How do you say “Tie the knot” in French?
The closest natural French equivalent is Se marier, which literally means “To marry oneself”. English speakers use tie the knot to mean to get married to someone. The normal everyday choice; more direct and less playful than the English idiom. It is neutral and common in everyday French.
Closest natural French
Se marier
/sə ma.ʁje/
- Literal meaning
- “To marry oneself”
- Register
- neutral
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Close equivalent
85 out of 100
What a native French speaker would actually say
English ties a knot, while the plain French verb names the marriage itself. The meaning is exact, but the tone is less playful.
“Se passer la bague au doigt” adds a wedding image through the ring. “Se dire oui” focuses on the couple’s promise.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone3 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in French?
Se passer la bague au doigt
Literally: “To put the ring on each other’s finger”
A familiar wedding expression with a concrete image.
Se dire oui
Literally: “To say yes to each other”
Warm wording for a wedding announcement.
Don't translate it literally
Nouer le nœud
This is about a literal knot and is not the usual way to announce a marriage.
Word-for-word versions like these are understood as literal statements in French, not as expressions.
In context
English
They’re tying the knot in June.
French
Ils se marient en juin.
English
We finally tied the knot last summer.
French
Nous nous sommes enfin mariés l’été dernier.
Related expressions
Last reviewed 2026-09-12