How to play Never Have I Ever

Learn the rules of this classic party game and discover how to have hours of fun with your friends and family!

Ready to elevate your game night to the next level? Never Have I Ever is a clever game that will make your night unique and memorable! This classic party game is a fantastic way to get to know your friends better and experience harmless fun.

Try it out with your friends and family now!

Never Have I Ever rules

Never Have I Ever is a party game staple in social gatherings. It’s all about getting to know each other and having light-hearted fun.

At its core, the game is simple — each person takes turns saying statements about things they haven’t done. All the other players will then have to be honest and admit if they’ve done the thing that was said.

Depending on the rules you’ve set, you can either take a physical action, such as folding a finger or drinking a shot of alcohol.

Never Have I Ever is best enjoyed if ground rules exist. Set the following rules before you start:

Rule 1: No judgment!

Everyone deserves to have some fun, so be nice and accept everyone’s answers with respect. While this is a truth-telling game, it doesn’t mean that you need to make fun of anyone.

Rule 2: With or without drinks?

Before you start, decide if drinking is allowed or not. Include the drinking rule if you want to make it more challenging.

Don’t forget that safety is always important, so no one should ever be forced to drink.

Rule 3: What are the consequences?

Now that you’ve determined if alcohol is allowed or not, it’s time to decide on the consequences for each round after a player is out. You can choose to have the losers perform a silly dare or take an extra drink if you’d like to make it more interesting.

Rule 4: What type of questions are allowed?

It’s essential to decide what kind of questions you want in the game to ensure everyone feels comfortable. While you can certainly ask questions that are a little risqué, be sure to respect the boundaries of everyone in the group.

Never Have I Ever is all about having fun! So, remember to avoid hurtful questions that could make someone feel embarrassed or uncomfortable.

Rule 5: How long will the game last?

Set a time limit for the game. This is important so you can decide when to end the game and move on to something else. Should the game end after you’ve had five rounds or after everyone has had a turn?

How to play Never Have I Ever

Once you’ve set all your rules, it’s time for fun! Gather your friends in a circle and get ready to embark on this deadly game of truth-telling. Let the games begin!

1. Pick the first player!

You can choose who goes first in many ways, so get creative.

Tip: Pick the youngest person in the group to go first or the last person who went to the bathroom. You can also have each player draw a card from a deck; whoever has the highest one goes first! Get and spin a bottle; whoever the bottle points to goes first.

2. Clockwise or counterclockwise?

Then, decide whether to go clockwise or counterclockwise around the circle. Once you’ve decided on a direction, it’s time to start the game!

3. Say something you’ve never done!

The first player will start by saying, “Never Have I Ever ____,” and fill the blank with a statement.

Reminder: The statement you say after “Never have I ever” should be something you’ve never done before, but you think that other people in the group may have done it. This could be anything from activities in your ordinary life to outrageous experiences you haven’t had the chance to do yet.

Examples of Never Have I Ever statements could be “Never have I ever eaten sushi” or “Never have I ever been on an airplane”.

Do you want tons of great questions right away? Head over to our collection of the best Never Have I Ever questions for your next game!

4. Reveal if you’ve done it before!

After the first player has made their statement, everyone in the group must admit if they’ve already done it. Those who have done the thing mentioned in the statement must either take a sip of their drink or put down one of their fingers.

Tip: For those playing with alcohol and wanting to keep it light and easy on the stomach, take small sips, and don’t forget to drink water in between.

If no one has done the action stated, then the person who made the statement must drink or put down a finger.

5. Keep going!

Once everyone has answered, the player to the left or right of the first player (depending on your chosen direction) will take their turn and make a statement. Then, everyone in the group must answer truthfully again.

Bonus Tip: If only one person from the group has done what was stated, ask that person to explain their experience! This is a great way to get to know each other better and create a fun atmosphere.

6. Who is the winner?

The game continues until you’ve reached the predetermined time limit or until everyone has had a turn. Of course, you can always play another round if everyone is having a great time!

Now that you know how to play Never Have I Ever, it’s time to gather your friends and start the game. Enjoy!

How to play Never Have I Ever online

Sometimes, coming up with Never Have I Ever questions can be challenging. Luckily, plenty of ways exist to get fun questions for the game as fast and easy as possible.

For our apps, all you need is an internet connection and a device, and you can have access to hundreds of Never Have I Ever questions. With various categories, you won’t ever run out of questions to ask your friends!

Download for iPhone Download for Android
Play Online

How to play Never Have I Ever: Drinking game version

Out with friends and want an extra challenge? Try the drinking game version of Never Have I Ever! This variation requires alcohol, but don’t worry - you can play with any beverage you prefer.

This deadly game of truth-telling follows the same rules as the basic version, but with a twist: each time you’ve already done what was stated, you must take a sip (or shot) of your drink.

Step 1: Gather your friends and prepare your chosen drinks. Make sure everyone participating has at least one drink.

Step 2: Decide how much you want to drink. Do you want to take one sip for each “I have done it” answer or take a shot? We recommend taking small sips of your drink unless you want to get drunk quickly!

Step 3: Pick a player to go first. Like the regular version, each player takes turns stating a Never Have I Ever statement. Everyone must answer truthfully and take a sip or shot of their drink if they have done the action.

For example, if the first player says, “Never have I ever been to Europe”, those who have been there must take a sip or shot of their drink.

If nobody has done the action stated, then the player who said it must take a sip or shot.

Step 4: This continues until everyone has had a turn. Because you’re playing with alcohol, make sure to take breaks in between rounds so that no one gets too drunk.

Keep playing until you’ve reached the limit you set for yourself or until everyone is too drunk to continue. Get ready to have a wild and fun night with your friends!

How to play Never Have I Ever: Non-drinking game version

Don’t want to drink but still want to have a good time? Be sober and still have fun playing the non-drinking version of Never Have I Ever!

The rules are exactly like the drinking game version, except you use your hands instead of drinks.

Step 1: Get everyone in the group together and decide who’s going to go first.

Step 2: Put your ten fingers up to show you are ready.

Did you know? The non-drinking version of Never Have I Ever is also called ‘Ten Fingers’ because each player uses - you’ve guessed it - all ten fingers to play the game!

Step 3: Similar to the drinking game version, each player takes turns stating a Never Have I Ever statement. All players must answer truthfully and put one finger down if they have done the action.

For example, if the first player says, “Never Have I Ever gone skydiving”, those who have gone skydiving must put one finger down.

If no one has done the action stated, then the player who said it must put one finger down.

Step 4: It’s now the next player’s turn! If a player has put all ten fingers down, they are out of the game. The last player standing wins the game.

Step 5: Want to play another round? Just start over with ten fingers up and have another game. Have fun!

The non-drinking version is a great way to have fun without worrying about getting too drunk. So the next time you’re looking for a party game, why not try Never Have I Ever? With two easy variations to play, it’s sure to be an entertaining game for everyone!

How to play Never Have I Ever: Video guide

Want a visual guide to the game? Check out our video guide that explains how to play Never Have I Ever!

This video will take you through the game’s basics and include some fun Never Have I Ever statements for your next thrilling game night. We recommend watching the video before playing the game so that everyone knows how to play and can have a great time.

Whether you’re playing with drinks or without, Never Have I Ever is the perfect game to get everyone laughing and having a good time. So, what are you waiting for? Get your game on and play Never Have I Ever today!

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