Going on a first date can be a stressful experience (trust us, we know!). Luckily, we’ve learnt a lot from our first date experiences, including why funny date questions are perfect for breaking the ice and setting the tone for a long-lasting relationship.
Whether you’re naturally funny or you want to elevate your first date conversations with some lighthearted jokes, get your notes app ready because we’ve got everything you need to know about how and why you should ask funny questions on a first date (and a list of the best funny questions to ask).
On A Date Right Now Or Getting Ready To Meet Someone?
If you need a list of questions right now and haven’t got time for the science bit, we’ve got you covered. Here are 15 funny date questions you can ask on your date tonight!
| 1. What’s More Likely to Exist: Aliens or Ghosts? 2. If Your Pet Was Having a Game Night with Friends, What Would They Say About You? 3. What’s your Hogwarts House? 4. Who would play you in a movie about your life? 5. What’s your go-to karaoke song? 6. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve eaten 7. What’s the most embarrassing song on your playlist? 8. Do you think it’s ok to pee in the shower? 9. Do you have any real-life superpowers? 10. What top 5 things would you take with you in a zombie apocalypse? 11. What’s a lie you were told as a kid that you believed for too long? 12. What’s the craziest thing you’ve done on a date? 13. Would you rather fight a horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized horses? 14. What was your embarrassing childhood nickname? 15. What’s the cheesiest pickup line you’ve ever heard/used? |
Why We Love Funny People: The Psychology of Humour
Laughter comes naturally to all of us. Just as humans have an inherent ability to comprehend language, we also possess an instinct to understand everyday humour. While some people may have a knack for making others laugh, almost everyone can appreciate a well-timed quip.
Despite its universality, humour’s inner workings remain a mystery to most. We seek out laughter in various forms of media, ranging from movies and TV shows to memes and TikToks.
Comedies that hit the mark enjoy incredible success at the box office, with funny individuals often becoming idols in popular culture.
Our desire for hilarity even influences our choice of companions. Why else would so many dating app profiles emphasise the importance of finding someone with a good sense of humour?
The Science Bit of Date Night Humor
This is where it can get a bit confusing.
The outward expression of laughter relies on two neural pathways that are semi-independent.
- The first pathway is the involuntary system, which involves the amygdala.
- The second pathway is the voluntary system, which involves the prefrontal cortex.
These systems appear to use a laughter-coordinating centre within the brain. This means that there’s more than one part of our brain involved in deciding what we find funny, which is why humour is such a complicated subject.
According to Danish-American comedian Victor Borge, “Laughter is the closest distance between two people.” This means many of us are likely to acknowledge that laughter brings us closer to other people.
Whether we’re having lighthearted banter with our spouse or are part of an audience at a comedy club, the power of laughter is undeniable.
It’s the shared act of laughter that brings us together. This is what’s important when asking a funny first-date question and why we recommend including a few of them on your next date.
How Humour Breaks the Ice on a Date
We all know that a first date is wracked with anxiety and tension because we want to make a good first impression. We don’t want to come across as too keen or too aloof. We want to be interesting but not overbearing. Just thinking about it is making us nervous.
| Not only does humour establish you as a funny person, it also helps you relax. When we laugh, we increase the amount of oxygen our organs are getting. This helps to boost the feel-good hormones in your brain, such as endorphins, dopamine, and oxytocin. |
Even the most confident date-goer can tank an evening with an awkward conversation starter, so it’s never been more important to know how to properly break the ice on a date.
Remember, humour comes in many forms, and we all have a slightly different definition of what constitutes a joke, but there are some generally accepted forms of humour that are perfectly fine on a first date. Witty one-liners and references to popular memes are always good to have in your arsenal.
No matter what you find funny, gentle humour is the ideal way to break the ice on a date. Of course, it can also be as simple as making sure you and your date have similar senses of humour that make you compatible beyond a first date.
What Funny Questions Are Best to Ask on a First Date?
Now we know just how important humour and laughter can be on a first date, we need to practise our funny first-date questions. There are so many funny questions you can ask on a first date, but asking too many or the wrong ones can turn it into an embarrassing thing; you’ve got to get the balance right.
To make your life easier, we’ve curated a list of the best funny first date questions that are sure to break the ice, get the conversation flowing and test your humour compatibility.
1. What’s More Likely to Exist: Aliens or Ghosts?
This might seem like a silly question, but it gives you and your date a chance to share funny stories and theories about low-stakes beliefs. It can also give you insight into their imaginative side.
2. If Your Pet Was Having a Game Night with Friends, What Would They Say About You?
This is a fun question that plays into the trend of treating pets like human members of the family. Anyone who has a pet will jump at the chance to talk about them, and you can find out a lot about what your date is like at home, being themselves.
3. What’s your Hogwarts House?
This question provides a lot of insight into their personality. Each house represents a different set of personality traits, and you can find out what they align themselves with. If neither of you has seen or read Harry Potter, you can choose a cartoon character or famous person instead.
