Skip to main content Skip to bottom nav

How to talk to your boyfriend about marriage?

175 Answers
Last Updated: 03/19/2022 at 2:27am
Perfect therapy for people who need help. I would like to say, I never can imagine it could be possible to heal people like that
Ta Tania
5 star rating
Moderated by

Alex DS Ellis, MA, LMFT

Marriage & Family Therapist

Feeling depressed or anxious can be so overwhelming. I want to help you feel better and be able to enjoy life. You are not alone and you deserve emotional support.

Top Rated Answers
GuardianLoveAngel
May 27th, 2016 5:47pm
It depends on a few factors, 1. if you are just starting the relationship, maybe try watching a movie about marriage together, then it won't feel completely random when you ask about it. 2. if you have been together for a long time and he hasn't said anything, YOU need to bring something up. Times are changing and women are doing things only men did a long time ago, marriage is no different. If you love the man, talk to him about it.
fantasticButton57
May 22nd, 2016 8:54pm
Explain politely that you would like to move on a little with your life and show the commitment for one another and to be able to show your love
FrenchToast
May 20th, 2016 7:04am
Think about it yourself first. Are you ready for that huge commitment? Then evaluate your relationship. How long has it been since you've been together? Are you both beyond comfortable with each other to get into a marriage? Is imagining yourself in a marriage with him quite flawless? Think, answer more questions like these. Maybe then, if your mind is clearer, you will know how to talk to him about it since it's a pretty big deal. Also, consider his views or opinions of marriage before talking to him. He must've talked about it earlier in a casual conversation. Good luck!
InspirationalWatermelon52
May 29th, 2016 8:01pm
Ask him where he sees himself in the future and tell him you see you two together. Say that eventually you d like to get married and ask what he thinks of marriage. If you are on a relationship you shouldn't be scared to do it, as you need to know where the relationship is going and you don't want to compromise with someone that doesn't want the same things.
Anonymous
June 12th, 2016 9:58pm
Talking to your partner about marriage can be a huge deal for anyone at any age when they feel they found someone they can see a future with. I believe the best way to talk about it is to not be afraid to sit down together and tell them what you want in your future and ask them what they see in their future as well. Tell them you see yourself getting married. If they agree as well then ask them what they look for in marriage and don't be afraid to tell them you can see a future with them such as getting married.
moonchild29
May 31st, 2016 3:02pm
Ask him how do you imagine the two of you in the future. Talk about the needs and desires (regarding the relationship) and the dreams. You can also mention that you'd like to get married someday.
TeenWolf
June 1st, 2016 8:55pm
Well for a start he is your boyfriend so he should be supportive. However just look for the right moment of time and sit down with him and tell him you need to talk. Once you have that phase over with just telling him your true feelings
Yukiikun
June 16th, 2016 4:23pm
if he is your boyfriend and you are sure he is the one you wat to continue your life with, then you tow have a deep good connection and you understanch each other.. So you will only have to show him your interest in marriage instead of relationships, talk with him nicely about how wonderful would be your lives after marriage, and try to build some dreams, make him too loke forward to propose to you, and he will the sooner he will be able to.. and girls, you can do it, you all have their hearts key♡!
allnaturalUnicorns70
June 24th, 2016 1:32pm
Why beat around the bush when you can just beat through the bush? Marriage includes lots of thorny conversations, and if your relationship hasn't progressed to the point where you can have them, you probably aren't ready to wed to this fellow.
NorthwardMagenta
April 23rd, 2020 11:26am
Talking to your boyfriend about marriage can be tough. Depending on his views sometimes it's very easy and sometimes it's tough. When I was dating my husband, I would ask him about where he sees himself in 5 or 10 years and asked questions about what was important to him. I'm not suggesting you do the same. You are the expert in this situation and know him best. What are questions that you think you could ask to figure out where his head is? You may already know wherr his head is as well and maybe able to ask questions directly. I'm hear to listen if you would like to chat about it further.
HalfLifeNerd
July 14th, 2018 12:11am
During a conversation, bring up what they want from the future of their relationship and what they expect to happen. If it leads into them asking you in return then you can mention that you'd like to spend the rest of your life with them as a married couple.
WinglessYetFlying
January 5th, 2019 1:02pm
What about bring up the subject casually? I understand that you could be hesitant to bring it up since it could trigger a reaction that you weren't hoping for, which, by the way, is normal. Everyone has different points of view about marriage, and these prospects might be deeper than just responsibility. You could just ask something like "what do you think about marriage?", and let him speak freely. Accept his answer and exchange your thoughts with him too, don't be afraid of being honest! Truth to be told, he might not be ready or even interested in the responsibility, because marriage is something serious. If he likes the idea of marriage then you guys can just wait for the right time! However, if he "isn't sure" or "would rather not", you could tell him how nice it would be, give him the advantages, and you don't even have to convince him immediately. If he loves you, then I'm sure he'll propose to you when he's ready to step up and become worthy of being a husband and a father! Do note that it'd be nice if you occasionally talked about marriage and asking him to imagine what would it be like.. I hope this helped! Take care 😇❤
