20 creative ideas to respond to “hey” on Tinder (+20 pick-up lines)

In the world of dating apps, first impressions are everything. And that first impression is often made in a matter of seconds with just one word: “Hey.” 

So what do you say after that? Do you offer a casual response, like “Hi” or “Hello”, or something more creative? 

Keep reading to discover more about 20 creative ideas to respond to ‘hey’ on Tinder and 20 examples of pick-up lines to stand out from the crowd.

20 creative ideas to respond to ‘hey’ on Tinder

1) Challenge them to a flirty game

This is a great reply if you’re looking to start a little fun conversation. And who knows, you might end up on Bumble or Happn with your match.

It also shows that you’re open to flirty banter and shows you can have some good fun! Try replying with: “What’s the ‘worst thing’ you could say to me? Go on… I dare ya! ;)”

2) Crack a joke about their Tinder profile picture

If the person you’re swiping right on has a funny profile picture, or maybe even a meme based on an inside joke, don’t hesitate to bring it up. Tinder is a great place for funny, flirty banter and this playful reply will help you start off the conversation on a light note.

It also makes it clear that you’re down for some casual flirting! Just remember not to be mean and make fun of something they actually like! 

Try saying: “When did you realize your face looked good sideways? :D”

3) Make a joke about something they said in their bio

Another way to start a playful conversation is to respond to something funny you noticed in your match’s bio. You might have the same sense of humor and this could lead to a longer-lasting (and fun) connection.

Make sure you take the time to read their bio. The details they include will give you hints on what they like, what they value, and what they’re looking for in a date/relationship! 

Try saying: “I bet you look just as good with your eyes open ;)”

4) Give them a compliment (but make sure it’s genuine)

If you really like what you see in their profile, let them know! 

This will make them feel flattered and could lead to an instant connection. Just remember to keep your compliments genuine (and not creepy!).

Find something specific that you find attractive about them – maybe it’s the way they look at the camera, or how smiley they seem. If your match seems up for it, be sure to share more genuine compliments during your conversation.

You can say something like: “I never would have guessed that you were into [insert unusual hobby]. That makes me really excited! ;)”

5) Try a cheesy pickup line

If you’re feeling bold and extra creative, go ahead and try a cheesy pickup line. If your match is willing to send a response this will show you that they’re up for flirting as well! 

The best pickup lines are the ones that have some sort of relevance to their profile. 

So, if they mention their interests in their bio then try something like “I’d love to join you some time on [insert interest]” or “I’m in [location] right now… if you feel like taking me out for drinks later ;)”.

If your match isn’t down to play around with this kind of flirting, don’t worry! 

They probably just weren’t interested in the first place. You can always come back at them with one of these cheekier replies at a later date – you never know what might happen! 

6) Send back an emoji

If you like your match’s personality and don’t want to wait for a response, show that you’re interested in sending back an emoji! 

This is a fun way of showing interest without having to type out more text. 

7) Say something embarrassing

You might think that an embarrassing pick-up line will make them “too embarrassed to reply”, but this is actually a turn-on! 

It shows that you’re willing to go the extra mile and that you really care about what they have to say. 

If you truly haven’t got a clue as to what they might find funny, then just be sure to go in lightly with a laugh. This means that they’ll know you’re not just being cheeky; they’ll know there’s an actual person behind it.

Here are some more suggestions of things to say if you want to say something embarrassing:

• My selfie stick broke so I’ll just be smiling in your direction.
• I’m not the best at flirting but would you like to help me practice? (Caution: this might end up being weird.
• It’s been 30 minutes and I don’t know how to reply to you.

8) Reply with a song lyric

Another way to show your interest is to reply with a song lyric. If they have a pretty decent music taste, then this could be a good opportunity for you to get the conversation going. 

However, if their taste isn’t quite up to scratch, then you can still get in their head a little by replying with something that recently came on their radio!

9) Reply with a movie line

Of course, if your match is a fan of romantic comedies, then you could reply with a movie line – it’s an easy way to get them talking in the right direction and they’re bound to find something to laugh at!

You can use movies like: What Happened Last Night, Friends With Benefits, and 

Definitely Maybe.

10) Tell a story

Trust me, after they send “hey” you’ll want to reply with “hey” too. A funny story is a good way of showing that you’re not just a one-liner flirter. When you tell a story, it’s something to talk about. 

So what kind of story should you tell?

You could reply with a funny story about something embarrassing that happened to you in the past couple of weeks, or something funny that happened to your friend. 

This can be a bit of fun and the person you’re chatting to will have a good laugh, which is always good for getting them talking to you.

11) Make a joke

The next thing you should do is make a joke. 

If your match loves telling jokes, then this is a perfect way of getting them to reveal more about themselves and making them feel comfortable with you. 

You could use the same format as one of the previous suggestions and reply with something like “I’m not sure if you want to hear it but…”, or just say “what do you think of these shoes?”, or “you know what? I think you’re amazing”.

12) Ask them a question

It might feel a bit weird to ask your match a question directly, but this can be fun and they’ll probably appreciate it, especially if you’re asking them something interesting. 

