It’s normal to feel anxious right before your first date. Everyone’s worried about what kind of impression they will make, what questions to ask on the first date, how to act, how to dress, and so on. The list of anxieties that can hit us on the first date is more or less endless! While we can’t address all your worries at once, we have compiled a list of ten great questions to ask on a first date.
10 Questions To Ask on a First Date
Asking questions is a great way to engage with your date and get to know him, but remember: you’re not there to interrogate him. You don’t want to scare away your date by bombarding them with deeply personal questions or make them think you’re too curious — but you need to be interactive and stave off that awkward silence. Where do we begin? What are some good funny first date questions? It might not be funny, but one of the best places to start is asking about food.
1. Food
Everybody eats, and most of us like to eat. Food is usually a safe conversation starter. It might seem basic, but a great leading question is the classic “What’s your favorite food?” This question has a natural follow-up question, which is to ask about their least favorite food. While it’s not going to make a list of funny first date questions, this inquiry is an excellent place to begin.
As an added bonus, talking about food can give you valuable intelligence about where you might suggest for a second date — assuming, of course, that the first one goes well.
2. Childhood
Another safe topic for questions on your first date is childhood. This doesn’t have to be Freudian: you don’t want your first date laid out on a couch being psychoanalyzed. Simple first date questions like “Where did you grow up?” are an excellent way to begin learning more about your new love interest. If they grew up somewhere else, you have a window for follow-up questions like “Do you like it better here or there?” or “What made you move here?” If they’re a lifelong local, you could always ask how they like the area. Childhood can be a good way to find out about their family, too: are they an only child? Do they have a favorite sibling?
3. Work
Another easy set of first date questions to save you from agonizing over what questions to ask on a first date is asking them about their work life. A simple question like “What do you do for work?” is an excellent way to get them started. Many jobs now are strange or arcane, so asking for clarification can keep the conversation moving. It’s also a great way to ask about their dreams and aspirations. A simple question like “Did you always want to be a doctor/architect/tower crane operator as a kid?” can help you learn more about what drives this person and what their interests are.
4. Vacation
This could spice up your conversation. Who doesn’t like to talk about their dream vacations and destinations? This is a fun, lightweight, and easy topic to discuss, which makes it great for first date questions. Asking questions like “What’s your dream trip?” or “What’s your favorite place you’ve been?” are great ways to lead into this topic. These questions will help you learn their likes and dislikes and understand more about what kind of cultures or climates they find interesting. It’ll also help you know whether they are the adventurous type or whether they are more of a homebody.
5. Political and Religious Views
This subject really depends on your temperament and your willingness to listen to someone who might disagree with you. Questions about politics and religion might seem heavy for a first date. However, if these subjects are fundamental to you and you’re shopping for a long-term partner, inquiring about their religious and political leanings could be good questions to ask on the first date.
On a cautionary note, politics and religion are subjects that people often take very seriously, and a disagreement could end up ruining your date or evolving into an uncomfortable discussion. On the other hand, for a relationship to be viable over the long term, you have to be able to discuss these things with your partner.
Good ways to lead into this could be questions like, “Was your family very religious growing up?” or “What do you think about (current event)?” In the event that you disagree, you’ll get a preview of how your date handles conflict in a relationship, and let’s face it: that’s good information to know.
6. Random Facts
A good supply of funny first date questions falls into the “random” category. We all have a lot of random trivia that has accumulated over the course of our lives. People have had all kinds of weird experiences, and they’re often happy to share them with you. An excellent random question could be something like, “What’s the weirdest experience you ever had?” This is an open-ended question, so you never know where your date will take it!
Other great random questions include things like, “What’s the funniest thing that ever happened to you” or “Have you ever met someone who looked just like you?” Other favorite funny first date questions include “If you could have any superpower, what would it be?” and “If you had a million dollars, what would you do with it?”
7. Pet Peeves
One of the best funny first date questions is to ask about pet peeves. For whatever reason, people love to complain, and they love to complain about things that drive them crazy. Asking your date about their pet peeves can be a fun way to break the ice and get the conversation moving. Plus, many of us share similar pet peeves, so you can bond over a common idea!
This question is also a good way to determine if you’re compatible. If you tend to leave your blankets all messed up and they are a compulsive bed-maker, that is going to be something you’ll have to address if the relationship progresses. But it could also work out in your favor: there’s a good chance you both hate when people drive slow in the fast lane, and being able to spend ten minutes talking about how much that drives you crazy is a great way to bond.
8. What Makes You Happy or Sad
We all have different mood triggers. Maybe the sight of a particular place or object fills your date with sadness or makes them feel a surge of happiness. Learning about what makes someone happy or sad can be a good indicator of what kind of person you’re dealing with. Of course, be careful of stock answers or answers designed to elicit some kind of reaction from you. When a man tells you he loves babies and children…does he really, or is he trying to seem like a family man to impress you?
9. Hobbies and Pastimes
Hobbies, interests, and pastimes are a great topic of conversation for a first date. You can have a great conversation if you get someone talking about their interests and hobbies. This topic has a lot of great first date questions. All you have to do is ask, “What are you interested in?” or “Tell me about your hobbies.” This is another valuable intel-gathering opportunity: if you’re someone who loves adventure, you probably don’t want to invest energy in someone whose great passion in life is taking naps.
A good way to ask this question in an open-ended way that will undoubtedly lead to an exciting response is to ask your date what they’re passionate about. It might be something from their work, an obscure interest, or perhaps their favorite hobby. When you can get someone talking about their true passions, you can learn a lot about who they really are.
10. Favorite Shows
We Americans love to watch TV, and this makes for natural first date questions. Simply asking your date what his favorite shows are can be very enlightening. Maybe he seems like an athletic guy, but his favorite show is Star Trek: you’ve just learned that he has a side of him that likes sci-fi and maybe some nerdy stuff. Which isn’t a bad thing! Nerds can actually make the best mates in many ways. Or maybe your date seems like he’s a very serious guy, but his favorite show is Impractical Jokers. Our TV preferences can reveal a lot about who we are!
Takeaway
Dating can be challenging, and the first date can be extra hard: we’re just getting to know someone, and we want to make a good impression while also exchanging information about ourselves. If you have the first-date jitters, there’s no need to worry. Take a deep breath, ask one of the questions we’ve shown you here, and let the answer take you where it will. If you panic and forget, you can always just ask them what their favorite questions to ask on a first date are!
