How to Say Will You Marry Me in Korean (나랑 결혼해 줄래요?)

What you'll learn

• Propose with 나랑 결혼해 줄래요?, 저와 결혼해 주시겠어요? or 나랑 결혼해 줄래?, depending on the couple.
• Tell a request (결혼해 주세요) from a statement (결혼해요).
• Use 랑 or 와 with 결혼하다.
• Say 결혼 as [결혼], hear it as [겨론] in everyday speech, and say 줄래요 with a long ㄹ.

Before you start: you only need to read Hangul. This page follows I love you in Korean, the step before a proposal. Time: about 10 minutes. Audio plays only when you press a button.

How Do You Say Will You Marry Me in Korean?

The standard answer is 나랑 결혼해 줄래요?. Read it in parts. 나랑 (narang) means "with me". 결혼해 comes from 결혼하다 (gyeolhonhada, to marry). 줄래요 comes from 주다 (to give), and here it means "will you do it for me?". So the sentence asks, "will you marry me?", literally "will you marry with me (for me)?".

A proposal is a rare, serious phrase, so choose the level that matches your relationship. The next section sorts the forms.

What Are the Formal, Polite and Casual Ways to Say Will You Marry Me?

The forms follow the Korean speech levels, the endings that change with the listener. The guide to Korean speech levels explains each level. The key pieces are -(으)ㄹ래요? (will you?), -(으)시- (the honorific) and -아/어 주세요 (please do it for me).

Polite: 나랑 결혼해 줄래요? (narang gyeolhonhae jullaeyo)

This is the form most Korean couples would expect in a modern, personal proposal. -(으)ㄹ래요? asks about the other person's wish, and 해 주다 means "to do for me". A proposer says it to a partner they usually address with 요. Some couples prefer 저랑 for a more respectful feeling.

Respectful: 저와 결혼해 주시겠어요? (jeowa gyeolhonhae jusigesseoyo)

저와 (jeowa) is the humble "with me". 주시겠어요? combines the honorific -시- and the softener -겠- to mean "would you kindly ...?". This is very respectful and slightly old-fashioned. It fits a ceremonious proposal, a couple who use honorifics with each other, or a drama scene. The end of it is pronounced [주시게써요]. In the fully formal style it becomes 저와 결혼해 주시겠습니까?.

Casual: 나랑 결혼해 줄래? (narang gyeolhonhae jullae)

나랑 결혼해 줄래? drops the polite ending. It is natural between a couple who already speak casually, and it sounds relaxed and loving. A shorter casual request is 결혼해 줘 (gyeolhonhae jwo), "marry me".

Polite: 결혼해 주세요 (gyeolhonhae juseyo)

주세요 is the polite request "please do it for me". 결혼해 주세요 is a direct "please marry me". It is less of a question than 줄래요?, so it can sound heartfelt or urgent. You will hear it in songs and dramas.

Each ending carries a different feeling. Now let us look at the sounds.

How Do You Pronounce 나랑 결혼해 줄래요?

Say it with an even rhythm: na-rang gyeol-hon-hae jul-lae-yo. In the standard, 결혼 is [결혼], so the sentence is [나랑 결혼해 줄래요]; in everyday speech you will often hear [겨론]. It is a yes/no question, so the voice rises at the end.

1. 나랑 (narang): "nah-rang".
2. 결혼해 (gyeolhonhae): the ㅕ starts with a y glide, and the ㅓ is unrounded: keep your lips relaxed.
3. 줄래요 (jullaeyo): a long double ㄹ, [줄래요].

Sound Changes to Listen For

These notes follow the National Institute of Korean Language standard pronunciation rules (표준 발음법):

• 결혼 is [결혼], often [겨론] in speech. The standard keeps the ㅎ, but after ㄹ it is often weakened, so the ㄹ seems to move forward and the word sounds like 겨론. See Korean ㅎ weakening. Revised Romanization writes the nouns as spelled: gyeolhon.
• 결혼해 can sound like [겨로내] in fast speech. The ㅎ between voiced sounds is very light.
• 줄래요 has a long ㄹ. The ㄹ at the end of 줄 and the ㄹ at the start of 래 join into one long "l": [줄래요].
• 주시겠어요 ends in [게써요]. The ㅆ moves to the next syllable.

With the sounds clear, the next question is when to use each form.

When Should You Use 나랑 결혼해 줄래요?, and When Should You Not?

Use it when you are in a serious relationship and you are ready to ask. Do not use it as a joke with someone you do not know well, because it can be misunderstood.

Situations Where It Fits

• A planned proposal. 지은 씨, 나랑 결혼해 줄래요? with a ring and a quiet place.
• A heartfelt moment. 결혼해 주세요 can follow a short speech about your feelings.
• Between a casual couple. 나랑 결혼해 줄래? is natural and warm.

Situations to Avoid

• A new relationship. It is too early and may scare the other person.
• A group of strangers. A proposal in a crowd can pressure the answer.
• A joke with a stranger or a coworker. The words are serious.

Two conversations show how it sounds.

What Does Will You Marry Me Sound Like in a Real Conversation?

A proposal is short. The proposer says one line, then there is a pause, a laugh or a tear, and the answer.

What to notice: Jieun says 네, 좋아요, which literally means "yes, it's good". It is the natural way to accept. Minjun thanks her with 고마워요 and says 사랑해요, covered in I love you in Korean.

