a nozze.
The phrase is used to express the act of getting married.
Meaning: to get married (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the phrase means 'to fly/speed towards nuptials', where convolare implies a swift movement or a sudden transition.
Which one should you use?
While convolare a nozze is formal and poetic, sposarsi is the standard, everyday verb used by Italians to say 'to get married'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
convolare a nozze is a formal and somewhat literary way to say 'to get married', much more elegant than the common 'sposarsi'. The phrase Contrarre matrimonio is a formal way to say 'tie the knot' and means 'contracting marriage'.
Did you know?
- Because convolare a nozze is so literary, using it in a casual conversation with friends might be perceived as a joke or a deliberate piece of irony.
- The root of convolare comes from the Latin 'volare', which is also the source of the English word 'volatile', implying something that moves or flies quickly.
- If you use the more formal contrarre matrimonio, you are essentially saying that marriage is a legal 'contract' one enters into.
Examples in context
- Marco e Anna hanno contratto matrimonio ieri.Marco and Anna tied the knot yesterday.
- Decisero di convolare a nozze dopo dieci anni.They decided to tie the knot after ten years.
- Spero che possano convolare a nozze presto.I hope they can tie the knot soon.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, convolare, nozze, CC BY-SA 4.0.
