# Do you kiss to the right or left? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 29, 2005, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-kiss-to-the-right-or-left/319104 "2005-08-29T15:14:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-kiss-to-the-right-or-left/319104/21 "2005-08-29T19:59:00Z")
> [@Cat Jones](#): > > In France cheek kissing a normal greeting and it tends to be right cheek to right cheek first, Italy was left to left as I discovered in an embarassing almost lip touching incident. Thanks for the info. Reading the OP, I was wondering about it. It’s such an automatism that I couldn’t figure out what cheek, if any in particular, I was normally kissing first. (Note to myself : In the presence of an attractive Italian, blame it on different customs) ---
**Author:** ![saramamalana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@saramamalana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saramamalana)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-kiss-to-the-right-or-left/319104/22 "2005-08-29T20:04:58Z")
Let me also note that I’m talking mouth, not cheek. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-kiss-to-the-right-or-left/319104/23 "2005-08-29T22:38:42Z")
To the right. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-kiss-to-the-right-or-left/319104/24 "2005-08-29T23:31:13Z")
I think I kiss to the right, but I don’t remember. ---
**Author:** ![PinkNailFile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8491ac/32.png) [@PinkNailFile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PinkNailFile)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2005, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-kiss-to-the-right-or-left/319104/25 "2005-08-30T00:33:50Z")
I start to the left and move from there. But I’m right handed. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2005, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-kiss-to-the-right-or-left/319104/26 "2005-08-30T01:50:22Z")
I start out on the right, but work my way all around after awhile. Right ear first, though. But then followed by the left side of the nape of the neck and then the nibbling… _damn_ How am I going to fall asleep alone now?? ---
**Author:** ![Stainz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Stainz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stainz)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2005, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-kiss-to-the-right-or-left/319104/27 "2005-08-30T04:00:34Z")
Right. I wonder if it makes a difference which hand is dominant? (I’m right-handed). Thinking about going to the left seems … strange … hmmm … This is something I’ve NEVER thought about before! ---
**Author:** ![gouda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c77e96/32.png) [@gouda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gouda)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2005, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-kiss-to-the-right-or-left/319104/28 "2005-08-30T07:01:09Z")
I think I start on the right, but then all over… there is some mashing of nose during direction changes. ---
**Author:** ![robotic\_panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed8c4c/32.png) [@robotic\_panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robotic_panda)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2005, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-kiss-to-the-right-or-left/319104/29 "2005-08-30T12:20:19Z")
Double cheek kiss; as with my Belgian grandmother: I always kiss to the left (their right cheek), then right. (Thinking about it, I was definitely taught that this was the way. My grandmother trained me…) Single cheek kiss; friends, non-European relatives: I kiss on my right. (Their left cheek). Romantic kiss: Tilt head slightly to right, continue full steam ahead, baby! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2005, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-kiss-to-the-right-or-left/319104/30 "2005-08-30T15:33:58Z")
Right. And left. As long as I’m smoochin’ I’m pretty happy. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![raz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@raz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raz)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2005, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-kiss-to-the-right-or-left/319104/31 "2005-08-30T17:09:36Z")
To the left almost always, but I’m right handed. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2005, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-kiss-to-the-right-or-left/319104/32 "2005-08-30T19:14:59Z")
To the left, and I’m left-handed. There is, of course, later directional changes, but if I’m initiating, I’m goin’ left. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2005, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-kiss-to-the-right-or-left/319104/33 "2005-08-30T19:43:25Z")
Right, mostly; I’ll change for circumstances, but most circumstances allow either. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-kiss-to-the-right-or-left/319104/34 "2005-08-31T04:05:21Z")
C’mere, kiss me and find out for yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-kiss-to-the-right-or-left/319104/35 "2005-08-31T04:13:38Z")
Usually to the right. I had to do some experiments to determine this for sure. ---
**Author:** ![nevermore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a587f6/32.png) [@nevermore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nevermore)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-kiss-to-the-right-or-left/319104/36 "2005-08-31T07:01:19Z")
hm. almost exclusively to the right, I think, with some brief mid-kiss switching. weird. ---
**Author:** ![Coil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Coil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coil)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-kiss-to-the-right-or-left/319104/37 "2005-08-31T12:25:40Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > It all depends on what I’m kissing. 😃 **What** you’re kissing?? I tend to tilt to the right. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-kiss-to-the-right-or-left/319104/38 "2005-08-31T18:27:51Z")
> [@Coil](#): > > **What** you’re kissing?? > > I tend to tilt to the right. Well, with giraffes, you pretty much have to tilt your head straight back. … What? ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-kiss-to-the-right-or-left/319104/39 "2005-08-31T23:00:58Z")
> [@LaurAnge](#): > > Usually to the right. I had to do some experiments to determine this for sure. [Family-guy style flashback to **LaurAnge** comically kissing the air, then suddenly noticing that there are others in the room staring at her. Awkward silence.] Right, but if you ever get the chance to do the upside-down kiss (like the one in Spiderman; it was also parodied in Shrek) then one good thing about that is you don’t have to worry about sides. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-kiss-to-the-right-or-left/319104.md?page=1)