How to Greet a Girl on a First Date — Best Tips

First dates are unlike any other appointment or meeting. 

Whether you’re meeting a girl you’ve known for years and have recently started to see in a whole new light, or are rendezvousing with someone you’ve met online, you’ll probably feel nervous while you prep for a first date. 

One thing that may be playing on your mind is how you should greet her when you see her. Should you hug her?

Or is that too informal? But, on the other hand, is a handshake too formal? Do you go for a wave? Or would that look awkward?

These are just a few of the questions you might have.

If these are the kinds of thoughts running through your mind, don’t worry, this article is here to address any concerns you might have when it comes to greeting a girl on a first date. 

 

How to greet a girl on a first date

Greet a girl on a first date by approaching her with confidence, smiling, and introducing yourself (if you don’t already know her). If you met her in person or on Tinder, go in for a hug. If you’ve been in an exclusive online relationship for a long time, you can go in for a kiss. If it is a blind date, offer her your hand for a handshake or greet her without physical contact. 

There are three main things to keep in mind when greeting a girl on a first date. 

The first is that there is no one right way to greet a first date. The best way to greet her will depend on several factors, including how well you know each other, how informal your dynamic is, and how outgoing you both are.

This article will run through how to evaluate these factors to determine which greeting is most appropriate for your situation. 

The second thing to keep in mind when deciding how to greet a girl on a date is that you can usually read how she would like to greet you in her body language.

If she approaches you with open arms, she’s going in for a hug. If she reaches out her hand, she’s going for a handshake. 

If she doesn’t move close enough for either, it is best just to greet her with a smile and a verbal introduction. 

The third important pointer about greeting a girl on a date is not to let the question of how best to greet her dominate your first meeting.

Focus on being friendly and genuine, and above all, allow yourself to experience what it is like to lay eyes on your date for the first time.

After all, who knows, this may be a moment you look back on fondly for the rest of your life!
 

How to greet a girl on a Tinder first date

Generally, you should hug a Tinder date when you first meet them. Tinder is a relatively informal space. If you have already been chatting for at least a day or two, you can assume that you have established enough of a connection for a hug to be appropriate.  

Of course, this is just a guideline. There may be circumstances where you feel that your Tinder date would prefer to shake your hand.

However, in most cases, a hug is the way forward. 

Women’s perspective on using Tinder is obviously different from men’s. However, everyone who downloads the app knows what its reputation is.

Tinder is a place for responding to pick up lines, and, often, for meeting people looking for something casual. 

This means it is pretty unlikely that you’ll meet someone on Tinder who would find it inappropriate to be greeted with a hug. 

Most girls like a guy who knows how to take control of a situation. Unless you can feel that it would make your date uncomfortable, greet her by confidently going in for a hug. 

There is one important caveat to this: don’t linger. Your hug of greeting should be just that: a greeting.

Don’t run your hands down her back or smell her hair. This kind of behavior will have her running for the door—possibly even literally!

 

How to greet a girl you’ve been dating online on a first date

Greet a girl you’ve been dating online by going in for a hug when you meet her for a first IRL date. The truth is, if you’ve been chatting and video calling regularly for a while, you actually know each other very well. If you’ve already agreed to be exclusive or if you’re already partners, you can even kiss them. 

In 2022, meeting online is the most common way couples connect. If this sounds like your relationship, you may be wondering how to approach the all-important moment when you meet your online girlfriend in person for the first time. 

Well, if she’s already your girlfriend and you have told each other that you will be together exclusively, there is no reason why you can’t go in for a kiss when you first meet her. 

If in doubt, why not ask her in advance whether she would be comfortable if you kissed her when you greet her.

Chances are, she’ll be happy that you want to kiss her right off the bat and won’t mind that you’ve asked—it shows care and consideration for her feelings. 
 

How to greet a girl on a blind date

Greet a girl on a blind date by letting her initiate the style of greeting. Smile, introduce yourself, and wait to see whether she goes in for a hug. If she doesn’t, you can either politely extend your hand for a handshake or refrain from making physical contact at all.

Of all the circumstances under which you can meet a girl on a date, meeting a blind date is understandably the most nerve-wracking. 

If you have been set up on a date by a friend, colleague, or family member, you will be wondering what she is like and whether the person who set you up is right that you will be compatible. 

If you sense that you are dating a smart girl or a girl who is sensitive and shy, don’t assume too much intimacy too quickly. 

Instead, just smile and greet her with your words. If you’ve lucked out and gotten a date worth keeping, you’ll have plenty of time to build up your physical connection. 

Plus, the most important thing on a first date is to make the girl you’re meeting feel comfortable.

If she feels like she can relax around you, she will be much quicker to open up. 

If she feels like you have assumed too much familiarity or have overstepped a boundary by hugging her too quickly, she will probably be more closed off.
 

How to greet a girl you know on a first date

If you’re meeting a girl you met in person for a first date, go in for a hug. Given that you already know each other and that you have agreed to see how things go in a romantic setting, it would be unusual for her to feel that a hug is too familiar. Plus, a hug shows warmth, care, and openness, all of which are desirable things in a potential partner. 

If you are going on a first date with a girl you met in person or have known for a long time, you will be saved the awkwardness of having to meet her in person for the first time on your first date. 

If you’re feeling any pre-date jitters, spare a thought for the guys out there waiting in front of bars and restaurants all over the world to meet a girl they’ve never laid eyes on before. 

After all, she already knows you and what you look like.

And she obviously likes both, or she would hardly have responded to being asked out by agreeing to meet up. This will make you feel more secure.

So, go in for the confident hug when you greet her to show her how you feel.