You can now say the most important words in any language “I love you.” in Tagalog. Now, it’s time to take a step into the unknown and say the next life changing phrase “Will you marry me?” Got cold feet? Take the plunge boy! I’ve been married six years and counting and have two little gremlins to prove it. Now let’s go and tie that knot.

First of all, what’s the Tagalog root word for “to marry”? It is kasal. It should be pretty easy to translate such a simple sentence right? Whatever you do, don’t use Google Translate. Check out what happens if you do:

This is a screenshot of Google’s Tagalog translation to “Will you marry me?” It says “kayong magpakasal sa akin?” That sounds like some weird Tarzan-like gibberish to a native Tagalog speaker.

While Google’s Artificial Intelligence is pretty smart, there are some aspects, such as idiomatic expressions which it hasn’t quite cracked. At least not yet. They’re getting better and better by the day. But for languages like Tagalog, we’re still a long way off.

So how should you say it? There’s no idiomatic way of saying  “Will you marry me?” in Tagalog. Like many things in the Philippines, it can be a little more complicated. There are a number of different ways you can pop the question, and how you will say it will depend on the mood you want to convey. For simplicity, I will assume it’s for a man asking a woman in this article, but all the sentences here can be used for a woman asking a man.

Okay let’s first try just translating “Will you marry me?” literally.

Pakakasalan mo ba ako?
Literal translation: English: Will you marry me?
This sentence on its own asks whether she will marry you, connoting that are confirming a fact or an eventuality. It can also convey some doubt or lack of conviction from your end. To a native speaker this would sound more like: “Are you going to marry me?” making the feeling of this Tagalog sentence incomplete.

Magpakasal tayo.
Literal translation: Let’s get married.
This sounds more romantic that the dry “Pakakasalan mo ba ako?” but the problem with this is that it has the connotation that you have made up your mind and she is expected to go along and say “Yes.” or even an instruction. That could kill the romance in it.

Magpakasal na tayo.
Literal translation: Let’s get married already.
Adding the work “na” make the sentence sound like her marrying you is over due, or that it could have been done earlier. It could suggest that you and her have already had a long relationship.

Pakasalan mo ako.
Literal translation: Marry me.
This sentence sound strong, possibly even a demand. While the urgency of this sentence may add to the passion of the moment, it may sidestep the original thought of “Will you marry me?” which explicitly elicits a yes or no response.

Gusto mo bang magpakasal?
Literal translation: Do you want to get married?
This is another good contender. It lacks the short question format that makes the original question powerful, but it is a very natural way to phrase the question.

Gusto mo bang magpakasal tayo?
Literal translation: Do you want us to get married?
This is similar to Gusto mo bang magpakasal? but with the addition of the word tayo or us, it makes the question more specific. More specific is less romantic in this case.

Magpapakasal ba tayo?
Literal translation: Are we getting married?
Popping the question this way conveys a feeling similar equivalent to its literal English translation. It lacks expression of desire and commitment.

Magpapakasal na ba tayo?
Literal translation: Are we getting married already?
This sentence is similar to the one above, but adding the word “na” implies and impatience, or something that could have been done earlier.

Magpapakasal ka ba sa akin?
Literal translation: Are you going to marry me?
This sentence structure connotes that you are just asking her whether or not she will eventually marry you. This question only seeks to confirm whether marriage will come down the line. It lacks the romanticism brought about the urgency of the original question in English.

Gusto kitang pakasalan.
Literal translation: I want to marry you.
This has the advantage of getting the point across, and expressing your burning desire to be betrothed to her. However, it does lack the essential element of being a question.

Pakakasalan kita.
Literal translation: I will marry you.
This sentence is similar to the one above. The simplicity of the sentence construction expresses a confidence in your decision and a strong conviction. It again however is not a question. It would however make a strong, passionate statement. Pakakasalan is one of the many Tagalog verb variations here.

Papayag ka bang magpakasal sa akin?
Literal translation: Are you going to allow it that you get married to me?
This would be a natural way to ask a difficult question in Tagalog culture. However, this question lacks commitment from your end.

Kailan mo gustong magpakasal?
Literal translation: When do you want to get married?
This is indirectly asking her when she wants to get married by asking her when the wedding is going to do. This is a very Filipino way of asking difficult questions. However, it lacks the element that makes the question romantic. It is not a yes or no question. It is easy to avoid the question by giving a vague answer by referring to sometime in the future.

Kailan tayo magpapakasal?
Literal translation: When are we getting married?
It is similar to the question above, but it will elicit a more definite answer with the addition of the word tayo, which is the Tagalog pronoun that specifies the two of you.

Kailan ang kasal natin?
Literal translation: When is our wedding?
Popping the question this way gives the impression that you are assuming she will agree and you are just confirming a time frame.

Editor’s Pick: So what’s up? I gave you all these suggestions and I have to at least recommend one, right? This must be a confusing time, popping perhaps what is the most important question in your life. If to choose just one, I would go Pakakasalan mo ba ako? (Literal translation: English: Will you marry me?). However as mentioned, it may convey doubt and lacks conviction from your end, if the sentence stands alone. However, Tagalog is language that is very contextual. You can cure this, you just have to add some magic words. You could phrase it this way…

Mahal kita. Pakakasalan mo ba ako?

This sentence Mahal kita. meaning “I love you.” completes the thought of the original incomplete feeling of Pakakasalan mo ba ako? which is the literal translation “Will you marry me?” and fills this empty question with conviction and passion.

Preparing for the day you pop the question? Here’s is a printable PDF copy of the contents of this article in a condensed manner in matrix format so you will be able to browse through the various options more easily: Printable PDF Version of "Will You Marry Me? – Different Ways to Ask Someone to Marry You in Tagalog" (448 downloads )