The Perfect Text Response to “Okay,” “Yep,” “Lol” & More

Write the perfect funny or flirty text to win a reply back

Co-authored by Julia McCurley and Caroline Heiderscheit

Last Updated: December 12, 2022 References

Texting Help

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Sending Flirty Texts

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Replying with Funny Texts

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Q&A

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Tips

We've all been there: you text a girl that you like and—ugh—you get a one-word message in return. How can you craft a text that's so good, she has to reply? If someone sends you a one-word response, they might be busy, a little nervous, or not a great texter (and in that case, you'll just have to be patient!). On the other hand, she might want to see if you can keep things exciting, even without much to go on. Ready to discover the perfect text? Read on for more.

Things You Should Know

Send a sweet, romantic text that'll make her feel special (and get her to respond). For example, tell her she just popped into your head.
Craft a hilarious joke making fun of yourself to play it cool and pique her interest. You might mention how you clumsily tripped over your own shoelaces.
If she's sending short replies, she might be pressed for time or shy. Sometimes, all you have to do is be a little patient!

Texting Help

Replies to One Word Texts from Girls

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Sending Flirty Texts

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Give her a sweet compliment. Let's face it, everyone loves being flattered. If your convo has rolled to a halt, get her to reengage by saying something super thoughtful. Mention that you love her personality, her looks, or something that she's done. And if you can, say it in an offhand way—that way, it'll seem more sincere, and you'll be playing it cool, like her one-word reply didn't phase you.^{[1]
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- "Oh, by the way, I meant to tell you that I loved the dress you were wearing yesterday."
- "I forgot to mention this earlier, but you crushed it at your basketball game yesterday. You were an all star out there."
- Or, put a playful, funny spin on your flirtatious compliment: "Man, this is what I love about you. With these one-word replies, you really make me work for it."
2
Let her know that you're thinking about her. Craft a super sweet response, and you'll make her swoon (and refocus on your text conversation). Mention something that reminds you of her or let her know she's on your mind. There are a couple great ways to do this—you can wait a few hours and then tell her she's on your mind, like you're opening a brand new chat and ditching her one-word response. Or, you can go for a casual vibe and pretend like you hardly noticed her short reply.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Julia McCurley
Certified Professional Matchmaker
Expert Interview. 30 September 2021.}
- If you want to wait a few hours, try a message like this: "I just saw a fudge cake at the store & it made me think of you—I know you love your chocolate"
- Or, if you want to play it cool, try a message like this: "So random, but you just popped into my head! Wolf Alice came on the radio, so naturally I thought of you..."
- Let her know that you think of her often in a casual way: "I was thinking about how you keep losing your house keys...have you tried Tile? Might help."
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3
Ask her a thoughtful, open-ended question. Sometimes, when you look back at your old messages, you might realize that the message you sent was pretty bare bones. She might've actually thought you were the one sending a brief message, and she just followed suit. If you want to kick the convo up again, try asking her questions that require a full response. Focus on trying to really get to know her.^{[3]
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- Ask her about something you know she loves: "So you're obviously an MVP tennis player, but I've never asked how you got into it. What's the story?"
- Ask her a deep question: "I just remembered you mentioning that you want to be a novelist—that's amazing. What draws you to writing?"
- Ask her a flirty, romantic question: "So anyway...it's clear that I like you (I mean, what's not to like?). But what do you usually look for romantically?"
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Share a beautiful song or book and tell her you think she'd like it. Not only will you get to show off your great taste, but by telling your crush that something "reminds" you of her or that it "seems like something she'd like," you're subtly telling her that you know her well. Pick out a pretty song, book passage, or another kind of art form, then send it her way.
- "This song's lyrics are so gorgeous, I thought you'd appreciate them."
- "Wow, I just read this line in my book, isn't it amazing? I feel like you have an eye for this stuff, so I'd love to hear your thoughts."
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Send along a photo of something in your day. Pictures are a great way to help her get to know you, help her feel engaged in the convo, and easily navigate away from a one-word response. Snap a quick shot of the niece you're babysitting, cookies you made for friends, a nice view out your work window, or anything that shows off your sweet, intimate life. Then, just include a few words for context.
- "On babysitting duty this afternoon. But we all know Lily's really the boss."
- "Best batch I've made to date. Want one?"
- "Hard to complain with a view like this."
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Ask her to hang out. Sometimes, your crush might just be frustrated with the slow pace. If the two of you have been texting and texting (but you haven't hung out in person), why not ask her when she's free? If she's been waiting for you to make a move, she'll be thrilled. And if she's not that interested, this is a great way to find out quickly. Just make sure that no matter her answer, you accept it gracefully!
- "Hey, here's a thought. Why don't we see a movie this week?"
- "If I haven't made it embarrassingly obvious yet, I like you. Any chance you'd want to grab dinner on Friday?"
- "Yeah, texting can be boring. Want to catch up in person instead?"

