What to Text Your Crush: 50 Openers That Aren’t ‘Hey’
The secret isn't a perfect line, it's a text that's easy to answer. 50 openers sorted by situation, plus how to keep it going once they reply.
In this guide
You’ve been staring at the empty chat for 20 minutes. You typed “hey,” deleted it, typed “hey!!” and deleted that too. We’ve all been there.
The secret to texting your crush isn’t a perfect line. It’s sending something that’s easy to answer. Here are 50 openers that do exactly that, sorted by situation, plus what to do after they reply.
Why “hey” doesn’t work
“Hey” isn’t wrong. It’s just a dead end. It puts all the work on them to come up with something to say, so you often get “hey” back, and then you’re both stuck. A good opener gives them something to react to: a question, a joke, something you both know about.
What to text your crush to start a conversation
When you have a class together
- Did you understand anything Mr. Davis said today? Because I did not.
- Wait, is the lab report due Thursday or Friday?
- Rate today’s quiz from 1 to 10 in suffering.
- Okay be honest, did you actually do the reading?
- That presentation you gave was really good, by the way.
- I’m trying to study and I need someone to tell me to stop scrolling. You’re it.
- Do you think we’ll ever use the quadratic formula in real life?
- Who’s your pick for the most chaotic person in our class?
When you have a shared interest
- Did you see the new episode yet? I need to talk about that ending.
- You like [band], right? They just dropped a new song.
- Okay, I finally watched the show you mentioned. You were right.
- What game are you playing right now? I need a new one.
- Saw this and thought of you (send a meme or video about something they like).
- Which movie should I watch tonight, I trust your taste.
- Your team won last night, I’m guessing you’re in a good mood.
- What’s the best song you’ve been listening to lately?
Funny openers
- Quick poll: is a hot dog a sandwich?
- Settle a debate: pancakes or waffles?
- What’s the most useless talent you have? Mine is remembering every lyric to commercials.
- I need you to rank these: pizza, tacos, sushi. Go.
- If you were a vegetable, which one would you be and why?
- Would you rather fight one horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized horses?
- Be honest. Do you put pineapple on pizza?
- What’s the weirdest thing in your camera roll right now? Describe, don’t send.
Easy questions about them
- How was practice today?
- What are you doing this weekend?
- What’s the best thing that happened to you today?
- What’s something you’re really looking forward to?
- Are you more of a morning person or a stay-up-till-2 person?
- What’s your comfort show?
- If you could go anywhere this summer, where would it be?
- What did you want to be when you were little?
When you just met or barely know them
- Hey, it’s [your name] from the party Saturday. Did you make it home before the rain?
- Hi! It’s [name] from chem. Did you get the homework for today?
- Hey, it was fun talking to you at lunch. I still think you’re wrong about the movie though.
- It’s [name], [friend’s name] gave me your number for the group project.
- That was a really good game today. You were great out there.
- Hey! Was it you who recommended that song? I can’t stop listening to it.
When you want to keep it going
- Okay, that’s a hot take. Explain.
- Wait, tell me more about that.
- No way. What happened next?
- Same! What’s your favorite one?
- That’s so you, honestly.
- Okay, your turn. Ask me anything.
Low-pressure ways to hang out
- A bunch of us are going to the game Friday, you should come.
- I’m getting boba after school, want to come?
- We should study for the test together.
- Want to be partners for the project?
- I’m going to [event] this weekend. Are you going?
- I’ll trade you my fries for your opinion on my playlist.
What to do when they reply
The opener is just the door. Keeping the conversation going is about give and take:
- Answer and ask back. If they answer your question, respond to what they said, then ask something related. “Pancakes, obviously. Do you make them or is it a diner thing?”
- Match their energy. Short replies? Keep yours short too. Long, chatty ones? You can go longer.
- Share something about you. A conversation where only one person asks questions feels like an interview.
- End on a high note. “Okay I have to go do homework, but this was fun” is way better than letting it fizzle into one-word answers.
What not to text
- A paragraph as your opener. Save the long messages for later.
- Five texts in a row with no reply. One text, then wait. They might be at practice, at dinner or asleep.
- Anything you’d hate to see screenshotted. Assume any text can end up in a group chat.
- Anything flirty or personal they didn’t invite. Keep it friendly until you know they’re into it.
What if they don’t text back?
Don’t panic and don’t double text right away. People get busy, forget or fall asleep. Wait a day. If you still hear nothing, you can try one more casual message later in the week. If that also gets nothing, it’s a sign they’re not looking for a conversation right now. That’s information, not a judgment on you.
Wondering if they’re into you? Read our guide to the signs a guy likes you, or take the does my crush like me quiz. And once you’re talking, here are questions to ask your crush to actually get to know them. Ready to say how you feel? Here’s how to tell your crush you like them.
