"Marry me" in Japanese

I've looked all over for the answer to this question, and can't seem to find it. How do you say ''Will you marry me?'' in Japanese? The closest I could come was phrases for asking the father. But I want to ask her.

And feel free to suggest other phrases, too, like "You would make me the happiest man in the world." I'm looking for everything I can get so the proposal is as romantic as possible...

sorry i cant help you with your question but there is a guy in the costoms question list trying to find out how to ask the father, i have been trying to find out for him but havn't had much luck, you never know this guy might know your question, and you might be able to help him. Good luck!!

hi sorry i forgot to mention that his heading is "Marriage"

The reason it's not on any phrase book is probably because women would not appreciate promises made in languages that does not come from his own heart. Or if she doesn't understand his language, then it's probably too early to talk about marriage.

That said, it's "kekkon shite kudasai." But again, I suggest you say it in words that you yourself can understand.

Another reason why it's not on any phrase book is because the words for asking hand in marriage is so varied, precisely because it's so personal, that there is no one single answer :) In Japanese actually the phrase "will you marry me" seems to be used commonly among other variants such as "would you cook me miso-soup every day," "would you go to the same grave with me," etc., that "kekkon shite kudasai" may sound even too straight.

As suggested by Uco-san, I think it's best said in your own language... "you would make me the happiest man..." type of romantic phrases sometimes do not really go well in Japanese, for another thing.

In any case, love and sincerity counts, best wishes! :)

how do you say will you marry me?

how do you say will you marry me?

"Kekkon shite kudasai" = "Please marry me"

"Kekkon shite kuremasu ka" = "Will you marry me?"

Actually, I plan to say it in Japanese and then repeat it in English, since our marriage will be a beautiful fusion of the two. We've talked about what our wedding will be like, and it will entail features from both Western and Eastern marriage ceremonies, to symbolize the union.

However, I do know that she appreciates that I am learning Japanese, and she is just thrilled any time I make an effort to say something, even if it's riddled with mistakes or mispronounciation. She feels that it is a sign that I appreciate her and her culture. So I plan to do both with my proposal.

That's a great way to go, Baha. I guess the Japanese for "You would make me the happiest man in the world." would be,
"Boku o sekai-ichi shiawase na otoko ni shite (which literally means, 'Make me the happiest man in the world')"

Thanks, everyone, for your answers. I did manage to find "Will you marry me?" in a phrasebook, and it says "Kekkon shite-kureru?" So what is the difference between this and the other phrases? We're both suckers for romance, so which one carries the most romatic subtext?

"Kekkon shite kureru?" is a very informal version of "Kekkon shite kuremasu ka," so in terms of meaning they are the same. In terms of tone, "Kekkon shite kureru?" is like "marry me, yeah?" and "kekkon shite kuremasu ka" is like "Will you marry me." In a situation like this, I prefer the formal one, because it IS a formal occasion :)

Ummm, if you go for some additional phrase, you could add something like: "Isshou kimi no soba ni isasete kudasai" = Please let me be by your side for the rest of my life.

How do you ask someone if they'll go out with you in Japanese?

Urhomie4life,

How do you ask someone if they'll go out with you in Japanese?

Bow deeply (so your upper body is close to 90 degrees from the vertical), stretch out your right hand towards the person you are addressing, and shout "Tsukiatte kudasai!" as if your life depended on it. That's how they do it on TV at least. ;-)

毎朝、お味噌汁を作ってくれませんか。
mai asa o-miso shiru wo tsukutte kuremasen ka?

毎朝、お味噌汁を作ってくれませんか。
mai asa o-miso shiru wo tsukutte kuremasen ka?

It may work for certain kind of girls, but definitely not for everyone.
Some female even may get offended! So be careful... ;)

I once called a coworker who lived at home and got her father. Knowing he didn't speak English, I simply asked, "Minoko o kudasai?" Apparently, that is a variation of asking for a girl's hand in marriage.

ndog,
Are you saying you tried to ask her dad to get the daughter to the phone and said that? :)

A common (but traditional) way to ask the bride-to-be's father for permission is to say:
- (insert the girl's first name)-san wo watashi ni kudasai. (Please give AAA-san to me.)
or
- O-jousan wo watashi ni kudasai. (Please give your daughter to me.)

...so the way you said it (though it missed the "watashi ni" part, it was close!) must have shocked the dad!!!