50 Replies to "Hey" on a Dating App (That Actually Start a Conversation)

You matched, you got a notification, and you opened it to find… "hey."

It's not a bad sign. Most people open with "hey" because they're nervous, busy, or honestly have no idea what to say first. A "hey" also gives you something useful: control of the conversation. Whatever you send back sets the tone.

Below are 50 replies, sorted by vibe. Pick one that sounds like you, adjust it, and send it.

Why "hey" is hard to answer

"Hey" gives you nothing to work with. If you send "hey" back, you've both just said hello and the conversation is exactly where it started. Lots of matches die right there.

The fix is simple. Add one thing the other person can respond to: a question, a detail from their profile, or a bit of your personality.

A quick formula that works

Greeting + something specific + an easy question.

"Hey! Your hiking photo looks unreal. Where was that?"

It's friendly, it shows you looked at their profile, and it's easy to answer. Most of the replies below follow some version of this.

Playful replies (1–10)

1. "Hey yourself. I was promised a pickup line."
2. "Hey! Bold opener. I respect the confidence."
3. "Hey 👋 Quick, first instinct: pizza or tacos?"
4. "Hi! I'm rating openers today. That one's a solid 6. Want to go for a 10?"
5. "Hey! On a scale of 1 to 10, how chaotic was your day?"
6. "Hey there. Should I be worried that you're this mysterious?"
7. "Hey! Okay, now that the formalities are done… what's your weekend looking like?"
8. "Hey! Fun fact: you're my first 'hey' of the day. Congrats."
9. "Hi! Let's skip the small talk. Worst movie you secretly love?"
10. "Hey! I was hoping you'd message first. Now the pressure's on me."

Curious replies (11–20)

11. "Hey! What's been the best part of your week so far?"
12. "Hi! What are you into lately? New shows, music, hobbies?"
13. "Hey! Free Saturday, zero plans. What are you doing?"
14. "Hey! What made you swipe right? I'm curious."
15. "Hi there! Coffee person, tea person, or energy-drink-chaos person?"
16. "Hey! What's something you're weirdly good at?"
17. "Hey, nice to match! What's your go-to comfort food?"
18. "Hi! Are you a planner or more of a spontaneous person?"
19. "Hey! What's one thing on your bucket list you haven't done yet?"
20. "Hey! Morning person or night owl? This matters, trust me."

Replies that use their profile (21–30)

These work best because they prove you actually looked. Swap in details from your match's profile.

21. "Hey! Okay, I need the story behind the photo with the goat."
22. "Hi! You said you love cooking. What's your signature dish?"
23. "Hey! Fellow dog person. What's your pup's name?"
24. "Hey! Your bio says 'professional overthinker.' Same. What are you overthinking right now?"
25. "Hi! Is that Lisbon in your second photo? I've wanted to go forever."
26. "Hey! You listed hiking. What's the best trail you've done?"
27. "Hey! I see you're into board games. Fair warning: I get very competitive at Uno."
28. "Hi! That concert photo. Who were you seeing?"
29. "Hey! You said you're learning guitar. How's it going, honestly?"
30. "Hey! Your perfect Sunday sounds great. Is the farmers market non-negotiable?"

Lightly flirty replies (31–40)

Use these when the profile and the vibe make it feel right. A little flirting is fun, but keep it sweet, not intense.

31. "Hey you. Your smile in that first photo is kind of unfair."
32. "Hi! Glad you messaged. I was hoping you would."
33. "Hey! You've already got my attention. What else have you got?"
34. "Hey there. I had a feeling about this match."
35. "Hi! You seem like trouble. The fun kind."
36. "Hey! Fair warning: I'm more interesting than my profile lets on."
37. "Hey. I'm already smiling at my phone, which is a good start."
38. "Hi! Should I prepare some first-date questions, or are you going to impress me?"
39. "Hey! I like your vibe. Tell me something that'll make me like it more."
40. "Hey! You're cute and you said hi first. Two points already."

Want more? Browse more flirty and romantic reply ideas.

Low-pressure, chill replies (41–50)

Not everyone wants clever. Sometimes warm and easy is the best move.

41. "Hey! How's your day going?"
42. "Hi! Nice to meet you. What are you up to tonight?"
43. "Hey! Long day or a good one?"
44. "Hey hey! What's new with you?"
45. "Hi! Just got home and saw your message. How's your evening?"
46. "Hey! Doing anything fun this weekend?"
47. "Hey! Thanks for saying hi. What brings you to the app?"
48. "Hi! I'm better at texting once I know a little about you. What do you do for fun?"
49. "Hey! Honest question: is this app going well for you, or is it chaos?"
50. "Hey! I'm terrible at openers too, so let's call it even. What's your week looking like?"

Example messages and replies

Here's how this looks in real situations. All of these are made up.

1. A plain "hey" from someone with beach photos

Them: hey

You: Hey! Those beach photos are making me jealous. Where's your favorite spot?

2. An enthusiastic "heyyy"

Them: heyyy 😊

You: Heyyy back 😊 Three y's means you're in a good mood. What's the occasion?

3. A late-night "hey what's up"

Them: hey whats up

You: Hey! Just winding down. You're up late too. Night owl, or can't sleep?

4. A "hey" days after you matched

Them: hey

You: Hey! I was wondering if you'd say something. Glad you did. How's your week been?

5. A "hey stranger"

Them: hey stranger

You: Hey! Hopefully not a stranger for long. Tell me one thing I wouldn't guess from your profile.

6. A "hey" when their bio is empty

Them: hey

You: Hi! Your profile's a mystery, so I have to ask: what's the most interesting thing you did this month?

Mistakes to avoid

• Sending "hey" back with nothing else. You've both said hello and nobody has anything to answer.
• Turning it into an interview. One question per message is plenty. Five in a row feels like a job application.
• Going too flirty too fast. Compliments are nice; anything explicit in a first reply is a quick unmatch.
• Copy-pasting the same line to everyone. Use these as starting points and add a detail that's specific to the person.
• Reading "hey" as a lack of interest. It's usually nerves. Give them something good to reply to and see what happens.

Still stuck on what to say?

If you're staring at a "hey" and nothing on this list fits, try BondReply. Paste the message you got, pick a tone (friendly, flirty, funny, romantic, apologetic or professional), and you'll get a natural reply you can edit before sending. You can generate a reply to any "hey" message right in your browser. It's free to start, and the Android app is on Google Play, or you can get the BondReply app from our download page.

Your match said hey. Now you've got 50 ways to say something better. Once the conversation is going, our guide on how to flirt over text without being awkward can help you keep it fun.