Casar-se (To Get Married)

This verb describes a change in your life. You go from single to married. It is an active process. Because of this, we use reflexive pronouns. These pronouns are me, te, se, and nos. They must match the person who is marrying. If I am the one marrying, I use me. If you are marrying, you use se or te. This shows that you are part of the change. In Brazil, we often put the pronoun before the verb. In Portugal, it usually goes after the verb. It is like a regional dance move. Both ways are correct. Just choose the one that fits your location. You also need a specific link. In English, you marry someone. In Portuguese, you marry with someone. We use the preposition com for this. Without it, the sentence falls apart. It is like a wedding without a cake. Technically possible, but very sad.

1. 1Setting up this verb is easy. Just follow these simple steps.
2. 2Pick your subject. This is the person getting married.
3. 3Choose the matching reflexive pronoun. Use me for eu or se for você.
4. 4Conjugate the verb casar. Match it to your tense and person.
5. 5Add the preposition com. This connects you to your partner.
6. 6Mention the partner. Now the sentence is complete!
7. 7Let us look at an example. You want to say "I married Maria".
8. 8Start with Eu. Add the pronoun me. Use the past tense casei. Finish with com a Maria. The result is Eu me casei com a Maria. It is simple and elegant. Like a good wedding dress.

Use this verb for the act of getting married. It is perfect for telling a story. Maybe you are sharing how you met. Or you are announcing your big day. Use it when you talk about the ceremony itself. "We are getting married in June." Nós vamos nos casar em junho. Use it when asking a big question. "Will you marry me?". Você quer se casar comigo?. It is also useful in formal situations. You might use it at a job interview. A boss might ask about your future plans. It is common in legal talk too. Lawyers love reflexive verbs. They make everything sound official. Use it whenever you focus on the event. It is about the transition from one state to another.

Do not use casar-se for a permanent state. If you are already married, use estar. "I am married." Eu estou casado. This describes how you are now. It does not describe the action of the wedding. Also, do not use the reflexive form for the official. The priest or judge does not get married. They perform the marriage for others. In that case, use the simple verb casar. "The priest married the couple." O padre casou o casal. If the priest used se casou, he would be the one with the ring! That would be a very confusing ceremony. Finally, avoid using it for objects. You do not "marry" a wine with a fish. You "pair" them. Keep casar-se for people and their romantic commitments.

Even native speakers mess this up sometimes. The most common mistake is forgetting com. English speakers often say Eu me casei ela. This is wrong. You must say com ela. It feels strange at first. But you will get used to it. Another mistake is skipping the pronoun. Saying Eu casei com ela is very common in Brazil. It is informal. People will understand you. But in a test or a speech, it is incomplete. It sounds a bit like caveman talk. "I marry her." Always try to include the me or se. It makes you sound more educated. Another error is using the wrong pronoun. Do not say Nós se casamos. The correct form is Nós nos casamos. Using se for everything is a trap. Do not fall into it!

Let us compare casar-se with other options. Casar (without the se) is for the person in charge. The judge casa the people. The couple se casa. Think of it like a car. The mechanic fixes the car. But the driver drives. One is the operator, the other is the participant. Then there is estar casado. This is about the result. It is like saying "the car is fixed". It does not tell you about the repair process. Casar-se is the repair process. It is the action. We also have contrair matrimônio. This is very formal. You only see this in old books or legal papers. Unless you are a 19th-century poet, stick to casar-se. It is modern and friendly. It fits every conversation.