Why do we all become so awkward as soon as we tap open our dating apps?
Many of us have had the experience of thinking we’re pretty good conversationalists, only to receive a message on a dating app and suddenly feel like we can’t even remember what words are.
On Tinder, we only have a brief window of time to keep matches interested in talking. If the chat is a bit dead, they may decide that the conversation isn’t worth their time. No wonder we feel under pressure to say something funny or charming!
The best thing to do on Tinder, is to keep things light-hearted and funny. People are more likely to keep talking if the conversation is making them laugh.
So, with that in mind, here are some witty responses to send when someone asks you what’s up on Tinder.
24 ways to respond to “What’s up?” on Tinder
- I just matched with this really cute guy on Tinder!
- Just scrolling through my phone, hoping someone will send me a funny text.
- Tinder Error 401: This message has not been sent because “What’s up?” has been sent too many times on this app. To prove you are not a bot, please rephrase and re-send.
- Right now? Gas prices!
- Just seeing how long I can stand being on this app for before I inevitably delete it. Give me your number so we can keep in touch when I do?
- Just making a meal plan for the week. Any suggestions?
- Just got back from a run! Now I’m going to do a bit of work and then I’m going out for drinks with friends. Do you have any exciting plans for the weekend?
- Just listening to the couple next door argue and contemplating whether it would be worth losing my apartment deposit to DIY build some thicker walls.
- Well, if you were to ask my boss, she would tell you that I’m analyzing the latest trends in summer footwear for women between the ages of 18 and 40. However, as you are probably aware, I’m actually talking to a cute guy on Tinder.
- Do you want the truth? If you have a twenty spare minutes, I’ll tell you a story to remember.
- I’m not sure. If he’s into it, I could be getting ready for a date this evening with my new Tinder match…?
- Just got another boring Tinder message. Just kidding, but ask me something deeper! What do you want to know about me?
- Very bored right now, actually. Shall we do something fun?
- Packing for a weekend away. Want to help me decide what to bring?
- To be honest, I’m wondering why this guy I matched with and messaged three months ago has just randomly popped up in my chat list asking me “What’s up?”
- I was just watching Mad Men. Have you seen it?
- Currently, I’m trying to decide whether being on this app is a waste of time or not. Convince me it isn’t?
- Oh, not much, just hoping that you’re the love of my life.
- Just waiting for someone to ask me something worth answering…
- Well, since you’re asking, I just sent a screenshot of your profile to my best friend. She approves.
- Drinking a mediocre coffee and doing some work. I hope you’re having a more exciting day…what are you up to?
- Well, to be honest, I’m just plotting how I can get you to agree to a date. Make my life easier and ask me out?
- Just scrolling endlessly through the black hole that is the internet. You?
- Just imagining how different literary characters would have spoken to each other on Tinder. Want to role play? You be Mr. Darcy; I’ll be Elizabeth Bennett.
How to respond to “What’s up?” on Tinder
“What’s up?” may initially seem like a boring message. But don’t let this dissuade you from getting to know the sender.
After all, talking to someone you don’t know can be tricky and the first person to reach out is really just trying to assess whether you are interested in talking to them.
And at least your match has just sent a generic opener and you don’t have to sit there trying to figure out how to respond to a pick-up line!
Give people the benefit of the doubt and do your best to keep the banter going. Here are some ways you could respond to try to move the conversation forward.
1. I just matched with this really cute guy on Tinder!
This is a sweet and funny response that is sure to boost your match’s confidence right off the bat.
If they know that you really do think they’re good looking, they will be more likely to feel comfortable being themselves, which might lead to more open and interesting conversations.
Not only are you communicating to your match that you genuinely find them interesting, but you are also showing them that you have a good sense of humor.
2. Just scrolling through my phone, hoping someone will send me a funny text.
This is a kind way to encourage your match to try to spice up the conversation a bit. Since “What’s up?” is a pretty bland opener, they will hopefully try to impress you by following up with something funnier.
If they don’t, then you’ll know it’s probably not meant to be.
3. Tinder Error 401: This message has not been sent because “What’s up?” has been sent too many times on this app. To prove you are not a bot, please rephrase and re-send.
Sometimes the best way to encourage someone to loosen up a bit and let their guard down is to be a bit silly yourself.
Send a fake error message informing them that to prove they aren’t a bot they have to come up with a more creative opening line. This is such a surprising and unusual response that it will surely put a smile on your match’s face.
If they have a similar sense of humor, they’ll come back at you with something equally silly and the conversation can build from there.
4. Right now? Gas prices!
This is a great message to send if you want to show that in addition to having a good sense of humor, you also have your finger on the pulse of current events.
