Should people live together before marriage?



Toni (Mozambique): I think people should live together1 because by living together, you tend to find out2, like the qualities in the partner3 that you want. And before marriage4, it's important to confirm those qualities by living together.

Antoinette (United States): I don't think men and women should live together before marriage. I think that they should make every effort5 to know each other6, but I don't think they should live together. I guess7 more because of moral reasons8, my own beliefs9, religious beliefs. I think that you can get to know someone10, you know your friends, you can get to know them, your girlfriends or your male friends11, even though12 they don't live with you. So, I don't think there's a need12 to live together before marriage.

Sarah (England): People should definitely14 live together before they get married15. You don't really know if you're going to live with someone until16 you actually17 do. You don't really know the real person until you've lived with them and see them at their best and their worst moments18. So, I think if you're going to get married and spend19 the rest of your life with someone, I think you should see them in all aspects of life before you take that plunge20.

Isma (Indonesia): I think it depends on the couple21 and the culture. For me, I don't think so22, because it's not official yet23 that you're married, and it's not like24 my culture to live before you get married. It's usually25 you get married and then you live together, so I don't think I would get used26 to that culture.

Rese (Botswana): I believe that people should live together before they get married, because marriage is a permanent contract, basically, and if you do not really know what you're getting into27, then it might not work out that well28. But if you lived with someone for a while29, then you'd know exactly30 what you're getting into and what you expect in the future.

Warren (Canada): Oh, yeah, I think it's really great if people lived together first. That way31, they get to know each other and they'll know what it's going to be like32. I think, quite often33, people who start living together when they get married, that's when34 they first start to get to know each other.


Vocabulary

1.      should live together = deveriam viver juntos
2.      tend to find out = tendem a descobrir
3.      partner = parceiro(a)
4.      marriage = casamento
5.      effort  = esforço
6.      know each other = conhecer um ao outro
7.      guess = acho
8.      reasons = razões
9.      own beliefs = próprias crenças
10.   get to know someone = vir a conhecer alguém
11.   male friends = amigos do sexo masculino
12.   even though = ainda que
13.   there's a need = há uma necessidade
14.   definitely = definitivamente
15.   get married = casar-se
16.   until = até
17.   actually = realmente
18.   their best and their worst moments = seus melhores e piores momentos
19.   spend = passar (tempo)
20.   take that plunge = “dar o mergulho”,”dar o salto” (aventurar-se)
21.   couple = casal
22.   I don't think so = eu acho que não
23.   Yet = ainda
24.   it's not like = não é como
25.   usually = normalmente
26.   I would get used = eu me acostumaria
27.   what you're getting into = no que voce está entrando
28.   it might not work out that well = pode não funcionar tão bem
29.   for a while = por um tempo
30.   you'd know exactly = você saberia exatamente
31.   That way = desta forma
32.   what it's going to be like = como vai ser
33.   quite often = com bastante frequência
34.   that's when = é aí então que