Hinge prompts for guys: answers that get replies

What tends to go wrong

• Lists instead of moments. "Gym, football, pints with the lads" is a list. "Sunday five-a-side, then a roast I've earned and a nap I haven't" is a moment.
• Claims instead of proof. Saying you're funny, easy-going or ambitious does nothing. Showing it does.
• Being negative. "No time-wasters" and "don't bother if..." put everyone off, including the people you'd get on with.
• Being cagey. One-word answers or deliberately vague ones read as not trying.
• Trying too hard to be edgy. A joke that would land with your mates can read as rude to a stranger.

Prompts that suit most men well

There's no prompt you have to use, but these make it easy to be specific and give an easy way in. There's a longer breakdown of every option in our main Hinge prompts guide.

Typical Sunday

Together, we could

I geek out on

First round is on me if

What I order for the table

The one thing I'd love to know about you is

Lines worth dropping

These come up again and again on men's profiles. Each one can be swapped for something that actually says something about you.

• "Work hard, play hard". Swap it for what work and play actually look like for you.
• "Looking for someone who doesn't take themselves too seriously". Show you don't, instead.
• "6ft because apparently that matters". It reads as bitter. Put your height in the height field and move on.
• "Here for a good time, not a long time". If that's true, say it plainly. If it's a joke, it doesn't read as one.
• "Partner in crime". Name the crime. A Saturday of car boot sales is a better offer.
• Anything rating women, setting rules, or mentioning your ex.

Show some warmth

Plenty of men's profiles lean on jokes and bravado and forget to be warm. A single prompt that shows you care about something (your mates, your family, your dog, the allotment you're failing at) makes the rest of your profile land better.

If you're not the funny one

You don't need to be a comedian. Plenty of the best answers are just honest and specific. If jokes feel forced, lean on things you know a lot about, things you're working on, or a plan you'd like to make with someone. A calm, clear answer reads as confident, and confident is attractive.

Match your prompts to your photos

If your photos are all gym mirror selfies, no prompt will save them. Your prompts work best when they echo something in a photo: a hobby, a place, a dog. That gives people two different things to comment on that tell the same story. Our Hinge photo tips cover which photos to use and in what order.

If you're also on Bumble, the same principles apply to your bio. See Bumble bio ideas.

Before you hit save

• Does every answer have a real detail in it?
• Is there at least one that's warm, not just funny?
• Could a stranger reply to each one in a few words?
• Is there anything negative, a demand, or a joke at someone else's expense?
• Would your best mate say it sounds like you?

Questions people ask