This or that questions are one of the simplest ways to start a conversation, learn more about someone, and have a few laughs along the way. The basic idea is easy: give someone two choices and ask them to pick one. There is no complicated setup, no special equipment, and usually no right or wrong answer.
What makes this or that questions so entertaining is the variety. Some choices are completely silly, such as choosing between pizza and burgers. Others reveal personality, priorities, habits, dreams, and preferences. A good question can turn a quiet conversation into a lively debate within seconds.
These questions work in almost any setting. Friends can use them during a road trip, couples can use them on a date, teachers can use them as icebreakers, families can play at dinner, and online communities can use them to encourage interaction. The secret is choosing questions that match the people and the mood.
What Are This or That Questions?
This or that questions are conversation prompts that ask a person to choose between two different options. The choices can be related, completely opposite, serious, funny, easy, or surprisingly difficult.
For example, you might ask, “Would you rather have coffee or tea?” The person has to choose one, and their answer can naturally lead to another question. Why do they prefer coffee? Do they drink it every morning? What is their favorite flavor? Suddenly, a very simple question has created an actual conversation.
The format is popular because it removes some of the pressure associated with open-ended questions. Instead of asking someone to think of a long answer, you give them two possibilities. This makes the game quick, accessible, and easy to play with people who may not know each other very well.
Why This or That Questions Are So Popular
One reason these questions remain popular is their simplicity. People can understand the game immediately, whether they are children, teenagers, adults, coworkers, or close friends.
Another reason is that the questions can be adapted to almost any situation. A classroom might use harmless questions about food, hobbies, or travel. Friends might prefer ridiculous choices. Couples may enjoy questions about relationships, lifestyles, and future plans.
They are also highly shareable. A person can answer one question and immediately ask another. That makes the format useful for group conversations, social media posts, messaging apps, parties, and casual gatherings.
How to Play This or That
Playing is extremely easy. One person asks a question containing two choices, and the other person chooses one. After answering, they can explain their decision or immediately ask someone else.
There is no required scoring system. Some groups simply keep asking questions until everyone has had enough. Others turn the activity into a competition by giving points for matching answers or predicting what another person will choose.
For a larger group, you can have everyone answer at the same time. People can raise their left hand for one choice and their right hand for the other. This creates a quick visual comparison and often leads to funny reactions.
Fun This or That Questions for Friends
Friends are usually the perfect audience for playful questions because there is often already a comfortable atmosphere.
Try asking questions such as:
- Pizza or burgers?
- Summer or winter?
- Movies or TV shows?
- Cats or dogs?
- Morning or night?
- Beach or mountains?
- Sweet or salty?
- Texting or calling?
- Sneakers or sandals?
- Comedy or horror?
The best part is not necessarily the answer. It is the argument that follows. Someone who chooses mountains might have a passionate explanation about hiking, while another person may immediately defend the beach.
When friends already know each other well, make the choices more personal. Ask questions about habits, embarrassing preferences, favorite memories, or imaginary situations. The better you know the group, the more creative you can make the prompts.
Funny This or That Questions
Funny questions can quickly change the mood of a conversation. They work especially well when people are comfortable enough to laugh at themselves.
Here are some examples:
- Would you rather have spaghetti for hair or meatballs for hands?
- Would you rather sneeze every time you talk or hiccup every time you laugh?
- Would you rather wear clown shoes every day or a superhero cape everywhere?
- Would you rather accidentally send a private message to your entire contact list or post an embarrassing photo publicly?
- Would you rather have a permanent silly haircut or a permanent funny voice?
The goal is not to create realistic choices. The more ridiculous the situation, the more entertaining the answers can become.
Funny questions are particularly useful at parties because they require very little background knowledge. Everyone can participate, and even shy people may feel comfortable answering because the questions are intentionally silly.
Hard This or That Questions
Some questions are designed to be difficult. They force people to compare two things they genuinely value.
For example, you could ask:
- Would you rather give up your phone for a year or television for a year?
- Would you rather have unlimited money but little free time or plenty of free time with a modest income?
- Would you rather live in your dream city or travel the world?
- Would you rather always know the truth or always be happy?
- Would you rather have an amazing career or an amazing personal life?
There is no perfect answer to these questions. That is exactly what makes them interesting.
Hard choices can reveal priorities. Someone’s answer might tell you whether they value stability, freedom, adventure, relationships, success, comfort, or knowledge more strongly.