What to notice: both speakers use casual speech. Seoyun accepts with the promise ending 결혼할게, pronounced [결혼할께], which means "I will (marry you)". The ending -ㄹ게 expresses a decision made for the listener.

What Should You Know about the Culture behind Will You Marry Me?

A proposal in Korea is often a planned event. The word 프러포즈 (peureopojeu), from the English "propose", is the everyday word for the event, and 청혼 (cheonghon) is the Sino-Korean word for a marriage proposal. Many proposers prepare a ring, flowers or a message, though customs vary.

• Two families, not only two people. After a yes, the families usually meet for a formal dinner called 상견례 (sanggyeonnye, pronounced [상견녜]). The wedding date is often set afterwards.
• The word for the wedding. 결혼식 (gyeolhonsik) is the ceremony. See wedding vocabulary in Korean for related words.
• Congratulations follow. Friends say 결혼 축하해요 or 결혼 축하드려요. The phrase is covered in congratulations on your wedding in Korean.

If you want to say you will love someone for a long time, learn I love you forever in Korean.

What Mistakes Do Learners Make with Will You Marry Me in Korean?

Most mistakes come from the ending or from the particle.

The first two rows are the main trap. In Korean the verb ending shows whether you are stating a fact, giving an order or asking for a favour. To ask a favour, use 해 주다: 결혼해 줄래요? or 결혼해 주세요.

Is It the Same as Marry Me, Propose or Proposal?

Mostly. The searches folded into this page each have a short answer.

• Marry me in Korean: 나랑 결혼해 줘요 or 결혼해 주세요. Casual: 나랑 결혼해 줘.
• Will u marry me in Korean: the same as will you marry me: 나랑 결혼해 줄래요?
• Propose in Korean (verb): 프러포즈하다 or 청혼하다. For example, 프러포즈할 거예요 (I'm going to propose).
• Proposal in Korean (marriage): 프러포즈 or 청혼.
• Proposal in Korean (business): 제안 (jean), a different word for an idea or plan you put forward.

Now say them aloud.

Practice: Say It Aloud

Play the slow clip of 나랑 결혼해 줄래요? three times, with a long ㄹ in 줄래요. Then choose a phrase. Answers follow.

1. You propose to a partner, politely.
2. You propose in a very ceremonious way.
3. You propose to a partner, casually.
4. You say "please marry me".

Answers

1. 나랑 결혼해 줄래요?
2. 저와 결혼해 주시겠어요?
3. 나랑 결혼해 줄래?
4. 결혼해 주세요.

The phrase flashcards drill these lines with audio.

Related Phrases to Learn Next

A proposal leads to a wedding and to a lifetime of anniversaries.

• I love you in Korean: 사랑해요 for the feeling behind the question.
• Will you be my girlfriend in Korean: the earlier step in a relationship.
• I love you forever in Korean: a promise for the future.
• Happy anniversary in Korean: how to celebrate the years that follow.

This guide belongs to the Korean love phrases collection. What this page does not cover: wedding planning, family titles for the in-laws, and the legal side of marriage. Use 해 주다 for the favour, choose the level for the relationship, and you can say will you marry me in Korean with confidence.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you say will you marry me in Korean?

Say 나랑 결혼해 줄래요? (narang gyeolhonhae jullaeyo) in polite speech and 나랑 결혼해 줄래? (narang gyeolhonhae jullae) to a partner you speak casually to. For a very ceremonious proposal, say 저와 결혼해 주시겠어요? (jeowa gyeolhonhae jusigesseoyo). A direct request is 결혼해 주세요 (gyeolhonhae juseyo), 'please marry me'.

How do you pronounce 나랑 결혼해 줄래요?

The standard reading is [나랑 결혼해 줄래요]. In everyday speech the ㅎ after ㄹ is often weakened, so 결혼 sounds close to [겨론], and in fast speech 결혼해 may sound like [겨로내]. The ㄹㄹ in 줄래요 is a long l. The ㅕ in 결 begins with a y glide. It is a yes/no question, so the voice rises at the end.

What is the difference between 나랑 결혼해 줄래요? and 저와 결혼해 주시겠어요?

Both ask the other person to marry you. 나랑 결혼해 줄래요? is warm and personal, and it suits a partner you speak to with ordinary politeness. 저와 결혼해 주시겠어요? uses the humble 저와 and the honorific -시- to sound very respectful and ceremonious. It fits a formal proposal or a couple who use honorifics with each other.

Is 나랑 결혼해 줄래요? formal or casual?

It is polite, with a personal tone. The ending -요 makes it softer than the casual 나랑 결혼해 줄래?. Because 나랑 is a casual word for 'with me', some couples prefer 저랑 or 저와 for a more respectful tone. The formal style would be 저와 결혼해 주시겠습니까?.

Can I use 나랑 결혼해 줄래요? with friends, elders and strangers?

A proposal is for a partner, so these forms are not for friends or strangers in the usual sense. If you are asking someone older or someone you address very respectfully, use 저와 결혼해 주시겠어요?. With a partner you speak casually to, use 나랑 결혼해 줄래?. Asking a stranger would be strange in any language.

What is the most common mistake with will you marry me in Korean?

Learners say 결혼해요 or 결혼하세요. 결혼해요 is a statement, 'I marry' or 'we marry', and 결혼하세요 is an honorific request or order that sounds like 'please get married'. To ask someone to marry you, use the asking form 결혼해 줄래요? or the request 결혼해 주세요. Using 을/를 with 결혼하다 is another mistake.

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