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A conversation can happen when you least expect and often when you are least prepared.
Well, there are, no doubt, several ways.
However, the most effective is always to have a few handy conversation starters primed and ready for use.
Table of Contents
First, What Are Conversation Starters?
A conversation starter is precisely that: A starting point from which a conversation can bloom.
The most common form is a short broad-ended question.
One that allows the askee to respond in any number of ways.
It avoids being rude but doesnt derail your day and set you behind schedule.
A conversation should be easy and flowing.
Using a starter is designed to be the catalyst for real discussions.
After all, a conversation needs at least two people.
Perhaps you are not the only one disinterested in the exchange.
Conversation starters also allow you to get a feel for the other persons interest in having a natter.
Of course, both of you may be just observing social niceties.
Better then, to nip it in the bud and both move on with your day.
Lets look at some of the best conversation topics for different social situations.
Note Should you ever meet the queen, different conversations protocols are required.
How Was Your Day Today?
This is a great opening question and one of the most basic examples of conversation starters.
Its the core mix of interest and politeness.
It is as open-ended a conversation topic as you are ever going to find.
Using it should be second nature to all of us.
As with any interaction, you better read the situation a little before diving in.
Crazy Weather Today, Right?
Obviously, this one gets changed based on the actual weather.
One word of caution would be that pop culture might be pushing this starter into satire territory.
Are You Having a Good Time?
you could bust it out in any situation to strike up a conversation with a total stranger.
What Are You up to These Days?
This is a dynamite question and one of my favorite conversation starters.
It is a safe question in many ways, but it can easily lead to the best conversations.
You simply never know what people are going to say.
There is a reason its a common question to ask a potential love interest.
Depending on what the person reveals, this question can lead to all manner of interesting conversation topics.
Just be prepared for when the question is turned on you.
Because when you have a dialogue with someone, many questions always get mirrored back.
Where Do You Come From?
Be careful with this one!
This is a great introductory question to kick-start any sort of discussion.
It shows your interest in not only a conversation but in that specific person.
You are establishing not just a chat but building a connection with the people involved.
The result is often a far more personal conversation.
What Are You Working on Right Now?
This is very much a general conversation start but one that has a time and a place.
Talking to people about what they are working on is a great way to learn more about them.
Moreover, it is a great way to find inspiration for your own endeavors.
How Was Your Week?
This question is another excellent generalist starting point.
Sure, it might sound like some of the other conversation starters on this list.
However, no matter how deep, every chat has to start somewhere.
Asking someone how things are going is a gentle way to kick things off.
Of course, using this question is somewhat time-based.
Asking someone on a Tuesday may be a little premature.
Have You Watched Anything Good Lately?
This particular question is a several-in-one kind of starting point.
They even work in group tweaks.
So whether you have shared interests or vastly different, the opportunities for an organic chin-wag are great.
Where Is Your Favorite Place to Travel?
You may discover a shared hobby that can lead to very long conversations.
There is even the chance of meeting someone who shares a love of the same location.
All conversations are sources of information, providing you ask the right questions.
You hit the conversational jackpot by combining the right ones with the right topic.
you’re free to, of course, play around with the phrasing of this topic.
However, it is one of the all-time great deep conversation starters.
Because the answers and the resulting dialogue can be a great learning opportunity.
Related Reading:75 Inspirational Football Quotes
Not only do you learn about the person you are talking to.
We all find inspiration in different things and different places.
It also opens the doors to any number of channels for continued talking.
What Is Your Biggest Regret?
Regrets are something we all have.
Even those who say they dont do regrets will have them.
From an embarrassing moment to a biggest mistake, weve all got something to share.
It also brings with it a vulnerability that will help forge your connection.
you’re able to tell a lot about a person based on what they value.
That is why, when looking at mid-flow conversations starters, this is a verbal goldmine.
However, you gotta time this one because it is so powerful.
So you better bring it in under the right circumstances and during the part of the conversation.
Do You Play Any Video Games?
Im a gamer, so this is one of my all-time favorite go-to questions when looking for conversation starters.
Me, Im confident enough to ask anybody about games… or wrestling.