Kim
November 1st, 2019 7:06am
The first thing to understand, is that not every person wants to get married, and that needs to be the forefront thought going into a conversation about marriage. Usually marriage is brought up on one of the initial dates of a relationship, and then it is made clear and open for discussion later on. If this does not happen, then it can be a little more difficult later on. The first time you bring it up, it should be a casual conversation; it does not need to be intimidating, and you should keep an open mind. Ask questions about whether it's something they want, or have ever thought about. Take a minute when you are both in a good place to sit and bring it up - the only way you will ever know what each other wants is by communicating.
FaithAmelie
January 16th, 2020 8:57pm
Before having "the marriage talk", it is good to ascertain the following: 1. Length of the relationship 2. Current emotional health of the relationship 3. Financial standing of both you and your boyfriend 4. Any other issues that should be taken care of before thinking of marriage. (Eg. personality differences, family, career, etc.) If you feel both are ready to take the next step, and someone needs to take the lead to generate the conversation, you can either choose to be straightforward and say something along the lines of "What do you see for us and our relationship in the next two years?". Or, if you are the conservative type who prefer the man to lead this conversation, try hinting by saying that you are so happy for some of your friends/cousins/celebrity idols who are getting married and from there, see what his responses are. Good luck!
LunaHymn16
May 23rd, 2020 5:39am
The best way to go about it would be to ask him what his thoughts on marriage are and if he sees himself being married one day. Also, ask him how he feels about your relationship with him and if he sees a future with you in it. This can be a good way to dip your feet into the conversation if you feel that it's too soon to ask about marriage and are worried about pressuring him. After a certain point in the relationship, you are entitled to have this conversation with your partner to ensure that you're on the same page.
adorableMusic86
June 20th, 2020 10:24am
It would be nice to talk about how beautiful commitment is and the greatness of the union provided by marriage. Start by general words and then you can talk about wanting marriage yourself. Don't push him to marry you or be committed right away. give him the space to think and assure him that you'll always accept his decision. it's not always about rushing things. Patience is key and believing that love will always be the way to marriage eventually. I've always been a believer that true loves ends in marriage for it's a sign of loyalty and appreciation.
Anonymous
July 19th, 2020 7:04am
Bein in love with your boyfriend is good and if your love is true love If you want to marry your boyfreind that is really reall good Finding true love in whole over the world is not so easy but you are to have one easily I think now you are in love him so you want to marry him First of all your boyfreind loves you if yes then so nice I know saying for marrige so hard to say aut you have to go say So first know that the person you going to marry really good because the love is blind but you are not you have to just he loves you or not or he is not cheating if or answer is good jus go and say i really love you and want to marry If it's hard for u just a letter I hope u can. Best of luck!
HelenaxForever
July 31st, 2020 5:16pm
How to approach such a delicate matter is what I think for me is honesty. Find somewhere a place and time where your boyfriend has time for you, and where his emotions are stronger, best, in my opinion, is a bed, couch, or any place you are stronger in an emotional way. There you have his full attention, The way I asked my own boyfriends was is too painful to ask how he sees the future with us. Depending on his answer you can react with a more general reaction, not focussing on the marriage. Ask him what about our future? what do you think about having kids our own house marriage and so.
rcdrlemire123
August 7th, 2020 7:33am
Okayyy. I strongly believe that couples should talk about their plans for the future, even before they get into a relationship. But if you never had the chance to do that, now is a great time. Yes, now! Find out what his plans are for the next 1, 3 or 5 year(s). Ask questions like: Where would you like to live? What age would be a good age to get married? At what age would you like to have children? Don’t just interrogate him but share your plans and vision for the future too. If his plans for the next 5 years totally deviate from yours then this might be a good indication that your relationship won’t last. I know this one is a scary one because you fear that he doesn’t see you in his future. But isn’t that the point of this conversation? Wouldn’t you want to know and more importantly move on if he doesn’t see you or marriage in his future? Find out rather earlier than later.
heyitsveraxoxo
August 12th, 2020 5:01pm
Before you consider talking about marriage with your boyfriend, ensure that you are ready for this huge step yourself. If you are, congratulations! Bring it up lightly and with no expectations - you don't want to build yourself up and end up getting hurt if he's not ready. If he does dismiss your desire to be married, don't let it get to you. He still loves you, he just isn't ready for that life step yet - consider finding other aspects of your relationship that will make you feel closer. Don't focus on trying to change his mind, as hard as it may be. Focus on enjoying your relationship and the time will come that he gets down on one knee for you!! ;)
