Nikon 50mm or 35mm f/1.8?

I can't decide! Should I get the 50mm f/1.8 or 35mm f/1.8? They seem almost the same, except the 15mm difference. I'm most likely going to get a Nikon D3100, and I know auto focusing with the 50mm won't work, but it doesn't really matter to me. Also, I'll probably be taking a LOT of portrait photos (just for fun) and pictures with friends. Mostly indoors but outdoors at times. I really want a nice DOF and get a blurred background.

Portraits, don't go below 50mm or you'll get widely distorted heads or facial features.

A lot of portraits means you need the 50 mm.

The 35 mm is too wide and can distort the facial features of your friends… Not too fun for them

Portraits in the entry level segment are currently the big hole in Nikon's lineup - they really should make a new AF-S version of the 50mm/1.8. I'm actually close to recommending Canon to people who want to do portraits with low budget cameras/lenses even though i'm a Nikon guy myself.

Otherwise, if you want an autofocusing 50mm lens for a Nikon entry level DSLR, you'll have to get the 50mm/1.4G That one is better than the 50mm/1, 8 of course, but also thrice as expensive.

For the difference in price you could alternatively get a D90 with the 50mm/1.8 instead of D3100 with the 50mm/1.4

Unless you are going to do people use the 35 f/1.8.