Getting to know someone better means hearing stories that rarely come up in a quick hello. How they got into a hobby, for example, or what made them change their mind about something. Good conversation starters give you a way into those stories, with room to share your own.
We’ve put together 30 questions, from funny conversation starters to deeper topics you might save for a longer chat. Try them in person, over text or in a group chat, and follow up on whatever makes you curious.
Easy Conversation Starters for Someone New
1. Have you found anywhere good to eat around here?
A recommendation gives you a reason to speak again. If you try their suggestion, you can come back with “I ordered the noodles you mentioned.” You’ve followed up on something they offered, and now you have an experience to compare.
2. What have you been watching lately?
You can have a strong opinion about a fictional character before you’re ready to say much about yourself. You may discover that you enjoy disagreeing with this person, which can be as interesting as finding out you both loved the ending.
3. What do you usually do with a free afternoon?
When you meet through work or study, it’s easy to know someone only in that role. Their idea of a good afternoon can also help you suggest something they’d actually like to do together.
4. How did you get into [shared interest]?
There may be a person or a particular period of their life behind the hobby. If you’re new to it, mention what you’ve tried so far and ask what they wish they’d known at the start.
5. What’s something you tried recently that you’d do again?
A story about your own awkward first attempt can make it easier for them to talk about theirs. If they want to do it again, you may also discover something you could try together.
6. Got anything good planned for the weekend?
For someone you’ve only just met, this leaves the amount of detail up to them. A simple plan can reveal an overlapping interest, and mentioning your own plans keeps the exchange mutual. If you’re both interested in the same event, you have a natural opening to suggest meeting there.
Conversation Starters for Friends
7. How did [the thing they mentioned] go?
Following up shows that you remembered something happening in their life. If they were nervous about an interview or looking forward to a visit, asking afterwards gives them a chance to share how it actually felt, including anything they left out of a brief update.
8. What’s taking up most of your free time lately?
You may still picture a friend as they were when you saw them every day. You might find out they’ve taken up something new, or stopped doing an activity you still associate with them.
9. What’s something you learned from a friend that you still use?
People don’t always hear that a small thing they taught someone was worth remembering. If the friend you’re speaking to taught you something, tell them you still use it.
10. What do you miss about living in [place]?
You might miss the same place for different reasons. Hearing which routines or moments stayed with your friend can tell you what they valued about the time you spent there. It may also suggest something you could bring back, such as a regular meal together.
11. What do we keep saying we’ll do but never actually plan?
A repeated “We should do that sometime” can leave both friends waiting for the other to make a plan. Bringing it up again shows you’re still interested in spending time together. You can also find out whether the original idea still suits you both or needs to change.
12. Have your tastes changed much since we met?
Perhaps you still send them music they liked years ago, or assume they’d never try a certain food. Comparing how your tastes have changed can uncover interests you now share. It also gives an old friend a chance to correct an impression you’ve held on to.
13. What’s made you laugh this week?
A funny moment can get left out when the conversation is mostly about work and family news. It could become a joke that the two of you keep coming back to.
14. What’s a place you’d love to show me?
Letting a friend choose where to take you makes room for their own history and tastes. A street they grew up on or a café where they spent a lot of time may explain something about their life that has never come up in conversation.
Funny Conversation Starters
15. What’s a small mistake your friends still bring up?
Telling your own story first shows you’re comfortable being laughed with. The other person can choose an incident they already find funny, so the embarrassment stays on their terms. This suits friends who know each other’s sense of humour.
16. What’s an ordinary thing you’re weirdly particular about?
Small preferences give you a way to disagree playfully without getting into something sensitive. They’re also the kinds of details you start remembering about a person: which mug they reach for, or why they always change the car’s volume to an even number.
17. What’s an oddly specific skill you have?
An unusual skill can reveal hours spent on something you knew nothing about. Giving them time to explain or demonstrate it shows interest in that part of their life. You might find a shared interest that your usual conversations have never reached.
18. What did you misunderstand for far too long?
Sharing a small misunderstanding lets you both admit being wrong about something without much at stake. Share one of your own mistakes too, so the laughter isn’t all at one person’s expense.
19. If we opened a restaurant together, what would go wrong first?
You’re building a story together, so each answer gives the other person something to add. It can draw on things you already know about each other, such as who improvises and who plans everything. It works best when the roles are ones you’re both happy to laugh about.
20. What’s the funniest thing autocorrect has done to one of your messages?
An autocorrect mistake gives you a shared frustration to laugh about, even if you’ve only recently met. The mishap is easy to explain and doesn’t require a long personal history. It’s a useful lighter topic when the conversation has become a little formal.
Deep Conversation Starters
21. Is there something you used to enjoy that you’d like to make time for again?
An old interest can be something you still associate with a friend, even though they’ve stopped talking about it. Asking what they miss can help you understand whether it was the activity, the people or having time to themselves. They may appreciate being heard before discussing a plan to restart.
22. What’s an opinion you’ve changed your mind about?
There may be an experience or a person behind the change. Hearing that story can help you understand a view that initially surprised you. This is worth asking when you’re prepared to explain changes in your own thinking too, and give their answer a fair hearing.
23. What would you like to keep the same over the next few years?
When future plans come up, it’s easy to talk only about the next move or achievement. Asking what they want to keep can reveal commitments you hadn’t noticed, such as being close to a parent or protecting time with friends. Those details help you understand choices that might otherwise seem puzzling.
24. Which habits have you picked up from your family?
A familiar habit can lead into family stories without asking someone to sum up their childhood. You might hear who taught them to cook or why they always call after a journey. Sharing your own version gives you room to compare what home was like for each of you.
25. What feels easier now than it did a few years ago?
Getting more comfortable with an everyday task can take effort that friends never see. If you’ve seen that change yourself, you could mention a moment when you noticed it, such as hearing them speak up in a meeting.
26. What’s a decision you’re glad you didn’t rush?
Hearing what someone needed before making a decision can help you understand how they weigh uncertainty. They may have wanted more information, time or another person’s support. That’s useful to know when they come to you about a choice in the future.
Group Chat Conversation Starters
27. What’s a photo on your phone that has a good story behind it?
A photo lets someone choose the part of their life they want to bring into the conversation. The story behind it may introduce friends, places or routines the group hasn’t heard about. Other members can respond to those details, so the exchange can grow beyond a string of reactions.
28. What belongs in a visitor’s guide to your hometown?
Someone who’s quiet in a group may have plenty to say about a place they know well. Asking for local recommendations gives them something concrete to contribute without needing to be part of an old inside joke. Their suggestions can also lead to stories about where they grew up.
29. What’s a detail from our last trip that everyone else has probably forgotten?
People can remember the same outing for completely different reasons. Hearing a detail someone else kept may change how you remember it, or reveal that a small gesture mattered to them. Everyone who was there can add to the story.
30. What could we all try before the end of the month?
A shared plan gives the group something to talk about before and after it happens. Letting people suggest options also tells you what they have time and energy for. For friends in different places, trying the same recipe can give you a new experience to compare.
Keep the Conversation Going
If a friend mentions they used to play an instrument, ask what they played and whether they still do. If you have a music story of your own, share it too.
On imo, you can pick up a conversation when you’re apart with a quick message about something you discussed. “I tried that place you recommended. The dumplings were great. What should I order next time?” gives your friend an easy way to reply. For a group chat, try these icebreaker games to give everyone a topic to jump into.