For foreigners looking for romance in Colombia, there are several resources at your disposal to find that special someone.
Whatever you’re looking for in an ideal date, Colombian dating services are a great way to fast-track your search for a potential future partner or an impassioned fling.
There are, however, a few rules and tips to be aware of before your first encounter. As well as this, you should know the best dating apps in Colombia that are available.
With this in mind, we’ve put together a run-down of the do’s and don’ts when dating Colombian’s, and some useful tricks to know for making an awesome first impression.
First things first, let’s look at the most popular dating apps in Colombia.
Dating apps in Colombia
- Tinder is by far Colombia’s most popular dating app. Swiping right remains one of the easiest ways to find dates across a variety of ages and preferences in both Colombian cities and small towns.
If you’re looking for something casual at first and aren’t motivated to begin a serious relationship, Tinder is your best bet for matching Colombians with similar intentions.
- Bumble is used by many Colombians to find long-lasting love. The platform is set up so that women have to message first when matching, and only have 24 hours to do so. Many Colombians – irrespective of gender – like this model as it encourages more meaningful engagement with their matches to foreigners.
If you’re in Colombia for the medium-to-long term and want to find a real connection with a Latino or Latina, you could do worse than getting a Bumble account.
- Colombian Cupid has been purpose-built to match Colombian women with their ideal foreign man, and vice versa. If you’re a man looking for your perfect Latina partner, Colombian Cupid has over 2 million singles using its platform. It boasts a range of service features that tailor your results to what you’re looking for in a Colombian girlfriend or future wife.
- If you’re planning on living in Colombia and looking to settle down with your ideal Colombian partner, Colombian Cupid helps hundreds of foreigners a day find that special other.
Speed dating in Colombia
If you’re not into using technology and want to start the dating process face-to-face, speed dating events are alive and kicking in Colombia’s big cities.
Bogotá, Medellín, Cali and Barranquilla all have regular speed dating nights that attract a blend of Colombian and foreign singles to come and seek romance. Depending on your level of Spanish and the type of speed dating event you attend, you can ask to be placed with bilingual or partially English-speaking Colombians so that your 5-minute conversation is of decent quality.
Useful tips for dating Colombians
- Learn the language – If your serious about finding love or simply charming a Colombian, knowing some Spanish goes a long way. Independent of your date’s gender, attempting to speak Spanish shows that you’re both interested in immersing yourself in Colombian culture and properly getting to know them.
It might make the first few encounters awkward, but trying out some Spanish phrases and questions will go a long way. On the whole, Colombians are very patriotic, so slipping in a few Colombian phrases will get you big brownie points.
- Beware of timekeeping – This might be an unfair stereotype, but I’ve heard enough anecdotal evidence of this to fill a book: Colombians, generally speaking, are fashionably late to many events.
If you’re someone who likes to be on time or sees lateness as a sign of rudeness, prepare yourself for potential disappointment. And it’s best not to bring up your annoyance on the first date.
Remember that your customs are different from your dates’. Who knows, their more laissez-faire approach to timekeeping could become an endearing quality in the future.
- Speak highly of Colombia – As I said above, Colombians are patriotic. Every day at 6 am and 6 pm, the national anthem spills out from Colombian radio stations, while flags and emblems of national pride are plastered across buses, buildings and homes.
If you’ve got a gripe or a bug to bear with Colombian culture, then, it’s wise to keep it to yourself (or frame it diplomatically). For example, many foreigners dislike Colombian food. While it can be a fun topic if you’re asked your opinion, volunteering that the food sucks without being asked might be seen as a slant. Colombians aren’t deluded in thinking everything here’s perfect, but events in the country’s recent history mean that many may feel defensive towards outside impressions.
- Learn the dating customs – This is by no means true in every case, but certain chivalrous traits still exist within Colombian dating. For instance, it’s not uncommon for men to pay for dinners and date activities. Also, it’s not uncommon for straight foreign men to meet their Colombian date’s family within their first few dates.
As I said, this isn’t true for everyone. However, it’s important to establish boundaries before going on your first date. This way, each of you is aware of what the other is comfortable and not comfortable with.
Signing off
Dating in Colombia is an exciting experience. Embracing new norms and using the range of dating services available is the best way to get the most out of potential Colombian romance.
If you’ve already found love and are looking to stay in Colombia, Expat Group is a specialist in helping foreigners get R-type and M-type Marriage visas. If you need help getting either of these visas, book an appointment to speak to one of our consultants today.