Deep This or That Questions
Deep questions can take the game beyond entertainment and into meaningful conversation.
Consider questions such as:
- Would you rather be remembered for your kindness or your achievements?
- Would you rather know your future or change your past?
- Would you rather have many acquaintances or a few extremely close friends?
- Would you rather live a peaceful life or an exciting one?
- Would you rather be understood or admired?
These questions should be used thoughtfully. Not everyone wants a serious conversation, especially in a casual setting.
When the group is comfortable, however, deep this or that questions can reveal surprising perspectives. They can help people discuss values without making the conversation feel like an interview.
This or That Questions for Couples
Couples can use these questions as a playful way to learn more about each other.
Start with easy choices:
- Dinner at home or dinner at a restaurant?
- Movie night or game night?
- Morning date or evening date?
- Road trip or flight?
- Beach vacation or city vacation?
- Breakfast date or dinner date?
Then move toward questions about lifestyle and preferences. For example, would your partner rather live in a busy city or a quiet town? Would they prefer spontaneous travel or carefully planned vacations?
These questions can create opportunities for couples to discover preferences they have never discussed. Even people who have been together for years can be surprised by an answer.
Romantic This or That Questions
Romantic questions can be slightly more personal while remaining comfortable and respectful.
You might ask:
- Holding hands or hugging?
- Romantic dinner or surprise date?
- Love letters or thoughtful gifts?
- Sunrise together or sunset together?
- Weekend getaway or cozy night at home?
- Dancing together or watching a movie together?
The charm comes from the small details. A person’s choice can reveal what kinds of romantic experiences they appreciate.
For couples, these questions can also inspire actual plans. If someone repeatedly chooses outdoor adventures, for example, that might be a clue that they would enjoy an upcoming hiking or camping trip.
This or That Questions for a First Date
First dates can sometimes feel awkward because both people are trying to keep the conversation going.
This or that questions provide an easy way to remove some of that pressure. Instead of asking broad questions such as “Tell me about yourself,” you can begin with simple choices.
Ask about favorite foods, travel styles, hobbies, movies, music, pets, weekend activities, or dream destinations.
The key is to listen to the explanation rather than immediately moving to the next question. The answer is only the starting point. If someone chooses hiking over shopping, ask what their favorite hiking experience has been. That is where a real conversation begins.
This or That Questions for Best Friends
Best friends can take the game to another level because they can ask questions based on shared memories.
For example:
- Who would you rather take on a road trip?
- Would you rather repeat our funniest day or our best vacation?
- Would you rather be stuck with me in an airport or on a long train ride?
- Would you rather let me choose your outfit or your haircut?
- Would you rather relive one embarrassing memory or one hilarious memory?
The humor often comes from knowing each other’s personalities.
You can also create questions about mutual friends, favorite restaurants, childhood experiences, movies, hobbies, and inside jokes. These personalized questions are often much more entertaining than generic lists.
This or That Questions for Kids
For children, keep the questions simple, fun, and age-appropriate.
Good examples include:
- Dinosaurs or robots?
- Chocolate or ice cream?
- Superheroes or pirates?
- Drawing or building?
- Swimming or biking?
- Zoo or amusement park?
- Dogs or cats?
- Space or the ocean?
Kids often enjoy imaginative questions because they do not feel restricted by realistic choices.
This format can also encourage children to explain their thinking. A child who chooses robots might explain that robots can fly, build things, or travel into space. The conversation can become a creative storytelling exercise.
This or That Questions for Teenagers
Teenagers often enjoy questions related to entertainment, technology, school life, friendships, fashion, travel, and future ambitions.
Examples include:
- Social media or video games?
- Concert or movie theater?
- City trip or beach vacation?
- Sneakers or hoodies?
- Music or podcasts?
- Late-night conversations or early-morning adventures?
- Fame or privacy?
The best questions are those that invite discussion rather than forcing a predictable answer.
You can also add hypothetical scenarios. For example, would someone rather become famous for music or sports? Would they rather travel continuously for a year or stay home with unlimited entertainment? These choices can reveal interests and aspirations.
This or That Questions for Parties
Party questions should be quick enough that several people can answer without the conversation becoming slow.
Food choices, travel preferences, entertainment, funny scenarios, and hypothetical situations are excellent categories.
You can also turn the game into a group activity. Read a question aloud and have everyone move to one side of the room based on their answer.
