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  What it means

  Literally “to take a wedding / vow,” this is the standard Polish expression for getting married. Unlike English, where you “get married,” Poles brać ślub (take a wedding). The phrase covers both civil and religious ceremonies. The perfective form wziąć ślub refers to a specific completed wedding, while brać ślub (imperfective) is used less often and implies a process or repeated/habitual action.

  Vocabulary

  • brać — to take (imperfective); perfective: wziąć
  • ślub — wedding, marriage vow, marriage ceremony (accusative: ślub)
  • wziąć ślub — to get married (perfective, single completed event)

  Grammar note

  Ślub is a masculine noun in the accusative case here (unchanged from nominative, as it is inanimate). The perfective wziąć ślub is far more common in practice because marriage is typically a one-time event. When used with a person, add 'z + instrumental': 'wzięła ślub z Piotrem' (she got married to Piotr).

  Cultural context

  In Polish culture, both the civil ceremony (ślub cywilny) and the church ceremony (ślub kościelny) are called ślub. Many Polish couples have both. The phrase brać/wziąć ślub is neutral and used for all types. To specify, Poles say 'wzięli ślub w kościele' or 'wzięli ślub w urzędzie.'

  Beginner

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