This reference to the increasing gas prices as a result of current geopolitical conflicts, shows that you aren’t just a pretty face. In addition to being able to engage in silly banter, you’re ready to have intelligent conversations about global affairs.
If your match is also politically aware and values being able to discuss politics with their partner, they will appreciate this response and will probably try to impress you in turn.
5. Just seeing how long I can stand being on this app for before I inevitably delete it. Give me your number so we can keep in touch when I do?
This is a pretty bold line to take, and you should only do so if you feel pretty confident that you’re interested in your match.
This response also serves a practical purpose if you know that you are prone to impulsively deleting dating app profiles with the consequence that you lose all your matches.
Transferring a conversation from Tinder to text is never a bad idea anyway.
Once someone’s name is popping up in your messages rather than appearing in your Tinder notifications, it makes it easier to see them as someone you’re talking to rather than just another swipe-able face on a dating app.
6. Just making a meal plan for the week. Any suggestions?
If someone on Tinder asks you “What’s up?” why not assume they actually want to know what you’re doing.
If you’re doing something as mundane as sorting out your shopping list, tell them this! This gives them real insight into what your day-to-day life looks like.
Asking them to participate in whatever you’re doing is a good way to move the conversation onto something concrete. Who knows, they may also be the kind of person who meal-plans, which means this is something you can bond over! If they’re not interested, they can just change the topic.
7. Just got back from a run! Now I’m going to do a bit of work and then I’m going out for drinks with friends. Do you have any exciting plans for the weekend?
Take your Tinder match at their word that they aren’t just using “What’s up?” as a pick-up line on Tinder, but that they are actually asking you what you are doing!
Did you spend your morning knitting? Did you play in a pick-up Ultimate Frisbee game? Are you baking cookies? Tell them what you have done and what you plan on doing that day. Then ask them their plans!
This will give both of you good insight into what each other’s normal lives look like.
8. Just listening to the couple next door argue and contemplating whether it would be worth losing my apartment deposit to DIY build some thicker walls.
People always appreciate being told what is really going on. It is much better to open up and be your authentic self than to hide behind boring small talk.
If this is the kind of message you would send a friend, why not show your match who you are straight away.
If they don’t vibe with what you’re saying, then you will have saved yourself and them valuable time.
9. Well, if you were to ask my boss, she would tell you that I’m analyzing the latest trends in summer footwear for women between the ages of 18 and 40. However, as you are probably aware, I’m actually talking to a cute guy on Tinder.
Humor is key. Telling your match a funny story that ends with a complimentary punchline is sure to go over well.
When talking to a Tinder match, don’t be afraid to get specific.
The more details you provide, the more you set yourself apart from their other matches, and the more you begin to take shape as a real person, rather than just another dating profile.
10. Do you want the truth? If you have a twenty spare minutes, I’ll tell you a story to remember.
Perhaps your match asks you what’s up in a particularly funny moment in time.
Are you in the wrong lecture hall? Are you stranded out in the middle of nowhere because you took the wrong bus? Are you hiding in the supply cupboard at work to avoid a co-worker that you’re having an argument with?
Whatever it is, if you know you have the gift of the gab and can tell a good story, ask if your match has enough time and then explain to them how your current situation came about.
11. I’m not sure. If he’s into it, I could be getting ready for a date this evening with my new Tinder match…?
If you’re up for getting to know your Tinder date immediately, respond to them asking you “What’s up?” by jokingly suggesting that you could be getting ready for a date with them.
If they’re equally keen, they will let you know! Even if they’re busy or can’t see you that evening for some other reason, they are sure to be impressed by your confidence and flattered by your interest.
12. Just got another boring Tinder message. Just kidding, but ask me something deeper! What do you want to know about me?
Let’s face it. “What’s up?” is not a particularly riveting message to receive.
It might bring you back to being in fifth grade on AOL messenger, at which point in time you would have responded “N2m jc u?” (Not too much, just chilling, you?).
And after all, you’ve moved on from fifth grade and it’s fair to expect that your social conversations should have too. So poke fun at your match, and then encourage them to ask you what they really want to know about you.
13. Very bored right now, actually. Shall we do something fun?
Tinder is not the place to be restrained. It is designed for people to be able to communicate what they want honestly.
So, if you would quite like to go for a drink or a walk with your Tinder match, just ask them!
If they are on Tinder, they are also probably not in the middle of doing something all-absorbing, so chances are they’re up for meeting up.
14. Packing for a weekend away. Want to help me decide what to bring?
Again, including your Tinder match in your real-life decisions will make them feel like you genuinely value their opinion and that you aren’t holding back.
That kind of openness isn’t all too easy to come by and establishing a relationship of mutual trust starts with the small things!
Whatever it is you’re doing, if it involves decisions that you could consult someone about, why not try to involve your match?
