die Ehe
marriage
A legally and/or socially recognized life partnership between two people.
EXAMPLE
Nach zehn Jahren wilder Ehe haben sie endlich geheiratet.
After ten years of living together without being married, they finally got married.
die Ehe
marriage
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Meanings
die Ehe
union
In a figurative sense, a very close and lasting connection between two things or concepts.
EXAMPLE
Die unglückliche Ehe zwischen Kunst und Kommerz führt selten zu guten Ergebnissen.
The unhappy union of art and commerce rarely leads to good results.
Usage tips
Word family
'Die Ehe' (marriage) is the base word for an entire word family. It includes 'das Ehepaar' (married couple), 'der Ehemann' (husband), 'die Ehefrau' (wife), and the adjective 'ehelich' (relating to marriage).
EXAMPLE
Das Ehepaar feiert morgen seinen zehnten Hochzeitstag.
The married couple is celebrating their tenth wedding anniversary tomorrow.
Typical verbs
Fixed verbs are often used with 'Ehe' (marriage). You 'schließt' eine Ehe (enter into a marriage; formal), you 'führt' eine Ehe (lead/have a marriage; be married), and you can 'eine Ehe scheiden lassen' (get a marriage dissolved; get divorced).
EXAMPLE
Sie führen seit 20 Jahren eine glückliche Ehe.
They have had a happy marriage for 20 years.
Fixed expression
The expression 'in wilder Ehe leben' is a colloquial expression meaning that a couple lives together without being legally married. Although this is normal today, the expression is still used.
EXAMPLE
Meine Eltern haben zehn Jahre in wilder Ehe gelebt, bevor sie geheiratet haben.
My parents lived together without being married for ten years before they got married.
Compare with
Ehe vs Verbindung
connection / association
Both words can express a close connection between two things or concepts. „Verbindung“ remains neutral and describes the combination, while „Ehe“ deliberately uses a metaphor of a particularly close and lasting partnership. „Verbindung“ fits a matter-of-fact statement, while „Ehe“ is suitable as a strong metaphor.
Ehe
Die Ehe von Musik und Bildern gibt dem Film seinen besonderen Charakter.
The union of music and images gives the film its distinctive character.
Verbindung
Die Verbindung von Musik und Bildern macht den Film besonders eindrucksvoll.
The combination of music and images makes the film particularly impressive.
In real life
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