4. Which Comedy Actor Would Play You in a Movie About Your Life?
This is another subtle way to find out what they think about themselves. It’s one of those classic first-date conversation starters, so they’ve probably heard it before, but you can keep it interesting by answering yourself first.
5. What’s Your Go to Karaoke Song?
The answer to this question can tell you a lot about your date. You can get a sense of the kind of music they’re into, whether they’re outgoing or more introverted, and whether karaoke might be on the cards in the future!
6. What’s the Weirdest Thing You’ve Eaten?
This question is a great way to find out just how adventurous or brave your date is. It could even lead to some funny childhood stories or a competition to see who’s eaten the most disgusting thing.
7. What’s the Most Embarrassing Song on Your Playlist?
This is the perfect lead on from the karaoke question.No matter how seriously you take music, everyone has that one, embarrassing song on their playlist that they hope no one finds out about. This can lead to some funny stories and opens up a level of vulnerability.
8. Do You Think It’s OK to Pee in the Shower?
This is an oddly intimate question that is sure to catch them off guard. People often have strong opinions about this subject, and if it gets a good response, it can lead to further funny conversations about disgusting habits.
9. Do You Have Any Real-Life Super Powers?
This is a great way to encourage your date to big themselves up a bit and find out about their secret hidden talents. It can even lead to a friendly debate about which superpowers are more useful than others and scenarios where you might use those powers, which is always funny!
10. What Top 5 Things Would You Take With You in a Zombie Apocalypse?
This is a perfect funny date question because it actually tells you a lot about how their brain is wired. If they would grab random, chaotic items or carefully select things that would be useful for survival, you can work out the kind of person they are. If they already have a kit packed just in case, that’s a different story!
11. What’s a Funny Lie You Were Told as a Kid That You Believed for Too Long?
This is a wonderfully playful and wholesome question that allows you both to reminisce about your younger self and childhood. It can lead to a charming conversation about how different or similar your upbringings were or an awkward revelation about Santa.
12. What’s The Craziest Thing You’ve Done on a Date?
Bringing up previous dates might sound like an unusual tactic, but it can lead to some fun conversations. Not only can you learn a lot about a person from their previous experiences, but it can help you both appreciate how normal your current date is.
13. Would you Rather Fight a Horse-Sized Duck or 100 Duck-Sized Horses?
This is a typical internet question, and you should expect it to garner a lighthearted groan from your date. But it can test your humour compatibility perfectly and show you whether they are logically minded or make decisions based on intuition.
14. What was your embarrassing Childhood Nickname?
Everyone has that one nickname from their childhood that still haunts them. Whether it was based on an embarrassing moment or a play on your name, it never really leaves you. This is a great question to break the ice, especially if you have your own funny nickname to share. It can also lead to some childhood reminiscing.
15. What’s the Cheesiest Pickup Line You’ve Ever Used/Heard?
One of the funniest questions to ask on a first date is about cheesy pickup lines. Whether they’ve used them or had them used on them, it’s a great conversation starter. If neither of you has a good answer, you can come up with some together and even use your favourite at the end of the night.
Bonus Question: What’s The Funniest Question You’ve Been Asked On A Date?
Okay, we said 15 questions, but here’s an extra one. Once you’ve finished laughing at your own funny questions and answers, it’s time for the ultimate funny question. If you’ve chosen wisely, their answer will be one of your questions. Even if you don’t get that little ego boost, you can share a great laugh over other questions and even learn a new, funny question to ask.
Ready to Unleash Your Funny First Date Questions?
Bringing humour into your first dates with funny questions is the ideal way to break the ice. Whether you ask about their first celebrity crush or the weirdest thing they’ve eaten, it’s sure to lead to an interesting conversation.
Find your next date with the Finding The One app and try out some of these questions!
FAQs
Why Are Funny Questions Effective on a First Date?
Asking funny, lighthearted questions on a first date is the perfect way to cut through the tension and anxiety. Laughing is a natural stress reliever, and making each other laugh is the perfect way to create a deep, natural bond.
When’s The Best Time To Ask A Funny Question On A Date?
Timing is key when it comes to successful dates, from being on time to knowing when to make a move. This also applies to asking funny questions. It might be tempting to jump straight in to break the ice if you’re nervous, but this can be off putting.
Coming in with the jokes straight off the bat can make your date feel like you’re not taking it seriously. It’s best to make some casual small talk and settle into the date before busting out the funny questions.
If I Ask Funny Date Questions, Will My Date Take Me Seriously?
As we mentioned above, there is a risk of your date not taking you seriously if you mistime or go overboard with asking funny questions, but it isn’t a guarantee. Asking the odd funny question is actually a great way to show your date you have a healthy sense of humour. As long as you talk about other things during the date, you’ll be fine.
How Do You Know If a First Date is Going Well?
One of the hardest things about first dates is working out whether it’s going well or not. It’s not a good idea to ask outright, so you have to be more subtle. Reading your date’s body language is the easiest way to know how the date is going. If they’re open and getting more relaxed, it’s a good sign! If they’re giving one-word answers, it’s probably not going great.