15. To be honest, I’m wondering why this guy I matched with and messaged three months ago has just randomly popped up in my chat list asking me “What’s up?”
If the match who messages you “What’s up?” is someone you matched with ages ago, make a funny joke that acknowledges his long silence.
When a guy finally texts you back after a long time, don’t let him off the hook too easily. Make him sweat a little bit.
If he can come up with a good answer to your teasing, then you should consider letting it go.
After all, Tinder is kind of notorious for being a commitment-free zone, and part and parcel of being on dating apps is accepting that people will ghost you left, right, and center.
16. I was just watching Mad Men. Have you seen it?
One great way to get to know people is by discussing your mutual interests.
If both you and your Tinder match have seen a movie or television show, you’ll both feel like you know the characters. This means you can discuss the details of the show and get to know how each other think by how you interpreted different plotlines of the show.
It doesn’t have to be Mad Men. You could discuss any show…are you in the middle of Game of Thrones? Half-way through The Sopranos? If you’re watching a relatively popular TV show, chances are your match may have seen it.
Also, in the interest of long-term compatibility, it is great if you and your match enjoy the same kinds of shows!
17. Currently, I’m trying to decide whether being on this app is a waste of time or not. Convince me it isn’t?
This is a flirtatious line that makes clear that you are willing to be won over, but that your match will need to make an effort to impress you.
Essentially, you’re issuing them a challenge. And who doesn’t like a challenge? A message like this will make your match step up their game and pay you extra attention.
18. Oh, not much, just hoping that you’re the love of my life. Hbu?
This is a funny line that makes light of the fact that you may actually be hoping you just found the love of your life, but that you are aware this is a pretty wild thing to say and would never say it seriously.
Coupling this line with the casual sounding “Not much,” and the super-casual “Hbu?” makes for a chuckle-worthy response that your match is sure to appreciate.
19. Just waiting for someone to ask me something worth answering…
This line pokes fun at your match’s boring opener. It will encourage him to ask you a much more interesting follow-up question and will hopefully spice up the conversation a little.
There is no reason to have a boring conversation these days! Society is so much more open than it used to be, and people are happy to answer far more personal questions from complete strangers than almost ever before!
Encourage your match to take advantage of all their modern freedoms and ask you something that will lead to a conversation you both genuinely find interesting.
20. Well, since you’re asking, I just sent a screenshot of your profile to my best friend. She approves.
Letting a match know that they have the approval of your friends encourages them to come out of their shell.
By telling them that you’ve sent their profile to your friend, you’re also telling them that you are proud to have matched with them.
While this may seem like a minor detail at this stage, knowing that your partner is proud of you becomes a big issue for people in many couples later on in the relationship.
If your match knows from the get-go that you would be happy to show them off, they may start to let their walls come down sooner than they otherwise would have.
21. Drinking a mediocre coffee and doing some work. I hope you’re having a more exciting day…what are you up to?
Being honest doesn’t only have to happen when you’re doing something wonderful. Instead, tell your match what you’re up to even if it isn’t all that thrilling.
If you’re at work, let them know. If you’re walking in the pouring rain, let them know.
So that you don’t sound like a Debbie downer, you can then tell them you hope they’re having a better time than you and ask them what they’re up to.
22. Well, to be honest, I’m just plotting how I can get you to agree to a date. Make my life easier and ask me out?
If you’re the kind of person who thinks that no one really gets to know anyone over dating app messengers anyway, and that you must meet in person to see if you actually vibe, then why not suggest a date right off the bat.
This is a cute way to see if you can get your match to ask you out.
23. Just scrolling endlessly through the black hole that is the internet. You?
The reality is that most people who are messaging on a dating app are not simultaneously doing rocket science.
Most likely, they are spread out on a sofa or bed, or are sitting on a seat on some form of public transportation, or are killing time in a waiting room. And what are they doing?
Well, they’re probably doom-scrolling, and your conversation is just one of many things they are distracting themselves with.
So, when your match asks you “What’s up?” give them your honest answer. I mean, hey, they’ll probably relate.
24. Just imagining how different literary characters would have spoken to each other on Tinder. Want to role play? You be Mr. Darcy; I’ll be Elizabeth Bennett.
Now this one is a little out there and should probably only be used if you can see from your match’s profile that they enjoy literature or are otherwise pretty intellectual.
However, if you’re both on the same page that the shelves of your future home will be decked out with the classics, then why not surprise them with this funny approach to talking on Tinder.
You could use this in different contexts too! If your match is a big fan of the Marvel series, suggest that you role-play a Tinder chat as Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter.
Hey, it’s me, Steven. Dating and relationships have always fascinated me. On Dategosu, you will find my best tips to make sure your next date is a great success!