This physical version adds energy to the game and makes it particularly effective for larger gatherings. It also allows participants to see how many people share their preferences.
This or That Questions for Family Gatherings
Family gatherings can sometimes include people of very different ages. This or that questions are useful because everyone can participate without needing specialized knowledge.
Choose topics such as food, holidays, travel, hobbies, animals, movies, childhood memories, and everyday preferences.
You can make the questions more personal by asking older family members about childhood choices and younger relatives about current interests. This can create conversations between generations that might not happen naturally.
Avoid overly sensitive questions unless everyone is comfortable. The goal should be connection and entertainment, not making anyone feel pressured.
This or That Questions for School
Teachers can use this format as an icebreaker at the beginning of a class or school year.
Simple choices can help students become comfortable speaking in front of others. Questions about books, sports, food, hobbies, animals, travel, and imaginative scenarios are generally easy to answer.
The activity can also be connected to learning. In a language class, students can answer in complete sentences. In a writing class, they can explain their choices. In a statistics lesson, the class can collect answers and create a simple chart.
This transforms a casual game into an educational activity without making it feel like traditional homework.
This or That Questions for Work
Workplace versions should remain professional and comfortable for everyone.
Good examples include:
- Working from home or working in an office?
- Morning meeting or afternoon meeting?
- Email or instant messaging?
- Team project or individual project?
- Coffee break or lunch break?
- Flexible schedule or fixed schedule?
- Quiet workspace or collaborative workspace?
These questions can be useful during team-building activities because they reveal working preferences without asking employees to disclose personal information.
They can also generate useful discussion. If most people prefer quiet workspaces, for example, the team might discuss ways to reduce unnecessary distractions.
This or That Questions for Online Chats
The format works especially well online because questions can be answered quickly.
You can post one question at a time and invite followers or friends to respond. For example, “Beach or mountains?” requires almost no effort to answer.
For longer engagement, ask people to explain their choice. This turns a one-word response into a conversation.
Online communities can also use polls to collect answers. Comparing the results often becomes part of the entertainment because people discover that their preferences are not always shared by the majority.
Food-Based This or That Questions
Food is one of the easiest categories because almost everyone has preferences.
Try:
- Pizza or pasta?
- Burgers or tacos?
- Coffee or tea?
- Cake or cookies?
- Chocolate or vanilla?
- Spicy or mild?
- Breakfast or dinner?
- Ice cream or cheesecake?
- French fries or onion rings?
Food questions can quickly become surprisingly detailed.
If someone chooses tacos, ask what filling they prefer. If they choose coffee, ask whether they prefer it hot or iced. One simple choice can create an entire conversation about food.
Travel This or That Questions
Travel questions are excellent for people who enjoy discussing places and future plans.
Examples include:
- Beach or mountains?
- Road trip or flight?
- Hotel or vacation rental?
- Big city or small town?
- Luxury resort or camping?
- Planned itinerary or spontaneous adventure?
- Summer destination or winter destination?
These questions can reveal a person’s travel personality.
Someone who chooses spontaneous travel may enjoy flexibility and exploration, while someone who prefers carefully planned itineraries may value organization and predictability. Neither approach is better; they simply represent different travel styles.
Movie and Entertainment Questions
Entertainment questions are ideal for groups because people often have strong opinions.
Ask:
- Comedy or horror?
- Action or romance?
- Movies or series?
- Theater or streaming?
- Superheroes or fantasy?
- Documentary or fiction?
- Classic films or new releases?
You can make the questions more difficult by using specific genres or fictional scenarios.
For example, would someone rather watch their favorite movie for the rest of their life or never watch it again but receive unlimited access to new movies? Questions like this encourage people to explain their reasoning.
Sports This or That Questions
Sports fans can create endless variations.
Ask about individual sports versus team sports, watching games versus playing them, indoor versus outdoor activities, or famous sporting moments.
For example:
- Football or basketball?
- Playing or watching?
- Stadium or television?
- Team sport or individual sport?
- Training or competition?
You can also create hypothetical sports choices, but avoid turning the game into an argument if people support rival teams. The point is to have fun rather than settle a lifelong debate.
Travel and Adventure Questions
For people who love adventure, the questions can become more imaginative.
Would you rather explore the deep ocean or outer space? Would you rather climb a famous mountain or explore an ancient city? Would you rather spend a month traveling by train or a month sailing?
