Dirty Talk for Couples: How to Start, With 60 Examples

Dirty talk means saying out loud what you feel, want and think about during sex. It doesn't have to be crude, and the best lines are usually simple and honest. Start with one sentence you actually mean, whisper it and see what happens. Here's how to get going, plus 60 examples in four levels.

Updated September 29, 2026

Why dirty talk works

Words do something hands can't. They show what's going on in your head. Hearing that your partner loves what you're doing, wants more or has been thinking about you all day is one of the most powerful turn ons there is. It builds trust too, because you both stop guessing.

Plenty of people still find it awkward. Your voice sounds strange, the words feel borrowed and the risk of cracking up is high. That's normal. Dirty talk is a skill that gets better with practice, and you decide how far it goes.

How to start with dirty talk

1. Talk about it first, outside the bedroom. Ask what your partner would like to hear. Which words are sexy and which aren't? One of you might love a word that makes the other cringe for all the wrong reasons.
2. Start with sounds. Breathe audibly, moan, say “mm” and “yes.” That's dirty talk too, and it breaks the silence.
3. Say what you feel. “That feels good” is the easiest first step. It's true, and it's hard to get wrong.
4. Whisper. The same words become something else entirely when they're quiet and close to the ear. It also helps with the feeling of being on stage.
5. Text first. A message is easier than saying it out loud. Once the words already exist between you, the next step is shorter.
6. Laugh if you laugh. It isn't a failure. Pick up where you left off.

TipPick one line from the lists below that you genuinely like, and decide to say it tonight. Just one. Having decided in advance makes it so much easier than trying to come up with something in the moment.

Dirty talk examples: 60 lines in four levels

The levels go from tender to bold. Start where it feels right and move on when you want to. Swap words freely, it always sounds better in your own voice.

Level 1: soft and sweet

Lines that show you're enjoying it and want to be close. Easy to say and hard to get wrong.

• “I've been craving you all day.”
• “You look so good right now.”
• “That feels amazing.”
• “Don't stop.”
• “I love the way you touch me.”
• “Come closer.”
• “You smell so good.”
• “I want you as close as possible.”
• “Look at me.”
• “You make me so warm.”
• “Just like that.”
• “I've been thinking about this since this morning.”
• “You drive me crazy.”
• “Stay a little longer.”
• “I want to feel you everywhere.”

Level 2: what you want

Here you say what you want. It makes your partner more confident, and being wanted is sexy.

• “I want you to undress me. Slowly.”
• “Kiss me there again.”
• “Faster.”
• “Slower, I want this to last.”
• “Lie down. It's my turn.”
• “I want your mouth on me.”
• “Take me harder.”
• “I want to watch you come.”
• “Tell me what you want me to do.”
• “I want you to take me right here, in the kitchen.”
• “Touch yourself while I watch.”
• “I want to feel how much you want me.”
• “Hold my hips.”
• “I'm not letting you fall asleep yet.”
• “Come here, I'm not done with you.”

Hard to know where the lines are? In Hintt you each answer questions about what you want, including words and fantasies, and only what you both say yes to shows up. You can start here.

Level 3: describe and build anticipation

Here you paint pictures. What you're going to do, what you were thinking about, what you remember. Works just as well in bed as in a text in the middle of the day.

• “When you get home I'm pulling your pants down right there in the hallway.”
• “I keep thinking about what I'm going to do to you tonight, and I'm already wet.”
• “I can't stop thinking about how you tasted last time.”
• “I'm going to go so slow you'll beg me to hurry up.”
• “I'm not wearing anything underneath.”
• “I want to tie your hands and take my sweet time.”
• “Tell me what you think about when you touch yourself.”
• “I want you to slide two fingers inside me and not stop until I beg.”
• “You don't get to come until I say so.”
• “Remember last summer? I want to do that again.”
• “I'm so hard just from looking at you.”
• “I want to wake up to you already starting.”
• “I'm going to kiss every inch of you and save the best for last.”
• “Tell me how it feels. I want to hear it.”
• “I've been thinking about you all through that meeting, and it shows.”

Level 4: bold, for couples who like playing with power

Dominance, obedience and words with a bit more edge. This is for couples who have talked about it and know you both want it. Agree on which words feel right and which are too much. Degrading words can be incredibly hot for some people and hurtful for others.

• “On your knees.”
• “You do what I say tonight.”
• “Look at me when I'm talking to you.”
• “Ask nicely and maybe you'll get it.”
• “You're mine.”
• “Tell me you want it.”
• “Don't move until I tell you.”
• “You come when I decide.”
• “Keep your hands above your head. Don't let go.”
• “Oh, you thought you were in charge?”
• “I'm going to use you exactly how I want.”
• “You're so fucking sexy when you obey.”
• “Say my name.”
• “You've been bad today.”
• “Thank me.”

If you enjoy stepping into roles, there's more in our guide to role play for couples.

Dirty talk over text

Writing is often the easiest way to start, and it builds anticipation that lasts all day. Start gently, and remember phones get left out at work and on the dinner table.

• Send a detail from last time. “I keep thinking about you holding my hair.”
• Ask a question. “What do you want me wearing when you get home?”
• Make a promise. “Tonight you're in charge.”
• Leave it unfinished. “I have an idea about tonight…” and then nothing more.

For more ways to build the mood during the day, see our foreplay tips.

When words meet fantasies

Dirty talk is a gentle way to share fantasies without having to act them out. Whispering “what if we were strangers who just met” is very different from playing it out for real, and for many people the words are enough. If you want to go further, our guide on sexual fantasies in a relationship can help you talk about them.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

• Copying porn. Words that aren't yours sound off. Stick to things you'd actually say.
• Talking nonstop. A couple of lines in the right place beat a monologue. Silence and breathing are charged too.
• Using words you haven't discussed. A word that turns you on might turn your partner off. Ask first.
• Taking it personally. If your partner says no to a word, it's about the word, not about you.

If it's hard to talk about what you like, read our guide on how to talk about sex with your partner. And if a word or tone doesn't feel right in the moment, say so right away. Words are there to turn up the heat, never to make anyone feel small for real.