Lesson

Relationships (Romance, Marriage, Divorce)

Romantic relationship vocabulary

≈ 15 min 8 block(s)

Text

Relationships (Romance, Marriage, Divorce)

This lesson focuses on vocabulary used to describe romantic relationships, marriage, and divorce. You will learn terms for dating, legal status, family roles, and common verbs and collocations used in personal and professional contexts.

  • Romantic vocabulary: dating, boyfriend/girlfriend, partner, engaged
  • Marriage terms: spouse, wedding, civil union, marriage certificate
  • Separation and divorce: separation, file for divorce, divorce, annulment
  • Related verbs and collocations: get married, get engaged, break up, settle a divorce

Table

Key Vocabulary: Romance → Divorce

Term Part of speech Meaning Example
partner noun a person in a romantic relationship or business relationship She introduced her partner at the company party.
engaged adjective officially promised to marry They are engaged and planning a wedding for next year.
fiancé / fiancée noun the person someone is engaged to Her fiancé works in finance.
spouse noun a husband or wife Each employee must list their spouse on the benefits form.
marriage certificate noun an official document proving marriage We uploaded a copy of the marriage certificate for HR.
separation noun when a couple stop living together but are not divorced They announced a temporary separation last month.
file for divorce verb phrase to start the legal process to end a marriage He decided to file for divorce after careful consideration.
divorce noun / verb legal ending of a marriage; to legally end a marriage After the divorce, she kept the apartment.
annulment noun a legal declaration that a marriage was invalid They sought an annulment rather than a divorce.
break up phrasal verb to end a romantic relationship They broke up amicably last summer.

Tip

Important collocations and prepositions

Remember fixed word combinations and prepositions that commonly appear with relationship vocabulary:

  • "get married to" someone — correct: They got married to each other.
  • "file for divorce" — the formal phrase to start legal proceedings.
  • "be engaged to" someone / "be engaged" — engaged is an adjective.
  • "separate from" — use when couples live apart without legal divorce.
  • "break up" — phrasal verb for ending a dating relationship.

Focus on the verb + preposition patterns and whether a term is a noun, verb, or adjective.

Example

Examples in context

She introduced her partner to the board during the company dinner.

After three years of dating, they got engaged last winter.

He decided to file for divorce and hired a lawyer to manage the case.

Following the separation, they negotiated a fair division of assets.

Tip

Common mistakes

Watch out for universal errors learners make with relationship vocabulary:

  • Using the wrong preposition: say 'married to someone', not 'married with someone'.
  • Confusing noun and verb forms: 'divorce' can be a noun or a verb — check the structure.
  • Using 'separate' vs 'separated' incorrectly — check tense and form.
  • Mixing formal/legal terms with casual language in wrong contexts (e.g., 'annul' vs 'split').
  • For phrasal verbs, don’t change word order incorrectly: 'break up' (not 'up break').

Double-check whether you need a verb, noun, or adjective, and the required preposition.

Quiz

Choose the correct sentence:

Hint: Think about the formal phrase used for starting legal proceedings to end a marriage.

Quiz

Complete: They _____ after discussing the separation with their lawyers.

Hint: Think about the legal phrase meaning 'start the divorce process'.

Quiz

Which word best completes the sentence: 'After two years of dating, they became _____.'

Hint: Consider the step that usually follows dating when a couple plans to marry.

Key Points

Vocabulary

partner

noun CEFR B1 //ˈpɑːrtnər//

a person with whom one has a romantic relationship or business relationship

She informed HR that her partner would join the relocation.

Vocabulary

engaged

adjective CEFR B1 //ɪnˈɡeɪdʒd//

officially promised to marry

They announced they are engaged during the holiday party.

Vocabulary

spouse

noun CEFR B2 //spaʊs//

a person's husband or wife

Employees must provide their spouse's details for the insurance form.

Expression

filed for divorce

verb phrase CEFR B2 //faɪld fɔːr dɪˈvɔːrs//

to officially start the legal process to end a marriage

He filed for divorce after two years of separation.

Vocabulary

separation

noun CEFR B2 //ˌsɛpəˈreɪʃən//

when a couple live apart or decide to stop living together, sometimes before divorce

The company supported her request for flexible hours during the separation.

Vocabulary

annulment

noun CEFR C1 //əˈnʌlmənt//

a legal procedure declaring that a marriage was never valid

They applied for an annulment due to legal grounds discovered after the wedding.

Vocabulary

break up

phrasal verb CEFR B1 //breɪk ʌp//

to end a romantic relationship

They decided to break up after realizing their goals didn't align.