These questions work because they invite storytelling.
After someone answers, ask what they would bring, who they would take, where they would go, or what they expect to discover. The game can quickly become an imaginative planning session.
Fashion and Lifestyle Questions
Lifestyle questions can be fun without becoming too personal.
Try choices such as:
- Casual clothes or formal clothes?
- Sneakers or boots?
- Minimalist home or colorful home?
- Shopping online or in stores?
- Big house or small cozy home?
- Modern design or traditional design?
These choices can reveal personality in subtle ways.
Someone who chooses a minimalist home may appreciate simplicity, while someone who chooses a colorful home may enjoy expressive surroundings. Of course, a single answer cannot define a person, which is part of the fun.
Technology This or That Questions
Technology provides endless possibilities for modern versions of the game.
Ask:
- Smartphone or laptop?
- Tablet or desktop?
- Wireless headphones or speakers?
- Video calls or text messages?
- Gaming console or PC?
- Streaming or traditional television?
You can also ask hypothetical technology questions. Would someone rather have a completely automated home or the most powerful personal computer? Would they rather give up social media or online shopping?
These questions are especially effective with technology-focused groups.
How to Make This or That Questions More Interesting
The easiest way to improve a question is to make the choices genuinely difficult.
“Tea or coffee?” is simple. “Free coffee for life or free restaurant meals once a week?” requires more thought.
You can also combine unrelated advantages. For example, would you rather have unlimited travel but no smartphone, or unlimited entertainment but never leave your hometown?
The more balanced the choices are, the more interesting the discussion becomes.
How to Avoid Boring Questions
Questions become boring when the answer is too obvious.
If nearly everyone would choose the same option, there is little conversation to be had. Instead, create choices that have similar appeal.
Another way to avoid boredom is to rotate categories. Do not ask twenty food questions in a row. Move from food to travel, then entertainment, then funny situations, then deeper questions.
Variety keeps people interested and makes the game feel spontaneous.
How to Use Follow-Up Questions
A follow-up question is often more valuable than the original prompt.
If someone says they prefer mountains, ask why. If they choose working from home, ask what they like about it. If they choose horror movies, ask which type they enjoy.
This technique transforms a quick game into a genuine conversation.
The best follow-ups are natural rather than interrogative. Let the person’s answer guide the next question instead of following a rigid script.
How This or That Questions Help People Connect
These questions provide small windows into people’s preferences.
Someone’s favorite food may tell you about their habits. Their travel preference may reveal their personality. Their answer to a hypothetical situation may show how they prioritize comfort, freedom, adventure, or security.
Of course, a single answer should never be treated as a complete personality test. People are complicated, and preferences can change depending on circumstances.
The real value is that the questions create opportunities for people to talk, laugh, compare experiences, and discover common ground.
Creating Your Own This or That Questions
Creating original questions is easier than it may seem.
Start with a category such as food, travel, entertainment, hobbies, relationships, technology, or work. Choose two options that are different but equally appealing.
Then ask yourself whether the question encourages explanation. If the answer is obviously one-sided, make the alternatives more balanced.
For example, instead of asking, “Would you rather eat broccoli or chocolate?” create a more interesting choice such as, “Would you rather have unlimited chocolate but never eat cake again, or unlimited cake but never eat chocolate again?”
Best This or That Questions for Quick Conversations
When you only have a few minutes, choose short questions that can be answered immediately.
Here are some useful examples:
- Sunrise or sunset?
- Coffee or tea?
- Summer or winter?
- Books or movies?
- City or countryside?
- Cats or dogs?
- Sweet or salty?
- Beach or mountains?
- Morning or night?
- Text or call?
- Pasta or rice?
- Comedy or action?
- Indoor or outdoor?
- Early bird or night owl?
- Sneakers or boots?
These are perfect for warming up a conversation before moving into more personal or creative topics.
How to Turn This or That Into a Game
If you want more structure, add simple rules.
Players can receive one point for every answer that matches the majority. Alternatively, one person can predict what another player will choose and earn a point when they guess correctly.
Another version involves elimination. Everyone answers the same question, and anyone who chooses the less popular option is eliminated. Continue until one person remains.
You can also create category rounds. One round might focus on food, another on travel, another on entertainment, and another on impossible choices.
This or That Questions for Long Road Trips
Road trips are perfect for conversation games because people have plenty of time to talk.
