What is the least painful way to break up with a girl?

Honesty! Don't be a coward! Lets be honest - break ups always suck! But how you approach it can make a huge difference! Always do it face to face - never over the phone, through text or email! You are not a real man if you don't have the balls to do it in person! As soon as you feel like you don't want to be in the relationship anymore - Tell Her! Don't pull away, act distant, or stop calling/coming around! Those are childish games! She will respect you more if you just come right out and tell her how you feel! Yes that means you have to talk about your feelings! But if you are mature enough to be in a relationship you should be mature enough to talk about your feelings. The truth may hurt - but it is whole hell of a lot better than not knowing why the relationship is over - believe me! She will be upset, but at least she will know the truth! Which actually makes getting over a relationship a lot easier. Friendship down the road is possible - but give her some time (a few months) to move on! If you immediately try to be friends and hang out and stuff that will only confuse her and lead her to believe you may still want a relationship.

Bottom line - be honest, be respectful, and don't play games!

Face-to-face and be honest. If you're sweet when you break up with her, she'll think you still care and she'll try to get you back. Even though it's very difficult and hurts, be a little mean. Then, don't call her after the break-up, don't visit her, don't talk to her friends about her. Just do it and be done. If you want to be friends with her in the future, wait a month or two.

There isn't a way that isn't painful. it will hurt her and possibly you, depending on how deep the feelings were. be honest about why you're breaking up. don't pull the "its not you, its me" stunt. it gets on girls nerves. don't do it over the phone or in a letter, you have to do it in person, and don't have somebody do it for you, that just shows you're a coward and are afraid to tell her to her face. also, don't just slowly slip away from her or have relations with anyone else until its completely over, that will just make th process worse.

First of all, do not listen to what the guy said. He's wrong. If you want to break up with a girl honesty works, like many girls have already said. A few rules though:
1) No breaking up by phone, email, text, or through a friend
2) Do not say, "Oh I just want to be friends." without really meaning it
3) Be honest, not harsh

Don't be quick about it but don't hesitate just tell her how you feel (NEVER BREAK UP BY PHONE OR EMAIL OR BY TELLING A FRIEND TO TELL HER THAT IS DISRESPECTFUL)

Guys seem to think that if they slowly pull away, don't call as much, or don't see her as often then its easier. That is (listen closely) B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T. No girl wants to be treated that way. Explain your feelings to her, you'll see that you will make it out of the relationship and that she might not feel like a loser.

Do it swiftly. Don't drag it out. It will save a lot of heartache in the end.

I prefer honesty. If there's something I did or said, I want to know. I also want him to be sensitive and listen if I have a few things to say. If I walk away knowing that he won't make fun of me later and that he still cares about me as a person then it's easier to deal with.

I think it totally depends on how long you've been together. If you met her recently and you've only been out on a few dates, then I'd just have a heart-to-heart after a date. Tell her you like her and respect her, but you feel like you're not ready to get too involved just yet, and you sense that she is looking for something more.

On the other hand, if you've been dating for some time, then you owe her some time to work through her feelings. Give her some indications your having second thoughts. Try to work though your feelings with her, and give her a chance to work though hers. Let her help in the decision to end the relationship ("I'm not sure we both want the same things; I"m not sure we'll be able to work it out; I can't stand to see you hurt; I'm not sure what we should do" . This will eliminate the "hopeless" feeling people have when they've been dumped.

If you're seeing someone else already, then that complicates things. You need to make sure you're that she's the first person to know. You'll have to be more direct with her because you don't have the luxury of time. Quite likely she'll end up with hurt feelings.

Dude, if you care about her feelings then theirs some sorta connection their, you'll just do it and shell cry and you'll feel bad and want her back blah blah blah if you really wanted to break up with her who cares if its painful?