How To Make Small Talk in

Spanish [Easy Conversation]

Although a lot of people don’t like to engage in small talk, we all need to do it
from time to time.

However, when you’re learning a new language it’s crucial that you develop the
basic skills to engage in this kind of conversation.

Keep reading to learn why it is important for you to learn how to engage in
small talk in Spanish, how to start a conversation in this language, and some of
the most common small talk conversation topics in Spanish.

How To Start a Conversation in Spanish

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Although some people consider it a waste of time, in reality, small talk (in any
language) is actually a social skill.

One study found that people actually enjoy having conversations with
strangers.

We all need to talk to strangers at some point and knowing Spanish small talk
is a great way to practice your Spanish speaking skills too.

Let’s look at some basic strategies to start a conversation in Spanish.

1. Immerse Yourself in Spanish

In order to be fluent in a basic Spanish conversation, immersing yourself in

Spanish is a great way to achieve it.

Research has shown that language immersion has many benefits, and being
able to start a short conversation in Spanish is definitely one of them.

2. Learn Filler Words in Spanish

Filler words go hand in hand with small talk. They exist for a reason—to give
you time to think about what you’re going to say next, which is useful when
you engage in a conversation with a stranger. And more than anything, filler
words improve your conversation skills.

3. Learn Spanish Conversation Starters

The hardest part of a conversation is to start it, especially if it’s with a person
you don’t know.

So, learning a few conversation starters in Spanish isn’t such a bad idea.
Among these conversation starters, you’ll find a few Spanish conversation
questions and useful Spanish conversation topics.

Spanish Conversation Topics

The first thing you need to do when you’re looking for a conversation topic in
Spanish is to ask yourself what do you want to talk about?

If there’s anything that you feel comfortable talking about, that’s the way to go.

However, we don’t always know clearly what we want to talk about. So here
you have some useful conversation topics to engage in small talk in Spanish.

Talking About the Weather in Spanish

The ultimate small talk conversation topic is without a doubt the weather.

British people like to joke that without the weather there wouldn’t be anything
they could talk about between them—as they aren’t too open with their private
lives or their feelings.

To learn how to talk about the weather in Spanish, studying these weather
expressions can be helpful.

Start with a conversation starter mentioned above, such as

Hola, ¿cómo estás?
Hello, how are you?

Continue your little chat in Spanish using some of those weather expressions,
for example:

Hace mucho calor, ¿cierto?

It’s too hot, right?

Or

Se aproxima una tormenta.

A storm is coming.

And suddenly you already have an easy conversation going on.

Finally, when talking about the weather, knowing some time expressions can
be useful as you can refer to weather events in the past or in the future.

Take a look at these time expressions in Spanish and mix them up in your
small talk conversation about the weather in Spanish like this:

En los últimos días ha llovido mucho.

In the last few days, it’s been raining a lot.

Or

Estos días han sido muy hermosos.

These days have been beautiful.

Talking About Yourself

What do you know better than anything else? Yourself. So, when looking for a
conversation topic, sometimes it’s good to talk about yourself as that’s a topic
that you really know about.

Start by introducing yourself, where you come from, what you do, and why you
are in that specific point in time and space. Look at the following example:
Hola, me llamo Luis, soy mexicano y soy escritor. Estoy aquí por la vacante de
periodista deportivo.

Hello, my name is Luis, I’m Mexican and I’m a writer. I’m here for the sports
journalist position.

Some of these essential Spanish phrases for conversational fluency can help
you to talk about yourself, as they include a section about “Getting to know you
better.”

Moreover, when you talk about yourself, other people feel confident about
talking about themselves too, and now you have a two–way conversation
about topics that both of you really know about.

Cultural Topics Sure To Please

Depending on the country you’re based in or the one you’re visiting, there
might be some cultural topics more appropriate for small talk. I mentioned
already how the weather is very appropriate for this kind of conversation in
Great Britain.

Let’s learn about other cultural topics from different Spanish –speaking
countries.

Avoid Politics and Religion Everywhere

Whatever you do, don’t try to make small talk about politics or religion
anywhere in Latin America.

These topics don’t go well with this kind of conversation as they involve
delicate information.

Basic Spanish Conversation Questions

Perhaps the best way to start a conversation in any language is asking
questions.
The previously mentioned list of conversation starters includes many useful
Spanish conversation questions and here you have some of the most common
ones:

¿Puedo hacerte una pregunta?

Can I ask you a question?

¿De dónde eres?

Where are you from?

¿A qué te dedicas?
What do you do for a living?

¿Con quién estás aquí?

Who are you here with?

¿Cuál es tu comida favorita?

What’s your favorite food?

¿Te gusta viajar mucho?

Do you like to travel a lot?

¿Qué haces en tu tiempo libre?

What do you do in your free time?

¿Cuáles son tus pasatiempos?

What are your hobbies?

How To Respond To Show Interest

Sometimes the issue with small talk is that it’s hard to show interest in
something that may not be that important.

For that reason, you might find useful these little questions and phrases that
help you to show interest in what the other person is telling you:

¿En serio?

¿Ah sí?
¿De verdad?

¡Qué interesante!

¡No sabía eso!

¡Tienes que estar bromeando!

¿Y luego qué pasó?

Spanish Conversation Examples

Now, let me share with you two brief examples of small talk conversations in
Spanish:

Dialog 1

– ¡Qué buen clima hace hoy!

– Tienes razón, ya era hora de que dejara de llover.
– Cierto, la tormenta de ayer estuvo terrible.
– Sí, llovió a cántaros.

– What nice weather we have today!

– You’re right, it was about time it stopped raining.
– True, yesterday’s storm was terrible.
– Yes, it rained cats and dogs.

Dialog 2
– ¿Puedo hacerte una pregunta?
– Sí, dime.
– ¿De dónde eres?
– De Argentina, ¿y tú?
– Yo soy de México.
– ¿Y qué haces aquí?

– Can I ask you a question?

– Yes, sure.
– Where are you from?
– Argentina, and you?
– I’m from Mexico.
– And what do you do here?