Avioituminen

Avioituminen is a Finnish noun that denotes the act of entering into a marriage, i.e., becoming married. The word comes from avio-, relating to marriage and spouses, combined with the suffix -tuminen, which marks a process or act. In formal or legal contexts avioituminen is used to describe the transition to married status, while in everyday speech people usually say mennä naimisiin (to get married) or naimisiinmeno (going to marry).

Avioituminen is primarily a legal and social concept. It involves a change in a person’s legal status and can be realized through civil ceremonies, religious weddings, or a combination of both, with official registration and recognition by the authorities. In Finland, marriage is registered with the national population registry, and the marriage is recognized under national law, with various rights and responsibilities that follow the union. The process typically requires informed consent from the parties and compliance with applicable age and capacity requirements.

The term is contrasted with avioero, the dissolution of a marriage (divorce). The verb form is avioitua, and related adjectives describe someone who is married or becoming married. Related topics include avioliitto (marriage), häät (weddings), and avioero (divorce). Same-sex marriage is recognised under Finnish law, as part of the broader framework of avioituminen in contemporary Finland.