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125 Conversation Starters For Anyone and Any Situation
125 Conversation Starters For Anyone and Any Situation
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Initiating small talk is tough, but these conversation starters will get the discussion flowing no
matter the situation
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A good conversation starter will often include at least a few of these things:
Ready to be a better speaker? Here are some ideas that will not only reduce
your social anxiety but also make you instantly interesting to others—perhaps
even the life of the party!
2. Oh, I love your shoes! What made them stand out to you?
5. Hey, I was told you have great taste—could I ask your opinion on scarves?
9. I’m really excited to see the _______ concert. What are you up to this
weekend?
10. Did you see the Grammys/Super Bowl/Oscars/Met Gala/World Cup? What
did you think?
12. What do you like best about your job? What’s one thing you wish people
understood about it?
13. I always get so nervous at these types of events, and I’m never sure what to
say. What are your favorite conversation starters?
16. What’s something about your field that people often get wrong?
20. What do you do for work? How did you choose that career?
21. If you could go back and relive any year of your life, which would it be?
23. What was your dream job in kindergarten? Would you do that if you had
the chance now?
27. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Don’t worry about using fancy words to sound smarter. Thoughtful questions
and attentive listening will draw others in.
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33. How do you feel about pickleball: fun bonding activity or a rest stop on the
way to divorce court?
34. Is there anything you want to talk about that we haven’t been able to
discuss lately?
36. What is your favorite pet name for me? For you?
39. What chore do you hate the most? Which one do you hate the least?
Keep the conversation going by sending these flirty texts to your partner.
43. How many seasons of The Office have you seen, and why is Dwight your
favorite character?
A Trusted Friend in a Complicated World
44. Small talk makes me nervous! Which is worse: me trying and sticking my
foot in my mouth or us standing here awkwardly in silence?
45. If you could add any weird holiday to the calendar what would it be?
47. What hill are you absolutely willing to die on, no matter what anyone else
says? (Mine is that syrup has to be refrigerated to be good!)
48. What’s something that you used to hate but now love?
49. Pick one: skydiving, bungee jumping or scuba diving. How much would
you pee your pants?
50. If you were a celebrity, would you be the kind who hides from the
paparazzi or calls them every time you take a walk?
These short jokes and clever jokes also make funny conversation starters.
54. What’s the best food you’ve eaten this week? This year? Your entire life?
57. What’s the strangest news story that’s stuck with you?
59. What’s one thing you swore you would never do but then did?
62. What’s something you lost that you’d still really like to find?
Make sure you’re paying attention to the other person’s body language
during a conversation. It can let you know if you’re giving off a bad vibe.
70. What’s the worst pickup line anyone has ever used on you?
74. What’s one song lyric that always resonates with you?
Don’t love any of the above? Use one of these epic Tinder pickup lines.
77. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry, and who gave it to you?
79. If you had to live one holiday every day for the rest of your life, would you
rather do Christmas or Halloween?
83. What was your favorite show when you were a little kid, and why was it My
Little Pony?
85. Which gets poured first into the bowl: milk or cereal?
Looking for more ideas? Begin with a silly joke for teens.
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87. If you could be any breed of dog, which one would you be?
89. My all-time favorite movie is _______. Which movies make your top five?
91. What is a fact that everyone “knows” but isn’t actually true?
94. What’s the best how-to video you’ve ever watched on YouTube?
98. I have a comfy, oversized hoodie just waiting for you to borrow.
101. What’s the most important thing you want me to know about you?
103. What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to try but never have?
Does your date have a good sense of humor? Try one of these cheesy pickup
lines.
112. What was the first concert you ever went to?
122. If you could time travel, when and where would you go?
123. Who do you still hold a grudge against?
Source:
Charlotte Hilton
Andersen
Charlotte is an award-winning journalist who covers etiquette, relationships, psychology, health and lifestyle. She has written more than 50
etiquette stories for Reader’s Digest, spearheading the site’s popular Polite Habits and Best Messages series. With a knack for capturing the
essence of an interview subject, she also specializes in human-interest and “as told to” stories. In addition to Reader’s Digest and The Healthy,
her work has been published in Shape, Cosmopolitan, Women's Health, O Magazine, Fitness, Redbook, Seventeen, What to Expect When
You're Expecting and more.
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