How to Play Two Truths and a Lie, Plus 125 Ideas to Get You Started (2024)

Whether you're looking for a festive way to liven up your next party, a great team building activity for the office, or just a fun game to fill downtime with the fam, you're defintely going to want to check out the following 2 Truths and a Lie rules/ideas. It's a classic icebreaker and a great way to get to know people better. It's incredibly easy to play, and absolutely free to do, with no supplies or props necessary, so there's also no set-up time involved. Hey, how can you not like the sound of that?

And thanks to our handy dandy guide, which dishes out all the rules and tips you need to know, it's super simple to get started. We've even included 125 sample fabrications, fictions, and falsehoods if you're stumped on what lies you want to tell, broken down into the categories talents and hobbies; family and childhood; work or school; food; and random. (For our money, the random "big fish tales" are the most hilarious of them all.) But first, let's get to the biggest question you probably have about 2 Truths and a Lie:

What are the rules for 2 Truths and a Lie?

It's such a snap to play 2 Truths and a Lie that it's a great game for kids of all ages as well as adults. The action starts with a player announcing three facts about themselves—two that are true, and one which is a lie. The fib can be anything from "I've petted a penguin" to "My favorite food is pickles" or "I didn't learn to drive until I was 23." It's up to the other players to figure out the prevarication. The person who guesses right gets a point and goes next, and so on. See? Easy peasy lemon squeezy! However, there are some tricks you can do to make it much more difficult for your fellow players to know what's real and what isn't (and whether you share these strategies with them prior to play is up to you)...

What are some tips for playing 2 Truths and a Lie?

• Switch up the order.
  This one's simple—move the lie around on each turn. Don't fall into a pattern of telling it last, first, or in the middle of the truthful statements.
• Keep a straight face.
  Don't give anything away by cracking a smile, giggling, or giving any other physical or verbal clue that you're fibbing. Make sure your tone and expression are the same for each statement.
• Don't embellish your lie.
  It's not necessary to explain anything about your lie. Keep it as concise and to the point as your truthful statements.
• Think of truths as outrageous as your lies.
  Keep the other players on their toes by telling a plausible lie and one or two unbelievable truths, making three far-fetched statements on one turn, or even telling two humdrum facts with a totally uninteresting fiction.
• Dig deep for truths no one knows.
  If you're playing with people who know you well, this game becomes a lot harder—but it's also a superfun way to learn more about your loved ones!

Two Truths and a Lie Ideas About Talents and Hobbies

1. I've never played a video game.
2. I'm certified in CPR.
3. I can play the French horn.
4. I'm an expert speller.
5. I'm a certified scuba diver.
6. I can write in shorthand.
7. I can drive a stick shift.
8. I hate going to concerts.
9. I know how to hot wire a car.
10. I've run three marathons.
11. I can whistle really well.
12. I color in coloring books to relax.
13. I have my pilot's license.
14. I've been to 20 countries.
15. I can name the capital of every state.
16. I used to perform stand-up in my spare time.
17. I scrapbook.
18. I can dance the tango.
19. I won a poetry contest.
20. I have a coin collection.
21. I'm fluent in Spanish.
22. I can do a handstand.
23. I’ve never listened to a podcast.
24. I'm learning how to crochet.
25. I like to skydive.

Two Truths and a Lie Ideas About Family and Childhood

1. I have a twin brother.
2. My mother entered me in beauty contests when I was a child.
3. I'm adopted.
4. I have no aunts or uncles.
5. My dad built me a treehouse when I was young.
6. All of my grandparents are from Ireland.
7. I was the first person in my family to go to college.
8. I grew up on a farm.
9. I wanted to be a famous ice skater when I was a child.
10. I went to elementary school with Jennifer Aniston.
11. I was born in Alaska.
12. I have 15 first cousins.
13. I wasn't allowed to get my ears pieced until I was 16.
14. I failed my driver’s exam the first time I took it.
15. I took oboe lessons as a child.
16. My father is in the FBI.
17. I was stung by a jellyfish when I was a child.
18. I'm the fourth daughter of a fourth daughter.
19. My first pet was a snake.
20. My cousin won an Oscar.
21. My mother grew up without indoor plumbing.
22. I had an imaginary friend named Vivienne as a kid.
23. I didn't go to the dentist until I was 10.
24. I'm much closer to my dad than my mom.
25. I was born at home, not in a hospital.

Two Truths and a Lie Ideas About Work or School

1. I didn't graduate from college.
2. I've never worked in an office.
3. I was homeschooled.
4. I flunked gym class.
5. I was interviewed on the national news for work.
6. I'm a published writer.
7. I attended boarding school.
8. I’ve given a TED Talk.
9. I skipped a grade in school.
10. I was accepted by every college I applied to.
11. I was a camp counselor in my 20s.
12. I was the teacher’s pet in grade school.
13. I performed in an off-Broadway play.
14. I had five majors in college.
15. I've never been fired from a job.
16. I was a competitive swimmer in high school.
17. I have more than one degree.
18. I've never missed a deadline.
19. I've been a movie extra.
20. I travel every week for work.
21. I was a straight-A student in high school.
22. I have an ETSY shop.
23. I accidentally sent a romantic text to my boss.
24. I worked for a radio station.
25. I've been a mentor.

Two Truths and a Lie Ideas About Food

1. I hate chocolate.
2. The only eggs I eat are hardboiled.
3. I don't put any condiments on my hamburgers and hot dogs.
4. I'm a vegan.
5. I've never tried sushi.
6. I won a hot wing eating contest.
7. I can't consume gluten.
8. I've never eaten cookie dough.
9. I only eat mushrooms that are raw, not cooked.
10. I'm allergic to mangos.
11. I only eat green M&Ms.
12. I eat pineapple on my pizza.
13. I take my coffee black.
14. I grow my own veggies in the summer.
15. I’ve worked in a restaurant kitchen.
16. I always eat cereal without milk.
17. I’ve taken a sommelier course.
18. I don't eat leftovers.
19. I can bake bread from scratch.
20. Drinking water makes me nauseous.
21. I like tortilla chips more than potato chips.
22. My favorite ice cream flavor is coffee.
23. I always use a fake name when I make restaurant reservations.
24. I’ve eaten in a Michelin-starred restaurant.
25. I eat spaghetti with butter instead of sauce.

Two Truths and a Lie Ideas About Anything Random

1. I'm deathly afraid of geese.
2. I've met a U.S. president.
3. I've never been bowling.
4. I got stuck in an elevator once for five hours.
5. My favorite animal is a hyena.
6. I used to live in Kansas.
7. I've been a contestant on a game show.
8. I've been to a nudist colony.
9. I didn't learn how to tie my shoes until I was 8.
10. I've never seen Titanic.
11. My favorite color is orange.
12. I never learned how to swim.
13. I believe in ghosts.
14. My best friend dressed up as me for Halloween.
15. I've never broken a bone.
16. I used to date a famous athlete.
17. I can name every member of the Backstreet Boys.
18. I'm color-blind.
19. I've never been pulled over for speeding.
20. I've never been in a wedding.
21. I have a selfie with Kim Kardashian on my phone.
22. I always read the last page of a book first.
23. I wash my dishes by hand.
24. I've never ordered from Amazon.
25. I still have my childhood Teddy bear.