Of course, many people may be a little more reserved.
However, when looking for conversation starters for teens, this is a cannot-fail question.
you’re free to tell a lot about a person based on thevideo gamesthey play.
If they their favorite game is Candy Crush, just turn around, smiling sweetly, and walk away.
When You Were Younger What Did You Want to be When You Grew Up?
Not many of us can look back and say we nailed the dream job we had as kids.
It is an interesting question on many levels, not just for its ability to reignite a conversation.
How Do You Think Covid-19 Is Going to Change the World and How We Live?
Covid-19 has forever altered the present.
However, how do we see it changing the future?
Will we change as a species?
Will the small world become a larger place once more?
What is this new normal, and will we ever go back to our old ways?
These are all sub-questions that will effortlessly flow from this topical question.
When youre looking for deep conversation topics, you cant get better than a global pandemic.
Whats the Best Thing That Ever Happened to You?
We are all creatures of experience.
The things we do, see and live through go a great way to shaping the life we live.
You may also find some common ground that can, in itself, lead to further talking points.
Many people struggle to talk openly about their successes.
It could be publishing a book, running a successful website, or notable charitable endeavors.
Would you Rather Win $1 Million or $10,000 a Month for Life?
I like using this question when getting to know people.
I have found that those with more reckless and impulsive persuasion take the lump sum.
While those that are more careful realize the consistency of the smaller amount is safer and ultimately more fruitful.
Its just a good question to help boost a conversation.
If not just to get people thinking outside of the box.
The premise is simple.
Soup is a liquid-based food, eaten hot or cold, out of a bowl with a spoon.
So, therefore, is a bowl of cereal a soup?
Thats the intention of a question like this.
Its a question that will get thrown at you a lot over the years.
It is also a great question once you reach that deep point of a conversation.
However, conversations with friends and people you know well can be equally stagnant from time to time.
But then, panic sets in.
What are you going to talk about with this plethora of romantic interests?
Your mind is blank.
How can you impress people while sitting there stuttering and trying to spit out a coherent sentence?
It kind of is.
Dont worry aboutflirting with your datejust yet.
That will come later in the evening.
For now, lets just focus on making a good impression.
What Sort of Music Do You Like?
This is a tremendous get-to-know-you question and one of the classic first-date conversation starters.
Its a relatively neutral question that can still spawn many interesting conversational paths.
Musical tastes are interesting things to discuss becausemusic impacts our livesin so many different ways.
After all, they say opposites attract.
Where Are You From?
This is an excellent first-date question and a remarkable ice-breaking conversation initiator.
Its a safe question because youre asking it in the interest of getting to know that person.
There is a strong chance that as adults, you have both seen and done things in life.
These events and moments make for great talking points and can keep you both nattering through all three courses.
There may be any number of shared events and occurrences over which you’re free to bond.
Dont forget the differences in what youve both been through are equally important.
Sharing information and experiences is a great way to get close to someone.
Whats Your Favorite Meal
Foodis usually always a safe topic of conversation for a first date.
It is also a great conversation to gather data.
As we said above, first dates are like interviews.
You glean certain bits that you’ve got the option to then use later.
What Sort of Movies Do You Like Best?
Movies are another solid conversation topic that presents a base for a branching dialogue.
We all hold back when first getting to know new people, so these topics are solid first choices.
Would You Ever Do a Bungee Jump?
Instead, its about discovering your dates personality.
Are they an adventurous soul?
Do you match or clash on this front?
On top of that, it is an indicator of character.
Is your date a risk taker in all walks of life?
These are the sort of questions that will spawn from conversation starters such as this.
Tell Me Something Surprising About Yourself
As already mentioned, a first date is essentially an interview.
It is a feeling-out process.
Are you and your date a good fit for one another?
Conversation starters that are aimed at extracting tidbits of information are crucial.
Are You More Like Your Mom Or Your Dad?
Dont worry; youre not fishing for an invitation to meet your future inlaws already.
Its just another in a line of great conversation topics for a first date.
Because its an innocent conversation that everybody can relate to.
Every family is full of great stories.
