Before Marriage

结婚前

Verbs

动词

1.to ask someone out - to ask someone to go on a date

邀请某人约会

Alan asked Susan out last week. She still hasn't given him an answer.

上周艾伦邀苏珊外出约会。她仍然没给他一个答复。

2.to date - to see someone repeatedly in a romantic sense

在恋爱关系中与某人频繁见面；交往

They dated for two years before they decided to get married.

在他们决定结婚之前，他们已经交往了两年了。

3.to fall in love - to find someone that you love

找到你爱的人

They fell in love while on a hike through Peru.

他们在秘鲁远足时相爱了。

4.to go out - to date once, to go out repeatedly (often used in the present perfect continuous form)

一次性的约会，或频繁地见面（常用于现在完成进行时）

We're going out next Friday. We've been going out for a few months now.

我们下周五要出去约会。我们已经交往了几个月了。

5.to court - to try to date someone (older English, not often used in modern, everyday English)

试图与某人约会（老式英语，现代日常英语中不常用）

The young man courted his love by sending her flowers every day.

这个年轻人为了求爱，每天都送她花。

6.to go steady - to date regularly over a long period of time

在一个较长的时期内定期约会，确定关系

Tim and I are going steady.

蒂姆和我确定恋爱关系了。

7.to have a boyfriend / girlfriend - to have a continuing relationship with one person

与某人建立持续的联系

Do you have a boyfriend? - That's none of your business!

你有男朋友了吗？——不关你的事。

8.to arrange a marriage - to find marriage partners for other people

帮别人寻找婚姻伴侣

In the US most people find a partner by dating. However, it's common to arrange marriages in a number of cultures around the world.

在美国，大多数人通过约会来找到自己的伴侣。但是，在世界许多国家，说亲也很常见。

9.to woo someone - to try to go out or date someone

试图与某人约会

How long have you been wooing Anna? Have you asked her out yet?

你追安娜有多久了？你跟她约过会吗？

Nouns

名词

1.speed dating - modern technique to find someone to date, people speak to each other quickly one after the other in order to find someone to date

闪电约会——现代约会的一种技巧，人们一个个与他人快速交谈，来寻找对象。

Speed dating might seem strange to some, but it certainly helps people find others quickly.

闪电约会对于一些人来说可能比较陌生，但它确实可以帮助人们快速找到对象。

2.online dating - sites that help arrange relationships by meeting possible romantic partners online

网上交友——通过在网上与有发展可能的对象见面，从而帮助人们相亲的网站。

As many as one in three marriages start with online dating these days.

现在，有多达三分之一的婚姻始于网上交友。

3.courtship - period of time during which a man tries to convince a woman to marry him (not generally used in modern English, but common in English literate)

求爱期——男士试图说服女士嫁给他的时期（在现代英语中不常用，但英语文学作品中很常见）

The courtship lasted for six months, after which the couple married.

求爱期持续了六个月，之后他们就结婚了。

4.relationship - when two people have a committed attachment to each other

交往期——两个人相互承认关系

I'm in a relationship at the moment.

我现在有交往的对象了。

Idioms

习语

1.match made in heaven - two people who are perfect for each other

天生一对——两个人非常般配

Bob and Kim are a match made in heaven. I'm sure they'll have a happy and healthy marriage.

鲍勃和金姆真是天造地设的一对。我可以肯定他们的婚姻一定会幸福美满的。

2.love at first sight - what happens when someone falls in love the first time they see someone

一见钟情——第一次见面就爱上了对方

I feel in love with my wife at first sight. I'm not sure it was the same for her.

我对我妻子是一见钟情。但我不确定她是不是也这样。

3.love affair - a romantic relationship

风流韵事——恋爱关系

Their love affair lasted for more than two years.

他们俩的风流韵事持续了两年多。

4.blind date - to go out with someone you have never seen before, blind dates are often arranged by friends

事先一无所知的相亲——和你之前从未见过的人约会，这种约会通常是朋友安排的。

She was surprised at how much fun she had on her blind date last week.

