Inklingo

How to Say "married couple" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “married couple” is “casados” — use 'casados' when referring to married people in a general sense, often as a collective group or when the focus is on the status of being married rather than a specific couple..

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casados

kah-SAH-dohs/kaˈsaðos/

NounA2General
Use 'casados' when referring to married people in a general sense, often as a collective group or when the focus is on the status of being married rather than a specific couple.
A colorful illustration of a man and a woman standing affectionately close together beneath a large, red, stylized heart.

Examples

Los casados se fueron de luna de miel inmediatamente.

The married couple left for their honeymoon immediately.

Hay una sección de la iglesia dedicada solo a los casados.

There is a section of the church dedicated only to married people.

Using the Article

When 'casados' is used as a noun (meaning 'the married people'), it must be preceded by the article los (the masculine plural article).

matrimonio

/ma-tree-MOH-nyoh//matɾiˈmonjo/

NounB1General
Use 'matrimonio' when referring to a specific married couple as a unit, or when discussing the institution of marriage itself.
A simple illustration of a smiling man and woman standing side-by-side, holding hands, representing a married couple.

Examples

El matrimonio que vive al lado es muy amable.

The married couple that lives next door is very kind.

Somos un matrimonio joven y acabamos de comprar nuestra primera casa.

We are a young married couple and we just bought our first house.

El famoso matrimonio de actores anunció su separación.

The famous acting couple announced their separation.

A Singular Word for Two People

When 'matrimonio' means 'a married couple,' it refers to two people but is still a singular word. This means the verb that goes with it must also be singular. For example, 'El matrimonio es...' (The couple is...), not 'El matrimonio son...'.

Using a Plural Verb

Mistake: “El matrimonio son de Argentina.”

Correction: El matrimonio es de Argentina. (The married couple is from Argentina.) Because 'matrimonio' is a singular noun, the verb must match it.

Choosing Between 'Casados' and 'Matrimonio'

Learners often confuse 'casados' and 'matrimonio'. Remember that 'casados' is more often used to describe married people in general (plural), while 'matrimonio' usually refers to a specific couple as a pair or the concept of marriage. Using 'matrimonio' for a general group of married people can sound unnatural.

Related Translations

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