Starting a conversation can be the hardest and most intimidating step, especially if the conversation partner is a stranger. Here are 20 ideas of conversation starters that can help break the ice.
1. What made you decide to come here? – This question can help begin a conversation by inviting the person to open up and share a bit about themselves.
2. What do you do for work? – This question lets the other person know you’re interested in their professional life and can lead to additional topics of mutual interest.
3. What have you been doing lately? – Asking about another person’s hobbies, interests, and activities will demonstrate your interest in them.
4. What do you like to do when you’re not working? – This is another great question to ask to prompt the other person to talk about their hobbies and interests.
5. Are you from around here? – This is a direct question about the other person’s locality that could potentially lead to a longer conversation about the local area.
6. What’s your favorite spot around here? – This question can help the conversation move towards places in the local area and allows the conversation to become more personable.
7. What do you usually do when you travel? – If the conversation moves towards travel, this question will offer insight into the person’s traveling habits.
8. What’s the last book you read? – This is a great conversational starter because it encourages the other person to share the last book they read and spark a conversation about literature.
9. What’s your favorite type of music? – Discussing favorite types of music is an easy way to relate to the person and can help open up a longer conversation about shared musical tastes.
10. Who has been the most influential person in your life? – This question will show your interest in the other person’s personal life while potentially allowing them to reflect on the most meaningful influences in their own life.
11. Who is your role model? – Noting who someone looks up to can help establish mutual respect and lead to a conversation about why the person chose them as a role model.
12. What do you love most about your job? – If a person works in an interesting profession, this can be a great way to learn more about their profession and the things they enjoy about it.
13. What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working? – This simple question will allow the other person to open up and discuss their hobbies and interests outside of work.
14. What’s your favorite style of cooking? – This can be a great conversation starter for people who enjoy cooking and may spark a dialogue about favorite recipes and ingredients.
15. What do you think about the current political climate? – Depending on how comfortable you both are with the subject, discussing current events can lead to an engaging conversation.
16. What would you do if you had a week off? – This can help gauge what type of activities the other person enjoys doing during their free time and provide some interesting discussion topics.
17. What did you study in school? – This question can help you learn more about the other person’s schooling and can lead to a dialogue about similar courses or education paths.
18. What would be the first thing you’d do if you won the lottery? – This can be an interesting conversation starter that can reveal more about the other person’s fantasies and dreams.
19. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? – This thoughtful question can help the other person reflect on their most meaningful experiences.
20. What movie have you seen recently that you really enjoyed? – A great way to begin a conversation about mutual interests, this question will help establish some shared ground.