上周的相亲她其乐无穷，这让她惊讶不已。

Becoming Engaged

订婚

Verbs

动词

1.to propose - to ask someone to marry you

求婚——请求某人与你结婚

I'm going to propose to Alan next week.

我下周准备向艾伦求婚了。

2.to ask someone to marry you - to ask someone to be your spouse

求婚——请求某人成为你的配偶。

Have you asked her to marry you yet?

你已经向她求婚了吗？

3.to ask for someone's hand in marriage - to ask someone to marry you

求婚——请求某人与你结婚

Peter arranged a romantic dinner and asked Susan's hand in marriage.

皮特安排了一场浪漫的晚宴，并向苏珊求婚了。

Nouns

名词

1.proposal - the question made when asking someone to marry

求婚词——求婚时提出的问题

He made his proposal when they brought out the champagne.

当他们拿出香槟时，他念出了自己的求婚词。

2.engagement - the state of being engaged, making the promise to marry each other

订婚——定下了婚约，承诺与对方结婚。

They announced their engagement at the Christmas party last week.

上周在圣诞节派对上，他们宣布订婚。

3.fiance - the person to whom you are engaged

未婚夫——订婚的对象

My fiance works in education.

我的未婚夫是从事教育行业的。

4.betrothal - literary term synonymous with engagement (not commonly used in modern English)

婚约——订婚的文学术语（现代英语中不常用）

The couples' betrothal was approved by the king.

这对夫妻的婚约是经过国王陛下恩准的。

Idioms

习语

1.to pop the question - to ask someone to marry you

求婚——请求某人与你结婚

When are you going to pop the question?

你准备什么时候结婚？

Marrying

结婚

Verbs

动词

1.to get married - the action of becoming husband and wife

结婚——结为夫妻

They got married in a historic church in the countryside.

他们在乡村里的一座历史悠久的教堂里结为夫妻。

2.to marry - to get married

结婚

They are going to wed next June.

他们明年六月结婚

3.to wed - to get married

结婚

We wed twenty years ago on this day.

二十年前的今天是我们结婚的日子。

4.to say "I do" - the agree to marry the other person at a wedding

说“我愿意”——在婚礼上同意与对方结为夫妻

The bride and groom said "I do" after their vows.

新郎新娘在婚誓后说“我愿意”。

Nouns

名词

1.anniversary - the day of your wedding, celebrated by married couples

纪念日——夫妻一起庆祝结婚的日子

Our anniversary is coming up next week. What should I get her?

我们的结婚纪念日下周就要到了。我该给她买什么好呢？

2.marriage - the state of being married

结婚——已婚的状态

Their marriage is very good. They've been married for twenty years.

他们的婚姻十分美满。他们结婚已经二十年了。

3.wedding - the ceremony during which people get married

婚礼——结婚时举行的仪式

The wedding was lovely. I couldn't help crying a little.

他们的婚礼布置得好可爱。我都忍不住流泪了。

4.matrimony - the state of being married (used less commonly than 'marriage')

结婚——已婚的状态（比marriage使用的频率小）

The matrimony withheld the test of time.

婚姻要经受得住时间的考验。

5.wedlock - the state of being married (used less commonly than 'marriage')

结婚——已婚的状态（比marriage使用的频率小）

We've been in wedlock since 1964.

我们1964年就结婚了。

6.vow - the promise made between two people during a wedding

婚誓——在结婚典礼上，夫妻俩相互许下的诺言。

We exchanged our vows in front of our family and friends.

我们在亲朋好友面前交换了誓言。

7.bride - the woman who marries

新娘——结婚的女人

The bride was so beautiful. They looked so happy together.

新娘好漂亮啊。他们在一起看起来好幸福。

8.groom - the man who marries

新郎——结婚的男人

The groom looked arrived twenty minutes late for the wedding. Everyone was very nervous!