The Best and Worst Marriage Compatibility For ENFPs
Fun-loving and caring ENFPs get along with pretty much anyone who can match their energy and hold space for their big emotions. But which Myers and Briggs personality types are considered ENFP marriage material?
We’re taking a deep dive into some of the best and worst marriage compatibility types for ENFP personalities.
The Types Who Could Go the Distance With ENFPs
INFJ: Two Peas in the Values Pod
This pairing works because you both share a passion for helping others and a commitment to your ideals. ENFPs put great value in personal development and empowering others to reach their full potential. INFJs can match them to the letter so together, you make a good-deed-doing, people-nurturing pair.
Not only that but, you may find your INFJ partner particularly fun to talk to. As Intuitives, the two of you share the same abstract style of communication and prefer to dive into the “why?” of every topic under the sun, instead of recounting events in tiny detail. Even if you disagree on trivial subjects (What’s the best sitcom of all time? Is pizza better than pasta?), you’re aligned on what matters most. This can make it much easier to navigate through the ups and downs of a long-term relationship.
And as you’re both used to putting yourselves in the other person’s shoes, it’s unlikely that you’ll want to stay angry at each other for long.
Planning and organization could be your one major snag. Spontaneity may come naturally to you, but your INFJ partner needs structure to feel safe. Maintaining a healthy balance of planned activities while also leaving room for spontaneity should make for a nice equilibrium.
ENTP: You'll Sail With The Winds of Change
ENFPs and ENTPs make for a powerful duo. You are similar in many respects and the one major difference between your personalities (Feeling vs Thinking) can actually enrich your relationship.
Starting with commonalities, you are both future-focused, change-driven and prepared to take a few risks in life. No one is going to bat an eye at the latest adventure idea, new career or lifestyle change because you both understand that life is all about living in the moment and challenging yourselves. Sure, there may be some clashes when it comes to decision-making (e.g. should we splurge on this dream vacation or save for retirement?), but overall you’ll find each other’s perspectives valuable and complementary.
Where you differ is in your underlying motivations for the changes you make in your life. ENFPs are Feelers. You are motivated to change by the people involved and how their lives will be affected. For you, an idea that does more harm than good to people is not worth your energy, no matter how innovative it may be.
Your ENTP partner, on the other hand, doesn't always consider the human side of things. The development of new technology (say, generative AI) can be exciting for them because it's new and interesting. It doesn't have to solve world hunger.
This different focus means that at times you might see your ENTP partner as cold-hearted or devoid of feeling, while they could look at your ideas as too idealistic and difficult to execute. The good news? You can use your natural empathy to help your ENTP partner get in touch with their emotions. In return, they might make you more aware of your biases and give you clarity and objectivity when you need it.
INTP: Mutual Appreciation for Flexibility and Intellect
Despite your obvious differences, ENFPs and INTPs can be a highly compatible pair. You are both Perceivers which means you have a similar relaxed and flexible approach to life. It’s not the end of the world if either of you changes or cancels plans, for example. As Intuitives, it’s likely your communication styles won’t differ a lot. You both value imaginative processes and analytical thinking.
However, it’s important to remember that ENFPs are more ethically driven, whereas your INTP partner is more focused on logical reasoning. This means you may have a hard time making decisions together, as your priorities do not always align. For you, it could be perfectly reasonable to give out money for a school's fund-raising raffle, for instance. Meanwhile, your INTP partner is thinking about how that decision defies logic, as they've already done the math and the odds of you having the winning ticket are slim.
The Types Who Might Not Last With ENFPs
ISFJs: The Traditional vs The Unconventional
ENFPs and ISFJs have some fundamental differences when it comes to worldviews which can make it difficult to find compromise and sustain a healthy relationship in the long run. As an ENFP, you’re comfortable with change and motivated to make the world a better place. Your focus is on ethics and people: Why do things work this way, and how can we make it better for everyone?
On the other hand, your ISFJ partner is change-avoidant. They value tradition and stability and are fearful of rocking the boat. Even if an ISFJ can recognize flaws in society or how things are run, they tend to believe it’s better to maintain stability and predictability. This means that something exciting to you, like traveling off the beaten track, can be intimidating to your ISFJ partner. The clash of routines could be an unswimmable sea of tension for you both.
ESTJ: Communication Disconnect
ENFPs and ESTJs are known to have a difficult time communicating with each other. Your abstract communication style and big-picture framing is exactly the opposite of the ESTJ's more pragmatic, to-the-point style. Say you want to save giant pandas from extinction. How exactly are you going to do that? ESTJs focus on quantifying and measuring concrete results, so if you start talking about your dreams and aspirations from an emotional standpoint instead of presenting a plan and backing it up with facts, they'll probably be uninterested. This attitude can leave you feeling criticized and emotionally neglected.
In addition, both of you are energetic communicators, which means that you may struggle to listen and hold space for each other when you’re eager to talk. You may also realize that, as Extraverts with a rich social life, you could be accepting every single invitation and overbooking your agendas, which may lead to spending less quality time together, just the two of you.
ISTP: The Emotionally Independent Introvert
It’s easy to see why ISTP types may be less compatible with ENFPs as they are almost the total opposite of each other. One an Extravert, the other an Introvert. One is an Intuitive-Feeler, the other a Sensor-Perceiver.
One of the main areas of potential conflict is what marriage means for each of you. While ISTPs tend to live in the moment and prioritize fun in their relationships, ENFPs care about connecting on a deep and emotional level. ISTPs may not always remember to prioritize emotional intimacy or see the importance of it, so navigating conversations that require emotional vulnerability can be particularly challenging. The ISTP may feel that you are just too "needy" while you may see them as not invested enough in the relationship.
The Bottom Line
ENFPs tend to be most compatible with partners who share their outlook on life, their open communication style and a willingness to try creative compromise solutions. INFJ, ENTP and INTP have qualities that ENFPs admire and can help them grow as individuals. However, personalities that are fundamentally different from ENFPs like ISTPs, ESTJs and ISFJs may find it difficult to understand each other’s needs and values, leading to potential conflicts in the relationship.
That said, there’s no such thing as a perfectly compatible person. Any relationship can work as long as there's trust and mutual commitment. The more you learn about yourself, the easier it’ll be to figure out what’s important to you in a relationship and find someone who shares those values and goals.
