Compliments
One ready-to-say compliment per card, about what people do and how they think, never how they look.
- Time
- 1–15 min
- Players
- One or more people
- Best for
- Team meetings, family gatherings and friends’ group chats
- Deck
- 150 compliments in 6 categories
How to use these compliments
- Pick a category from the menu under the card, or keep “All categories”.
- Read the compliment on the top card and think of someone it fits. Say it, text it or write it on a note.
- Swipe the card away, or tap “Next compliment”, for another. Compliments do not repeat until you have seen the whole category.
- Tap the heart to save a compliment on this device, or tap “Make a 10-compliment list” for two weeks of kind words to hand out.
When to give a compliment
Most people think something kind about a friend, a relative or a coworker several times a week and never say it out loud. A card with the words already written makes it easy to pass the thought on while it is still fresh.
Last thing at night
Draw one card before you put the phone down and decide who gets it tomorrow: the colleague with the clear emails, the cousin who hosted, the neighbor with the garden.
The end of a team week
On Friday afternoon, pick a card from For coworkers or How you think and help and send it to someone whose work made the week easier.
A family or friends’ gathering
Run a compliment circle after the meal. Funny compliments keep it light, and For family gives the host the thank-you they rarely hear.
Ways to use these compliments
A compliment circle
At a dinner, a club night or the end of a team offsite, sit in a circle and draw one card for the person on your left. Read it aloud, change a word or two so it fits them, then pass the phone along until everyone has given one and received one.
Secret compliment slips
Before a get-together, write each guest’s name on a slip of paper and let everyone pick one. Draw cards until one fits the name you picked, copy it onto the slip with one detail of your own, and fold it into a bowl. Read them out at the end and let the room guess who wrote each.
A compliment a day at work
Make a 10-compliment list from For coworkers and How you think and help, and give one a day to a different colleague, in a message, a sticky note or a word after a meeting. Two weeks later, ten people have heard something specific about their work.
Tips for a compliment that lands
- Add one detail. “Your notes from that meeting saved me an hour” lands harder when you name the meeting and what you did with the hour.
- Give it and stop. A compliment followed by a favor or a “but” stops sounding like one, so say it on its own and let it sit.
- Keep it about what people do and choose, not how they look. That works for anyone, at work or at a family table, and it is what people remember.
All 150 compliments by category
The complete list, grouped by category. The cards above draw from the same list, so you can read ahead here and pick there.
For friends
Words for the friend who remembers your stories, plans the outings and texts back first.
- You’re the friend I text first when something good happens.
- You remember the little things I mention once, and it surprises me every time.
- Time with you never feels like something I have to squeeze in.
- You’re the best person to get lost with, on a map or in a conversation.
- You’re honest with me in a way that always feels kind.
- I trust your book recommendations more than any review.
- You’re the reason our group still gets together.
- You can turn a boring errand into my favorite part of the week.
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- You never make me feel silly for asking for help.
- You show up, every time, even when it’s not convenient.
- You always know when to call instead of text.
- You celebrate my wins like they’re your own.
- Your playlists are the soundtrack to half my best memories.
- You keep the best secrets and tell the best stories.
- You’re always up for an adventure, even a tiny one on a weeknight.
- Ten minutes on the phone with you can fix a whole bad day.
- You’re the only person I’d trust to plan a surprise for me.
- You have the best taste in restaurants of anyone I know.
- You never keep score, and it makes being your friend so easy.
- You’re the kind of friend people hope to find.
- You make me braver about trying new things.
- We can go weeks without talking and pick up mid-sentence. That’s all you.
- You give the most thoughtful gifts, even when they cost nothing.
- You listen like you have nowhere else to be.
- I’m a better version of myself when you’re around.
For coworkers
Specific praise for the colleague with the clear emails, the calm meetings and the tidy shared files.
- Your emails are so clear that nobody ever needs to reply with a question.
- You run the calmest meetings I’ve ever been in.
- You make big, complicated projects feel doable.
- You always give credit to the people who did the work.
- Mondays feel a little lighter around here because of you.
- You explain things without ever making anyone feel slow.
- You caught that mistake before it went out. Thank you.
- Your notes from that meeting saved me an hour.
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- You stay steady when deadlines move, and it keeps the whole team calm.
- You ask the question everyone else in the room was thinking.
- You make new hires feel welcome from their very first morning.
- Your presentation was the clearest one I’ve seen in a long time.
- You follow up on everything. Nothing slips through with you.
- You’re generous with your time, even on your busiest days.
- Your feedback is honest and actually useful, which is a rare mix.
- When you’re on a project, I know it’s going to go well.
- You make hard conversations easier for everyone in the room.
- Your spreadsheets are a work of art.
- You always leave the shared kitchen tidier than you found it.
- You keep the shared files so organized that I can find anything in seconds.
- You remember everyone’s name, from the front desk to the top floor.
- Your good mood on long days doesn’t go unnoticed.
- Your quick replies keep the whole project moving.
- You make asking for help feel completely normal here.
- You’re proof that being kind and getting things done go together.
For family
Thanks for the sibling, cousin or in-law who hosts the holiday, tells the stories or keeps the group chat going.
- You’re the glue that keeps this family in touch.
- You always know what to say when the family needs cheering up.
- You tell our family stories better than anyone.
- Your cooking tastes like coming home.
- You make every holiday feel easy, even though I know it’s a lot of work.
- You ask everyone at dinner a question, so nobody gets left out.
- You’ve taught me more than you know, just by how you live.
- You turn a rainy holiday weekend into the best board game marathon.
