"These days, there are dozens of dating apps to choose from, but Bumble has always been one of our favorites. Can you blame us? They’ve put women first since their inception, their features continue to make dating more enjoyable (we love you, Incognito Mode and Deception Detector), and with Chicken Shop Date‘s host Amelia Dimoldenberg as one of their partners, our dating life feels like it’s in pretty good hands.
Spoiler Alert: It's so, so worth it.
Bumble is known for women having to talk first in heterosexual couples, and while it can be a tiny bit daunting, it reverses the roles and makes us think on our toes, which I’m totally here for. However, after a while, coming up with new Bumble openers can be a challenge, and saying “hey!” doesn’t exactly scream “get to know me.”
Whether you’re new to the world of online dating or you just need some inspiration, we’re sharing our favorite Bumble openers to try with all your new matches.
Ask interesting questions
Opening up with a question is a sure-fire way to get the conversation going. As a double-text kind of gal, I typically ask a question and immediately send my answer in a second one. I find that doing so makes them more likely to answer too. But if you prefer to put the ball in their court, set questions as your Opening Moves. Your matches will see your question off the bat and have the opportunity to respond to open up the conversation. Here are some of my favorites:
- What was the last thing you binge-watched?
- How many episodes of a series is it acceptable to watch in one sitting?
- What is your go-to brunch order?
- What celebrity would narrate a movie about you?
- What is your best party trick?
- What’s the first thing you’re putting on your plate at a buffet?
- What was the last movie you saw in theaters?
- It’s payday: Are you treating yourself to anything exciting?
- What was your childhood dream job?
- What’s your favorite Disney Channel original movie?
- What’s your go-to order at your favorite restaurant?
- What do you order to drink at a wedding?
- What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to?
- Be honest: How many times did you hit snooze this morning?
- If money wasn’t a factor, what would your job be?
- If you could only listen to one musician for the rest of your life, who would it be?
- If you could travel anywhere this year, where are you going?
- What do you like most about your job?
- What are you reading right now?
- How long is your TBR list?
- What would you do if you were invisible for a day?
- Would you time travel to the future or the past?
- Are you the Sunday reset or Sunday fun-day type?
Send quirky one-liners
Making someone laugh is a foolproof way to start on a positive note. By sending a quirky, albeit original, one-liner, you’re communicating that you want to chat but are not taking anything too seriously just yet. Fun and casual Bumble openers like these will make your first conversation memorable, so try them out and see where they lead.
- “Were you on The Bachelor? I think I remember you!”: One of our editors uses this on every dating app and swears that it works.
- “Come here often?”: This has the same energy as “fancy seeing you here,” and I love it. It’s quirky and funny. They’re about to fall in love with you.
- “Can I interest you in some mediocre conversation?”: Sometimes you just need something to break the ice.
- “I was today years old when I found out my type is you“: If someone sent this to me, I’d smile at my phone, so yes, I send it to my matches hoping they think it’s just as cute as I do.
- “What brings you to this fine establishment of swipes and small talk?” You already have one thing in common! This is a great way to find out what kind of relationship they are looking for.
- “Well, well, well… if it isn’t my newest favorite match!”: It never hurts to stroke someone’s ego a little, right??
Tailor your messages
If you want to stand out, do a little research before sending your opener. Take a look around their profile and see what catches your eye. Do they have a clear hobby from the looks of their photos? Do they mention music they like in their bio? Then, use that knowledge to tailor your message so it feels less generic and more personal. I always appreciate that when the roles are reversed, and I know others do too.
- Ask them about their pets: People love talking about their pets; I mean, don’t you?
- Ask them about where they went to college: People love to talk about their alma mater almost as much as people love to talk about their pets. Asking someone about their college/high school experience is generally a pretty safe way to get a conversation going. I’m known to bring up the solid OSU vs. Michigan rivalry pretty often (Go Bucks—even though my matches are almost always Michiganders…).
- Ask them about their interest badges: Bumble has an awesome feature where you can add five interest badges to your profile, and they are a great way to get the conversation going. Pickleball badge? Ask them if they are up for some competition! Cooking badge? Ask them about their favorite recipes.
Put them in a situation
Instead of asking a random question, you can put them in a situation. My go-to: “It’s our first date, and I ask you to grab me a drink at the bar. What do you order for me?” Other ideas: “What do you play on the TouchTunes at the bar on our first date?” or “What would you wear to our first date?”
Bumble openers like this give someone a chance to think about what it would be like to go out with you, and it’s a good way to gauge someone’s personality from the get-go (When someone tells me they’d order shots for me at the bar, I know that our relationship will go nowhere).
Ask them out immediately
You don’t have to wait for some spark or a sign to ask someone out, so shoot your shot. They matched with you already, so why not take your relationship elsewhere? “Drinks this weekend?” suffices and isn’t intense or creepy. Dating apps are already a little direct, so why not take it to the next level immediately with your Bumble openers?
Beth Gillette, Former Editor
Beth Gillette is a former editor at The Everygirl, where she specialized in beauty content and covered the latest trends in sex and relationships. Beth spent four years as part of The Everygirl’s editorial staff and is currently a beauty editor at Cosmopolitan.
Hailey Bouche, Associate Editor
As an Associate Editor for The Everygirl, Hailey Bouche oversees, writes, and edits content across various categories on the site. From the pitching stage through publishing, she works alongside the team to ensure that the content that our readers see every day is inspiring, relatable, and timely.