How To Make Small Talk In English: 100 Top Questions & Examples

As a general rule of thumb, you should avoid any topic that may be offensive, controversial, or too intrusive. For instance, avoid topics like religious beliefs, politics, and controversial current events. Concerts and festivals are a true mix of people from different cultures, sub-cultures, and walks of life. You can see people wearing truly fashionable outfits, unique hairstyles, and eccentric accessories.

And ultimately, everyone appreciates the confident person who chooses to break the silence and get the conversation going. To break the ice while still staying appropriate and professional, try asking them questions about their hobbies, their favorite coffee, or for feedback about the office environment. If you are looking for conversation starters to use with your employees, look no further.

One sure way to halt the flow of conversation is to keep asking closed questions – that is, questions that only have two possible answers like ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Try to think of a few varied questions on different topics, so if the other person doesn’t seem interested in the first one, you can move on to something different. Whether you feel awkward speaking to new people or you just aren’t sure how to make small talk or initiate a conversation, we’re here to help.

General Small Talk Questions (1-

A sports event is a great place to talk about… well, sports. Having a few open-ended small talk questions up your sleeve to use in situations that require some polite small talk can help appear more confident and feel less awkward. It can save you the embarrassment of awkward silence when you unexpectedly run into your neighbor in the elevator or the anxiety of mingling at a party where you don’t know anybody.

I went on Romanceast a date where we eventually pulled out a deck of cards and decided to play War. The person I was with decided that every time we saw an ace, one of us would ask a question. It was such a simple thing, but it took the pressure off to have questions directed by something else. It was at this point during the date that I learned the most about them, and we found the most common ground.

• If people feel more comfortable with their colleagues, they tend to work together more effectively.
• Things like weekend plans, favorite foods, or recent travels are subjects most people feel comfortable discussing.
• If you know them well enough and it feels natural to do so, you can also ask them about their personal life, including how their family members are doing.
• When you actively listen, you pick up on nuances and emotions that might otherwise be missed.
• If you only stick to work talk and use formal language, your colleagues may find it difficult to connect with you and will perceive you as being stand-offish.

This question is more relevant in small talk with someone you know intimately. I like that it forces reflection on relationships that didn’t pan out, and for you to weigh what worked and didn’t work in each of them. Avoid asking your colleagues ultra-personal questions about anything they might not want to talk about.

Why Should You Avoid Asking, “how Old Are You?”

Take advantage of the Free Quote Generator tool to create social media posts using these questions. This can help you practice conversation skills online and engage with your social network in meaningful ways. Good conversation skills, both online and offline, are investments in your relationships and personal growth. These small talk questions make great conversation starters for social media posts.

There are business dinners where company representative wine and dine current or potential clients. These are usually organized with the aim of getting the clients to sign a particular deal, or to entice them to spend more money on the company’s services. The best way to start a conversation in a corporate setting depends on the context.

Questions To Discuss Professional Growth

” This approach respects the other person’s perspective and encourages a more honest exchange. I once spent an evening playing Minesweeper with a friend, and we made up a rule that every time someone hit a bomb, they had to share a fun fact about themselves. (Eventually in college, this turned into a mini-drinking game for us). It turned a simple game into a surprisingly personal and funny experience. Classic games like Minesweeper are perfect for moments like this, and you can play a modern version here to start your own twist. This game feels like it kicked off a trend surrounding conversation card games in the 21st century, mostly by aestheticizing the art of conversation.

Small talk might seem simple, but it’s the foundation of human connection. Master these conversation starters, and you’ll find that meeting new people and building relationships becomes much easier and more enjoyable. Good small talk also shows that you’re interested in other people and want to make them feel comfortable.

This is a soft skill you can practice anywhere with anyone, no matter the length of time you spend with them. You can even use small talk questions to start a conversation online. Parties are places where people are naturally open to meeting new people and making some random small talk. If you are just killing time or you don’t know much about the person, casual questions can help you to fill a silence without committing to a deep conversation.

One user responds that the best way to get better at small talk is to lead by example and get better at answering questions. They argue that encouraging better small talk starts with offering more than just the minimum answer. The best way to make an interviewee comfortable is often to engage them in small-talk before starting to ask harder-hitting questions. Starting conversations at the beginning of an interview can be hard. After all, as an interviewer you want to make the candidates you are meeting with feel comfortable enough to put their best foot forwards. In fact, most people feel slightly uncomfortable or unsure of themselves entering a room full of well-respected peers.