To start a family
To start a family

1) does this phrase mean a. to plan to get marred to somebody or b. to plan to have children?
2) if so, when does it mean a. and when mean b.?
3) can I say star family/families? What situations do they make sense in? Is it a common use?

Question

To start a family
To start a family

1) does this phrase mean a. to plan to get marred to somebody or b. to plan to have children?
2) if so, when does it mean a. and when mean b.?
3) can I say star family/families? What situations do they make sense in? Is it a common use?

Answer

"To start a family" means to have a child. Ex) "They want to start a family."
This sentence is saying a couple is ready to have their first child.

It's a phrase, so "family" is always singular and "a" always comes before it. In other words, "to start families" would be incorrect.