9 English Expressions to Talk About Dating
Dating someone in your native language is hard enough, but if you’re an English learner dating an English speaker, you know how challenging it is to use the right English expressions in a romantic context.
So, you might be searching the internet high and low to find some expressions that you can use during your dates or hangouts with an English speaker. You might really like this person, and you want to impress them!
If you’ve found yourself falling for an English speaker, get excited! You’ve found one of the best motivations for improving your English. And if you’re worried that you’ll say the wrong thing or that you’ll embarrass yourself, try not to worry too much! The right person for you will like you no matter how many grammar mistakes you make or if you use the wrong idiom at the wrong time.
But still, you’re working on your English so you can communicate with them, and that’s an admirable goal. So, with that in mind, today we’re going to talk about nine English expressions you can use to talk about dating:
Compatible
Infatuated
Awkward
Into someone
Smitten
Cringeworthy
Adventurous
Weirded out
Over someone
So, cozy up under a blanket with a pen and paper, turn on some slow romantic background music, and let’s get started!
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Learn Nine English Expressions to Talk About Love & Dating
1. Compatible
You might describe yourself as compatible with someone if you get along with them and you have a lot of interests in common. If you and the person you’re dating are not compatible, you’ll probably notice right away. They might be a nice person, but maybe your goals, values, or ideas about life are not compatible, and you might just want to be friends.
Examples
She was nice, but we’re just not compatible.
I feel compatible with you, and I’d like to see you again.
Common structures
Compatible with → He wasn’t compatible with him.
2. Infatuated
We say that we’re infatuated with someone when you have strong feelings for someone, but you may not feel love yet. You just know that you really like them. If you’re feeling infatuated with someone, you have a huge crush, but you might never tell them. Sometimes being infatuated can make us do things we wish we wouldn’t do, like stalking someone on social media.
Examples
I wish I wasn’t so infatuated with him!
She quickly became infatuated with me.
Common structures
Infatuated with → I realized that I was just infatuated with her.
3. Awkward
You might use the word awkward to talk about a situation that feels uncomfortable or uneasy. First dates are almost always awkward, but you get more comfortable with someone. You start with some awkward conversation until you get to know each other a bit more.
Examples
I always feel awkward on a first date.
He hates awkward conversation and small talk.
4. Into someone
If you’re into something, you’re really interested in it. And we say that we’re into someone if we’re attracted to them or interested in them romantically, and not just as a friend. Again, if you’re into a person, you don’t quite feel love, but you feel a strong attraction or attachment to them.
Examples
I’ve been into you for a while now.
Have you seen the way he looks at you? He’s definitely into you.
5. Smitten
You can say that you’re smitten when you experience a sudden feeling of love for someone. It comes from the word “smite,” which means “to strike or hit with a heavy blow.” So, when you’re smitten with someone, you feel as if you’ve been” hit” by love. You might say that you’re smitten with someone soon after meeting them, even though you weren’t expecting it.
Examples
I was smitten with her right away.
She was so smitten with him that she couldn’t speak.
Common structures
Smitten with → She was totally smitten with her.
6. Adventurous
You can describe someone as adventurous if they like to take risks or experience new things. If you’ve tried online dating, you’ve probably seen a lot of people using this word to describe their ideal match. An adventurous person might have profile pictures of themselves scuba diving or camping, and they might like to try adventurous dates like axe throwing or hiking.
Examples
I’m looking for an adventurous person who likes to travel.
He said he was adventurous on his profile, but I don’t think he his.
7. Weirded out
We say that we feel weirded out when we feel uncomfortable, unsure, or unsafe about a person or a situation. When a person weirds you out, they might be giving you a bad vibe. It’s normal to feel awkward on a first date, but if you feel weirded out, you should consider ending the date early.
Examples
I thought we would get along, but I felt weirded out by some things that he said.
He was weirded out when she tried to hold his hand.
Note
You can also use this adjective as a phrasal verb:
That text he sent weirded me out.
I’m sorry if I weirded you out on our date.
8. Cringeworthy
We might describe something as cringeworthy if it makes us feel embarrassed. “To cringe” is to move back from something that scares you or embarrasses you. So if something is cringeworthy, it makes you so uncomfortable that you want to hide under the table. Sometimes we say cringeworthy things on a date because we’re so nervous, and sometimes we do cringeworthy things when we really like someone.
Examples
I said some cringeworthy things on our first date.
Do you remember the cringeworthy song he wrote for you?
9. Over someone
When you’ve lost interest in something you might say that you’re over it. And, when you’re over someone, that means you used to have romantic feelings for them, but you don’t anymore. It can take you a while to get over someone, but when you’re finally over them, you feel free and like you can move forward with your life.
Examples
It took me a long time, but I’m over her now.
He doesn’t think he’ll ever be over her.
Common structures
Get + over someone → It took me a while to get over her.
Practice
Choose three of these expressions and write three sentences with them in the comments. Then, we’ll give you feedback!
About the writer
Marta is an online ESL teacher who works with students from around the world. As a writer, language nerd, and content contributor for In English With Love, her mission is to empower English learners with knowledge and positivity.