Start with easy questions, then gradually introduce more unusual choices. Travel-related questions are particularly appropriate, but you can mix them with food, music, childhood memories, and funny scenarios.
Avoid questions that require people to look at a screen while driving. The driver should remain focused on the road, while passengers can handle the game.
This or That Questions for Sleepovers
Sleepovers are a great environment for funny and slightly embarrassing questions.
Ask about favorite celebrities, fictional worlds, school experiences, dream vacations, favorite snacks, and ridiculous hypothetical situations.
The questions can become increasingly creative as everyone becomes comfortable. Just remember that everyone should have the option to skip a question if they do not want to answer.
This or That Questions for Social Media
This format is naturally suited to social media because it encourages quick responses.
A creator can post a question with two choices and ask followers to comment with their answer. Poll features make the process even easier.
For better engagement, ask followers to explain their choice. A question that receives both votes and comments can create a much more active discussion than a simple statement.
Respecting Boundaries
Although this game is usually harmless, questions can become uncomfortable if they are too personal.
Avoid pressuring someone to answer questions about relationships, finances, family problems, health, or other private subjects.
A good rule is simple: if someone does not want to answer, let them skip it. The game should create laughter and conversation, not discomfort.
Respecting boundaries also makes people more willing to participate because they know they will not be forced into an awkward situation.
Final Thoughts on This or That Questions
This or that questions are simple, flexible, and surprisingly powerful conversation starters. They can fill an awkward silence, energize a party, help strangers get comfortable, or give close friends another reason to laugh together. The best questions are not necessarily the strangest ones. They are the questions that make people stop for a second and think, “That is actually difficult.” A strong choice between two appealing options naturally creates discussion. You can use them almost anywhere: at parties, on dates, during family gatherings, in classrooms, at work, on road trips, or in online conversations. With the right mix of funny, easy, deep, and challenging prompts, you can keep a group engaged for hours.
Ultimately, the value of this or that questions comes from the conversation that follows the choice. The answer tells you what someone picked, but the explanation can tell you much more. That is what turns a simple two-option game into a genuinely enjoyable way to connect with other people.
Frequently Asked Questions About This or That Questions
What are this or that questions?
This or that questions are prompts that ask someone to choose between two options. They can be funny, serious, personal, imaginative, or completely random, depending on the situation.
How do you play this or that?
One person asks a question with two choices, and another person selects one. Players can explain their choices, keep score, compare answers, or simply continue asking questions.
Are this or that questions good for friends?
Yes. They are particularly useful for friends because the questions can range from simple preferences to funny situations involving shared memories and inside jokes.
Can couples use this or that questions?
Absolutely. Couples can use them as a lighthearted way to discover each other’s preferences, discuss date ideas, compare lifestyles, and start meaningful conversations.
What are good this or that questions for a first date?
Choose easy topics such as food, travel, movies, hobbies, pets, music, and weekend activities. Avoid overly personal questions until both people feel comfortable.
What makes a good this or that question?
A good question offers two choices that are interesting and reasonably balanced. The best questions usually make people think and encourage them to explain their answer.
Can children play this or that?
Yes. Children can enjoy age-appropriate questions about animals, food, superheroes, hobbies, toys, sports, and imaginary adventures.
How can I make this or that questions funny?
Use exaggerated or impossible situations. Ridiculous choices often create the funniest reactions because there is no obvious “correct” answer.
Are this or that questions useful for team building?
They can be useful as informal icebreakers. Workplace questions should remain professional and avoid sensitive personal topics.
How many this or that questions should I ask?
There is no fixed number. You can ask five questions during a short conversation or continue for an hour during a party. Stop when people lose interest and change categories to keep the game fresh.
Can this or that questions be used online?
Yes. They work particularly well in social media polls, group chats, forums, livestreams, and online communities because they are quick and easy to answer.
Are deep this or that questions appropriate for everyone?
Not always. Deep questions can lead to meaningful conversations, but they should be used when the group is comfortable. Give people the freedom to skip anything that feels too personal.
What is the difference between this or that and would-you-rather questions?
They are very similar, but this or that questions often focus on straightforward preferences, while would-you-rather questions frequently involve hypothetical or unusual situations. In everyday conversation, the terms can overlap.
Can I create my own this or that questions?
Definitely. Choose a topic, select two appealing options, and make sure the question is interesting enough to encourage a response. Adding a little humor or imagination can make an ordinary question much better.
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