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Replying with Funny Texts

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Tease her in a hilarious, flirtatious way. Showing off your silly side can make you way more attractive to her; plus, it helps diffuse any awkwardness in the conversation. She'll probably love to see that you roll with the punches and that you aren't pressed by her one-word response. Make her laugh, and she'll probably decide to keep texting you back!^{[4]
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- "Wow, my message was so interesting and profound...I've actually left her speechless. Amazing."
- "If I had a little more pride I might not reply to a one-word response, but lucky for you, I’ve got super low self-esteem!"
- “The votes are in! You’ve won the Most Boring Text Response Ever award. Congrats!”
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Pique her interest with a cliff-hanger text message. Send a short, mysterious message that’ll leave her on the edge of her seat. Then, when she responds, make something silly up. She’ll love your sense of humor, and you’ll have her totally engaged in your convo in seconds.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Suzanna Mathews
Dating & Relationship Coach
Expert Interview. 18 August 2021.}
- Start with: “You’ll never guess what just happened…” Then say: “I just got a paper cut. I guess God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers.”
- Or, say: “The craziest thing just happened at my house!” Then follow up with: “My sister actually apologized to me for once. This is groundbreaking news.”
- Send her: “Omg, Sarah, guess what just happened!!” Then, follow up with a silly response: “A zombie just ran into my room, but I took care of it. I’m tough like that.”
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Make fun of yourself to make your crush giggle. When you lightly make fun of yourself, you actually come off as more confident than when you’re speaking highly of yourself. Jokingly blame her one-word reply on your texting skills and make fun of yourself for getting “rejected.” Just make sure to keep it light so that you don’t go from seeming casual and funny, to genuinely hurt.^{[6]
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- “Wow, a one-word reply?? Man, I must be off my game today.”
- “Oof, a one-word response…that cuts deep. Obviously I’m going to need to strategize, make a game plan, and get back to you if I’m gonna get your attention.”
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Challenge her to a silly game. When the conversation has come to a crashing halt, why not start up a random game to get her engaged while making her laugh? An out-of-the-blue invitation will totally take her by surprise, which will show off your silly side. Plus, playing a game can be a great way to deepen your connection, so when you start, make sure to throw in some playful trash talk, too.
- Download the GamePigeon app and send over a random invitation to 8 ball, checkers, 20 questions, you name it.
- If the game is getting close, send over a hilarious, jokingly competitive text: "Better watch out. I'm definitely about to have a comeback here."
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Send her a meme or funny link. So, she hit you with the one-word reply. No worries! If you wait a beat, then send over something completely hilarious without more text, you'll make her laugh in a super casual way. Plus, you won't have to navigate a text response to her short reply; your funny content does that for you!
- For example, send over that hilarious TikTok you saw this morning. Bonus points if your video is super tailored to her (maybe it's about a movie she likes, for example!).
- Or, send over a funny news article or meme that made you laugh. Pro tip: when you come across a hilarious link, save it to your notes for times like this.

Community Q&A

Question

I like this girl but she doesn't like me back and bullies me. Should I try these tips on her?

Community Answer

No. If she bullies you, then she does not respect who you are. You should not waste your time on someone who has no regard for you.
Question

What topics should I start a conversation with?

Community Answer

If it's a new text relationship, start with things you have in common, such as family pets, friends or school life. If it's not brand new, dig deeper. Ask about past experiences she's had at places, or if she's been to a place - and if she has, ask her about it. Bring up more personal things the longer the relationship goes on.
Question

How do I have a text conversation with a girl without getting confused?

Community Answer

If you feel confused, just ask her what she meant by what she said. This approach will eliminate confusion.