What to reply to “what’s up”
“What’s up” is an easy question with a boring default answer. The fix is one real detail plus a door back to them. Pick where you two are and how you want to sound.
What “what’s up” actually means
It is a question with a default answer, which is why the default reply (“nothing, you?”) kills the thread. They handed you an opening; the move is to fill it with one real detail and hand it back with an easy question.
The three rules
- Answer with something true and specific. “Nothing much” is a closed door.
- Return the question, or better: ask a smaller, easier one.
- If you two keep looping in small talk, use the reply to propose something real.
Don’t send
- “Nothing, you?” — the reply equivalent of a shrug.
- A full life update. Save material for the actual conversation.
- Ignoring it to punish the low effort. They will not decode that.
Is “what’s up” flirty?
Sometimes, sometimes it is just the default opener. Either way your reply decides the direction: a real detail plus a question makes it a conversation.
How do I answer without being boring?
One specific, true detail (“just got back from a run”) beats “nothing much”, and an easy question keeps them talking.
Should I ask a question back?
Yes. “What’s up” invites a return volley; the person who asks the better question usually steers the conversation.
The app coaches you through every message like this one.
Meet Koqeto