sich vermählen
to marry
An elevated or old-fashioned term for getting married; to enter into marriage with each other.
EXAMPLE
Das Paar wird sich im Frühling auf einem alten Schloss vermählen.
The couple will marry in the spring at an old castle.
vermählen
to marry / to unite
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Meanings
vermählen
to unite
Used figuratively for the harmonious joining or blending of two different things, often in an artistic or culinary context.
EXAMPLE
In diesem Gericht vermählen sich traditionelle Rezepte mit modernen Einflüssen.
In this dish, traditional recipes unite with modern influences.
Usage tips
Word family
'Vermählen' (to marry) belongs to the same word family as 'der Gemahl' (husband) and 'die Gemahlin' (wife). These words share an old root and all belong to an elevated, formal style of language.
EXAMPLE
Der Prinz und seine Gemahlin werden das Land regieren.
The prince and his wife will rule the country.
Context clue
You can recognize the meaning of the word from the subject: if it refers to people, it means 'heiraten' (to marry). If it refers to things or concepts (e.g., aromas, styles, ideas), it means 'harmonisch verbinden' (to unite harmoniously).
EXAMPLE
Das königliche Paar wird sich im Sommer vermählen.
The royal couple will marry in the summer.
Register: elevated
In the meaning 'heiraten' (to marry), 'sich vermählen' (to get married) is very formal, poetic, or even old-fashioned. In normal usage, 'heiraten' is almost always used.
EXAMPLE
In alten Romanen liest man oft, dass die Liebenden sich am Ende vermählen.
In old novels, you often read that the lovers marry at the end.
Sentence structure: reflexive
When referring to getting married, the verb is always used reflexively: 'sich vermählen' (to get married). It is often followed by the preposition 'mit' (with) to name the partner.
EXAMPLE
Sie hat sich mit ihrer Jugendliebe vermählt.
She married her childhood sweetheart.
Compare with
vermählen vs verheiraten
to marry / to marry off
„Verheiraten“ normally means that someone marries another person to someone else or arranges the marriage for them. „Sich vermählen“, by contrast, describes the two people getting married themselves and sounds elevated or old-fashioned. Use „verheiraten“ for the person arranging the marriage and „sich vermählen“ for the couple.
vermählen
Die Tochter und der Mann vermählten sich im folgenden Frühjahr.
The daughter and the man married the following spring.
verheiraten
Die Eltern verheirateten ihre Tochter mit einem Mann aus dem Nachbardorf.
The parents married their daughter off to a man from the neighboring village.
In real life
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