ABSTRACT
The conjugal relationship is constituted by three distinct realities that interact and hold each other. This study sought to understand the meanings of staying in the conjugal relationship of four Brazilian couples. Data were obtained through semi-structured interviews and focus group. Content analysis was used for data interpretation, taking into account three thematic topics: family conception and conjugal love; the couple and the conjugal relation; staying married. The nuclear family and conjugal love remain idealized and desired; the conjugal relation constitutes a third reality, a "we" conjugal, that over the years living together, modifies the individualities and collaborate so that the couples remain united.
KEYWORDS:
marital relations; individualities; conjugality; permanence in the marital relation