If you want to ask them a question that shows you’re interested in them, then consider asking your date about their favorite band or movie. If you want to ask one of their friends a question instead, then this is also a good way of getting them to talk to you.

13) Call them out in a funny way!

The best thing you should do is call them out in a funny way. 

In case your match is a big fan of the Avengers or Star Wars, then you might want to reply with something like “I know it’s not much but I’ve been working on an intergalactic spaceship that can travel through space and time !” or “Hey, how’s Yoda doing? I haven’t seen him in years!” 

If you want to be a bit more subtle and polite, then this will make it seem like you’re being respectful towards them.

14) Use a sarcastic tone

Be careful about this one, but at the same time, it is one of the most effective things you could do when responding to people on Tinder. 

If your goal is to get people chatting to you, then this can be the perfect way of getting them talking easily (although it might make them feel insulted if they picked their response carefully!). 

As long as your tone isn’t mean-spirited and doesn’t insult their intelligence or reputation, then this will definitely get people talking – so keep that in mind and try out.

15) Share a clever GIF

A GIF is a good way of making people laugh and react with you, so you could use this to your advantage by replying in a funny way. 

For example, you could write “You know I was thinking about love, but then I realized that if I got caught the cobbler would never make a shoe for me again,” and then include a hilarious GIF. 

If people don’t know how to respond to this, then at least they’ll get a good laugh.

16) Talk about what they like!

It’s very common to see people use Tinder to meet new people, but your date will probably want to know a bit about you as well. 

If they’re specifically looking for a match who shares their interest in something, then you should definitely mention this. If you want to get your date talking about their interests and hobbies, it’s important that you do this in a good way. 

For example, you can make a good joke about the fact that you both love The Big Bang Theory, then make a simple comment like “I think you’ll really get on with my friends”, and little by little reveal that yes, you are looking for someone who shares your interests.

17) Don’t limit yourself to one option

If you want to get your date talking to you, then don’t ask them to respond with one thing. For example, you might have said something like this:

“I really like hanging with my friends and going out for dinner (and drinking!) – how about you?” This is a bad way of picking up someone because it gives off the impression that they’re a loser and can’t find anything nice to do on their own. 

It’s better if they can come up with more interesting options than “yes” or “no”, so put some thought into this so that you seem interesting.

18) Change the subject regularly

You might not be able to change the subject in every single situation, but it’s good form if you can change the topic of conversation at least once or twice each message. 

For example, when talking about something they dislike, ask them how they feel about it: “What do you think of X? What don’t you like about it?” 

This will get them talking about something new without making them feel on edge about what’s happening in their conversation with you.

If people are starting to get bored of talking continually about everything but themselves, then that’s definitely an easy way of getting someone out of their comfort zone! 

19) Play a game!

Game people tend to enjoy loads more when you do it! It can be anything from truth or dare to a lot of think of a word, but it’s always an amazing way to get people talking about things they might be quite uncomfortable about. 

It’ll also give you a chance to get to know them and their interests well!

20) Don’t respond

OK, I know what you’re thinking: 

“Oh, so I can’t just say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ and be done with it then?”. 

Well, you CAN respond but don’t do it until the other person has said something interesting. 

For example, if someone says “hey”, you should probably wait a minute before responding. This gives them time to talk more about themselves first.

20 examples of pick-up lines

Now that you know the idea of responding to “hey” on Tinder, let’s see these amazing pick-up lines. And I’m telling you, it works.

1) “Oh you know, just waiting for someone to send a funny first message on Tinder.”

2) “You know, I’ve got like a bunch of questions for you.”

3) “Oh, I’m a huge fan of [insert something she loves].”

4) “Hey I think we share the same taste in clothing. That’s great!”

5) “I think I might have something for you.”

6) “Think my thumbs need a rest from swiping and typing. Wanna get drinks tonight?”

7) “Would you like to know a secret?”

8) “When I saw your face, I couldn’t help but think of [insert something she loves].”

9) “What do you think about [something you love or hate]?”

10) “So how do you treat a lady?”

11) “You know, I’ve been wanting to ask you something.”

12) “What are your thoughts on [something she loves]?”

13) “Hey there, I just noticed we have a mutual friend…”

14) “Pretending to do work, but really on Tinder.”

15) “Wonder where I’d be on a Friday night if I didn’t have this app…”

16) “I don’t believe this app has been able to match us up yet.

17) “Oh wow, I’m shocked you’re on Tinder.”

18) “You know, I have so many questions for you!”

19) “Oh yeah! If it was me and you, we would have drinks by now.”

20) “I get the feeling I might be your first Tinder date.”

Use these examples and make your own pick-up lines, don’t just copy them! This will give you the confidence and freedom to say what you want and make it sound natural, which will hopefully help you get a great response from your date, without wasting any time at all.

Final thoughts

Hopefully, you now know that funny, creative, and intriguing messages can be enough to impress your Tinder matches and get them online to meet you. 

By taking the time to learn about pick-up lines, you’ll learn how to use them in addition to your normal conversation so that you can end up having more success with your dates.

Obviously, this post was meant for a fun read and won’t guarantee that everyone will want to go out with you – but your chances should definitely increase!

I hope this post has helped you in some way.