How to Play "Never Have I Ever"

Reviewed by John Keegan

Last Updated: November 8, 2024 Fact Checked

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Never Have I Ever is a really fun way to get to know people, or to learn more about people you already know. You can play the basic version of the game, which is suitable for all ages. Or you can turn into a drinking game for a group of people above drinking age. If you do play the drinking game version, make sure you don’t drink too much and you don’t drive afterward.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Playing the Basic Version of the Game

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At least five people are usually needed to play the game. You can use less than five, but it’s usually not as much fun! You should sit in a circle so you can see everyone’s hands.^{[1]
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You can rest your hands on the floor or hold your hands up. Either way, everyone starts with 10 chances.^{[2]
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The first player announces something they’ve never done. You can have someone volunteer to go first, or play rock, paper, scissors to decide. The first player says “Never have I ever....” and then announces something outrageous they haven’t done. It's best if the player thinks it's likely something other people have done.^{[3]
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- For example, you can say something like "Never have I ever been to Europe," "Never have I ever been arrested," or "Never have I ever had detention."
The players who also haven’t done it should keep all of their fingers up.^{[4]
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Move clockwise through the circle, with the person on the first player's left taking the next turn.The next player comes up with a new thing they’ve never done. The players who have done it put a finger down, the players that haven’t keep their fingers up.^{[5]
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The last person who has fingers up wins the game. You can repeat the game as many times as you like.^{[6]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Playing the Drinking Game

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Since there’s drinking involved in this version of the game, all of the players need to be of legal drinking age. You can have as many players as you want, but if you have more than 10, break the large group into multiple groups of fewer players.^{[7]
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Make sure everyone has the same amount to drink. It’s up to each individual player what they want to drink. But to make the game more fair, everyone should have about the same amount in their cups. You can play with beer, wine, or mixed drinks.^{[8]
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- You can also play the drinking version of the game using shots of alcohol. Every time someone has done the thing the player says, they have to take a shot. You’ll have to refill the shots as you go.
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Have the first player announce something they’ve never done. Someone can volunteer to go first, or you can choose someone playing rock, paper, scissors. In the drinking version of the game, the things players say tend to be a little more risqué. The first player says “Never have I ever...” and then follows it with something they’ve never done.^{[9]
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- Try coming up with things you’ve never done, but that you know other people playing have. This ensures you don’t have to drink but they do, and can get players out of the game quicker.
If you’ve done what the first player has said they haven’t, you have to take a drink of your drink. To make it fair, you can time it so all the players have to drink for the same amount of time. About 3 seconds is usually enough time.^{[10]
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The next player - the player to the immediate left of the first player - takes their turn. They say something they’ve never done, using the “Never have I ever...” construction. The players who have done that thing drink, the ones who have not don’t drink.^{[11]
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If the player can’t get anyone to drink – meaning the player is the only person who’s done the thing they said – the player has to drink.^{[12]
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The game ends when only person has any of their drink left. That person wins the game. You can repeat the game as many times as you like.^{[13]
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Community Q&A

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Question

is there a kid's version of this game?

Community Answer

Yes! It's not as intense as this one, but it is still fun. The rules follow the same principles, but instead of alcohol, participants use their fingers. If, in the original game, one has to drink, instead the player puts down a finger. The game ends when someone has all 10 fingers down. The person with the most fingers still up wins.

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Question

Could I play the drinking version with kids if you used water/cola etc?

Community Answer

That would work well. Just make sure to ask if everyone likes said drink. Lemonade works as well.

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If I am asking the question do I have to put my finger down if I have done it?

Community Answer

The question you ask has to be something that you have never attempted or done before.

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Tips

If you're worried that people will have trouble coming up with Never Have I Ever prompts, you can write some in advance. You may even want to write down prompts on sheets of paper and have people draw them instead of coming up with their own!

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

As with all drinking games, don't force yourself or others to drink more than can be managed. You can make an agreement that people who are smaller or already a bit drunk can drink less than others to avoid bad outcomes. Ice-breaking is more important than winning or drinking.
There is a hilarious version of "Never Have I Ever" in the popular game Witcher 3, with three usually-serious characters.
Here's a spin on the drinking version for kids and teens: Instead of alcohol, use sour or hot candy.
If you don't have anyone to play with in real life, you can play the Roblox version!

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Warnings

Make sure you’re not drinking too much. If you start to feel sick, you can back out of the game and drink some water.

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Don't drink and drive.

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