Anonymous
October 8th, 2020 4:25am
Ask him how he feels the relationship is going. Don't beat around the bush and air out your feelings on the subject. I don't think ultimatums are appropriate but at least let him know where you stand after an appropriate amount of time has passed. If this doesn't work out for you then you two were not meant to be. Maybe prior to this do some investigating on how he feels about marriage in general, that way you are not wasting your time with the whole endeavor. If he accepts marriage as an institution, then explore whether or not he has ever desired to have children, if you are one who does.
Skillalistenalot
January 23rd, 2021 2:15pm
Many people have fears about getting married because they've seen their own parents', friends' or relatives' marriages fail. No one wants to repeat that kind of marital dysfunction. But if you're like most people, the pull to get married won't go away. For most men and women, marriage is the backbone of how we do life and raise families. It's important that you are on the same page about it with the person you love, as having different feelings about marriage may otherwise cause hurt and confusion in the relationship. So, there are no shortcuts here. Do your own work to get crystal clear on your beliefs and feelings about marriage. Say the things to your boyfriend....
gentleReeds52
February 10th, 2021 12:33pm
Sit him down and talk to him. Ask him what his goals are and where he sees you guys in five and ten years, as well as where he sees himself in the same amount of time. Also, this would be a good time to evaluate your own feelings and goals. What do you want? What do you need? Are your goals on track? Do you see yourself with your boyfriend for years? What is more important to you: career/school or home and family?Once you know the answers to your own questions, you can then approach your boyfriend and talk about your future. Your findings might surprise you.
Anonymous
March 5th, 2021 11:42am
Relationshps and 'next steps' are often a delicate topic. With your boyfriend have the two of you talked about the subject in general terms? Talking about the subject itself, to get an idea of how the other person feels is a good place to start regarding if marriage is a possibility. The subject itself some shy away from for whatever reason. But if you feel that you and your boyfriend need to have a chat about where the relationship is going and what the other wants long-term, then it's important to discuss it especially if you want different things. In my experience, a boyfriend I had didn't want anything to do with me regarding marriage, and I had forced it out in the open...which in my case was better in the long run because I didn't want to be a forever girlfriend to someone who didn't see me as marriage material. I went through a rough break up but it freed me to move onto finding my person.
bubblytobot
July 6th, 2016 6:58am
It depends how long has you been dating. But if you're curious, just sit them down and start off with this, "This is something that's really important to me and I want to talk about it. So I appreciate it if you could listen and tell me your thoughts about it. I want to talk about marriage." Also don't give out ultimatum. Don't pressure him.
Anonymous
April 10th, 2021 3:59pm
Approach the conversation with an open mind and do not push him to a certain answer! Ask for his opinion and listen, asking follow-up questions if necessary. Make sure that you are able to express yourself and your opinions in the conversation as well, but do not pressure him to a certain answer. Be careful in your wording and express to him how much you love him and care about him. Try to make sure he knows that you just want to have a discussion, and do not make an ultimatum if this is your first time having the discussion. It is likely that he might feel overwhelmed at first and need to reflect on the subject! Keep a kind attitude instead of being too pressuring, if possible!
Sunisshiningandsoareyou
March 13th, 2022 7:36am
How lovely to hear you're considering marriage with your boyfriend, i understand it can be a difficult topic to bring in a conversation but it could be a possibility that he might be considering it too? Only way to find out for sure would be to engage in an open communication, perhaps you can start talking about marriage in general and get to know his thoughts on the same, then move along connecting the idea with y'alls relationship, how it is going, and how you'd like to have a future with your boyfriend. I'd really encourage you to be honest and freely express your feelings to him, you should be allowed to say how you feel, and share your thoughts too. I'm wishing yall the best. Hope things work out in your favor. ❤️
contentedForest51
June 18th, 2016 12:26am
I personally think this differs from one person to another and depends a lot on their cultural background. The partner has to be aware of all the possible differences.
healingSnowflake51
June 12th, 2016 10:32am
You may want to talk to him when he's in a good mood and obviously not using language which could imply you are forcing him to propose. Maybe talk about your desires for a future life and ask for his opinion as well in order to engage him into the conversation.
Anonymous
June 22nd, 2018 12:55am
It will depend on how deep you guys are in the relationship, but generally just take in slow and soft approach, so no surprise reaction will occur. Talk about the little things so hint here and there and a casual conversation about it one of this days.