Further Reading:Top 200 Family Quotes
8.
Do You Like Chinese Food?
We already asked about their favorite food, but this is amust-askquestion.
What kind of person doesnt at least like Chinese food?
What Countries Would You Most and Least Like to Visit?
A double question, really.
If You Could Open Any Business What Would It Be and Why?
Hopes, dreams, and aspirations.
We all have them, and this is a great way to start a conversation on just that topic.
Not everybody is lucky enough to be able to say that they do what they love for a living.
Or that there is no one single thing they would rather be doing each day.
By introducing the concept of a business, you also get the fun discussion coming up with business names.
Laughing at terrible puns will always make a first date go well.
Come Again?
However, there are an equal number of topics that you should avoid.
Conversation topics that come across as desperate, pushy, or even downright weird.
Unless youre looking to make a bad impression purposefully.
If youre on a date, you should always at least give the impression youre a decent person.
With that in mind, lets look at the ten best conversation topics to avoid at any cost.
This is probably one of the worst ways to start a conversation possible.
Where Do You Stand on Sex After a First Date?
Another terrible idea for a first date ice-breaker is to bring up the s word.
Sure, theres a great chance you are both thinking about it.
However, even combined knowledge and experience never justify using sexually tinted conversation starters.
Have You Ever Had This Itching Between Your Toes?
Again, this or any other medical maladies-based conversation starters are big social no-nos.
Talking about any halfway disgusting thing related to your body is just not socially acceptable.
Especially if it involves the words swelling, itching, leakage,flaky, or smell.
Just leave that stuff for the consultation room.
You might just find your conversational skills improve the minute you leave that social faux-pas at the door.
4. Who Are You Going to Vote For?
That includes the broader party spectrum just as much as it does the individuals.
I Keep My Eyes Always on the LORD.
With Him at My Right Hand, I Will not Be Shaken.
Psalms 16:8
Religion and conversation starters should never mix.
There is nothing wrong with religion or being religious in any way or denomination.
Just remember that when looking for conversation starters, you want to try and find some neutral ground.
From where you test the waters, get a feel for who it is your chatting with.
The topics can grow from there.
So I Just Got Paid Today… How Much Do You Reckon It Was?
As far as no-go conversation starters are concerned, this is the double whammy.
First of all, you should never look to open a conversation with your personal finances.
Its poor form and just makes you look like a douchebag.
Ok, Theres a Blonde, Brunette, and a Redhead…
Humor can be a great equalizer in social situations.
Nobody wants to hear your sexist, misogynistic, racially dividing jokes and cheapdark humor jokes.
If thats all youve got, well, maybe the humorous approach is not for you.
If you have some normal jokes, then lead with them instead.
So never use the word moist in any of your planned conversation starters.
Its just not worth it.
Do You Want to See Photos of my Kids?
Many of them are even quite cute.
However, nobody wants to start a conversation with the focal topic being your little ankle-biters.
This is especially true when you are on a date or looking to impress someone at the bar.
Unfortunately, kids are not known to be great at sealing the deal when it comes to romantic matters.
A good conversation is empowering, but it is also terrifying.
Conversation Starters Are Just the Beginning
That is another reason why conversation starters are so helpful.
They give you a foothold and a place to lay the foundation for more extended dialogue.
They are not designed to be the topic of discussion for the entire evening.
Rather, they are intended to get you loosened up and ready for the real conversation to come.
Think of it like stretching before you hit the gym.
However, there is a lot to be said for the ability to have a small-talk conversation.
However, small talk plays a vital role in the psychology of a conversation.
That is why many of the conversation starters on this list are small talk subjects.
Broad and non-offensive with the possible scope to branch out into far more detailed discussions.
They serve as a feeling sticka verbal antenna of sorts.
The core social niceties are breaking ice to pave the way for deeper exploration.
Instead, many of them are perfectly acceptable to use over and over again.
This is especially useful if you are often in a situation where you regularly meet new faces.
Or perhaps you have a conversational horror story that you are ready to get off your chest?
Again, this is a safe space.
you’re able to share your narrative nightmares with us without worry.