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- You remember every birthday in this family, and that matters so much.
- You keep our traditions going, and I’m grateful for it every year.
- I’m proud to tell people we’re related.
- You’re the one I call when I need family advice.
- You make our family group chat worth reading.
- You’re patient with all of us, and that’s saying something.
- You turn a crowded kitchen into the best part of the day.
- You’ve always been in my corner, and I notice.
- Our family is funnier because of you.
- You keep the peace without ever making anyone feel wrong.
- Your door is always open, no matter how many of us show up.
- You always save the last piece for someone else.
- You always send the photos after a family day, and I treasure them.
- You find the perfect gift for every person in this family, every year.
- Growing up with you made me who I am.
- You make visiting home something I look forward to.
- You’re the first to offer a ride, a meal or a spare room, and we all know it.
For someone you just met
Light, easy words for a new neighbor, a fellow guest at a party or someone at a cooking class.
- You’re really easy to talk to.
- That was a great story, and you tell it so well.
- You made walking into this room a lot less awkward for me.
- I love how curious you are about everyone here.
- Your recommendation was spot on. I’m adding it to my list.
- You have a great way of putting things.
- You explain your job in a way that actually makes sense to an outsider.
- Thanks for pulling me into the conversation.
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- I can tell you really know your stuff.
- You handled that awkward moment so gracefully.
- It’s clear you care a lot about what you do.
- You’ve made me laugh more in ten minutes than I have all week.
- You make small talk feel like a real conversation.
- Your enthusiasm is catching.
- Thanks for the tip. Nobody has ever explained that so simply.
- You have a really calming way about you.
- Your dog clearly adores you, and I can see why.
- I noticed you held the door for everyone. That was kind.
- You picked the perfect spot for this. I’d never have found it.
- I’m glad we ended up at the same table tonight.
- You remembered my name after one introduction. That’s a real skill.
- That’s such an interesting take. I hadn’t thought of it that way.
- Your garden is the nicest one on the street.
- You’re a natural host. Thanks for having me.
- I really enjoyed talking with you, and I hope we do it again.
Funny compliments
Playful, over-the-top praise, like snack choices worthy of a museum or a dishwasher loaded like a puzzle.
- You’re the human version of finding money in an old coat pocket.
- Your snack choices deserve their own museum wing.
- You parallel park like it’s an art form.
- If being on time were a sport, you’d have a shelf full of trophies.
- You’re more reliable than my alarm clock, and much nicer to hear.
- Your replies in the group chat are funnier than most comedy specials.
- You could make a spreadsheet sound exciting.
- You’re like a warm blanket fresh out of the dryer, but as a person.
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- You load a dishwasher like it’s a puzzle you were born to solve.
- Houseplants probably stand up a little straighter when you walk by.
- You’re so organized that your junk drawer has labels.
- If you were a sandwich, you’d have all the best fillings.
- Your puns are terrible, and I’d miss them every single day.
- Even your grocery lists are a good read.
- You give directions so well that maps should ask you for advice.
- Your laugh is so catching that I laugh at jokes I didn’t even hear.
- You make cereal for dinner sound like a smart life choice.
- If kindness were money, you’d be the richest person I know.
- You could talk a cat into taking a bath.
- You can fold a fitted sheet, which honestly makes you a legend.
- Your handwriting could be its own font.
- Your leftovers taste better than most people’s first night of cooking.
- You make waiting in line feel like a party.
- You’re like a phone charger at an airport: everyone is glad to find you.
- Even my cat likes you, and my cat likes nobody.
How you think and help
Praise for a sharp question, a clever fix, a fair call or a hand offered before anyone asked.
- You see solutions where everyone else sees problems.
- You ask the kind of questions that make me think differently.
- You always offer to help before anyone has to ask.
- You can fix almost anything with tape and a bit of thought.
- You notice the small details everyone else misses.
- Your advice is always thoughtful and never pushy.
- You’re so good at seeing things from the other person’s side.
- You stay curious about everything, and it rubs off on me.
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- When you talk a hard decision through, it suddenly feels simple.
- Your mind goes to creative places I’d never think of.
- You change your mind when you learn something new, and I admire that.
- You keep your word, every single time.
- You keep a sense of humor when plans go sideways, and it helps everyone.
- You think before you speak, and it shows.
- You have a gift for making messy ideas tidy and clear.
- You’re the first person I ask when I’m stuck on a puzzle.
- You share what you know freely and never show off about it.
- You make other people’s ideas better instead of replacing them.
- You read the instructions all the way through, and it saves us every time.
- Your patience with tricky problems amazes me.
- You’re fair, even when it would be easier not to be.
- You pick up new skills faster than anyone I know.
- You always think of the person who isn’t in the room.
- You learn from your mistakes without being hard on yourself.
- You make helping look easy, even when I know it isn’t.
Frequently asked questions
How many compliments are there?
There are 150 compliments, 25 in each of six categories: for friends, for coworkers, for family, for someone you just met, funny compliments, and compliments about how someone thinks and helps. The cards and the list on this page use the same set.
Why are none of these compliments about looks?
Every card is about character, effort, humor, taste or skill, so it fits anyone, from a new coworker to a cousin you see once a year, without anyone wondering what you meant. Praise for something a person did is also easier to believe, because they know it is true.
Are there compliments for a partner?
This page keeps to friends, family, coworkers and new people. For something sweet to write to a partner, try love notes, which are written for couples.
What should we play after compliments?
With friends, try questions to ask friends about how you met and what you have been up to lately. With a new team or a group that has just met, icebreaker questions get everyone talking in a sentence each.