propose to
/prəˈpoʊz tuː/
Meaning
To 'propose to' someone means to ask them to marry you. It is a neutral, widely used expression in both casual and formal contexts. This phrase is almost always followed by the person being asked, using the preposition 'to'.
Examples
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He bought a beautiful diamond ring because he plans to propose to his girlfriend this weekend.
He bought a beautiful diamond ring because he plans to propose to his girlfriend this weekend.
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She was completely shocked when her partner proposed to her during their vacation in Paris.
She was completely shocked when her partner proposed to her during their vacation in Paris.
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Did you hear that Mark is going to propose to Sarah at her favorite restaurant tonight?
Did you hear that Mark is going to propose to Sarah at her favorite restaurant tonight?
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I wanted to propose to him on the beach, but it started raining heavily.
I wanted to propose to him on the beach, but it started raining heavily.
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They had been dating for five years before he finally decided to propose to her.
They had been dating for five years before he finally decided to propose to her.
Common Mistakes
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✗ He proposed his girlfriend last night.
✓ He proposed to his girlfriend last night.
In English, you must use the preposition 'to' when mentioning the person you are asking to marry. Without 'to', the sentence is grammatically incorrect.
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✗ She wants to propose with him on their anniversary.
✓ She wants to propose to him on their anniversary.
Learners often translate literally from their native language and use 'with'. The correct preposition to indicate the recipient of a marriage proposal is 'to'.
Related Expressions
Practice
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After dating for six years, Leo finally decided to ___ his partner during their trip to Rome.
💡 Ask someone to marry you.
Show answer
propose to
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She had no idea he was going to ___ her in front of all their friends.
💡 Use the preposition 'to' after the verb.
Show answer
propose to