What Questions Can Keep a Conversation Going? Quality Conversation Starters for Any Situation

Co-authored by Julia McCurley and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: November 30, 2021 References

Whether you’re talking to a stranger or chatting with a friend, dodging that awkward pause in a conversation can be a little tough. Thankfully, if you keep a few conversation topics in your back pocket, you’ll have tons of fun questions you can ask to keep a convo going! We’ve compiled 14 of the most interesting queries you can bring up to never experience a lull in the conversation again.

1

“What’s the best thing that’s happened to you this week?”

Get someone chatting about a positive experience. If you want to be known as an upbeat person (which is always a great thing to be), try this question! The answers might surprise you, and you can build off of their answers to keep the conversation going.^{[1]
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- For instance, if someone says, “I got promoted at work!” You could say, “Congratulations! Where do you work?”

2

“What are your hobbies?”

See what people like to do for fun. If you don’t want to jump right into career talk, try asking about what people do on the weekends instead. This is a great way to learn more about someone and get a read on what kind of person they are., and it’s a great way to start a conversation with coworkers or your boss. Plus, you can find out if you two have any similar interests.^{[2]
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- You could also say something like, “What do you like to do for fun around here?”
- Or, “What did you get up to last weekend?”

3

“What do you do for work?”

People’s careers are often very important to them. If you don’t know this person very well at all, ask them about their job and what they do. You can then follow up by asking how long they’ve been working there and whether they like it or not, and you can also share a little bit about your own job.^{[3]
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- For example, if someone tells you what they do for work, you might say, “Oh, that’s so interesting! I considered going into that field, but I switched to biology in my last year of college.”
- If you’re talking to a little kid, you might ask, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
- If you’re talking to someone still in college, you could say, “What’s your major?”

4

“Where are you from?”

Ask them to share a little bit about their hometown. People usually love to talk about their childhood, and this question is a great way to start the conversation. You can follow up by sharing where you grew up and whether or not you liked it. Feel free to share a few quick stories from your childhood, too!^{[4]
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- You could also ask, “How long have you lived here?” or, “Do you have family in the area?”

5

“Do you have any pets?”

No matter who they are, people love to talk about their animals. If the person says they don’t have pets, ask them what kind of pet they would like to get someday (this question works well for kids, too). If you have any pets, you can share a funny story about them or even show them a photo, if you have one handy.^{[5]
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- You can also follow up with more questions like, “What kind is it?” “What breed are they?” “How old are they?” “When did you get them?”

6

“Been to any concerts/movies/operas lately?”

See if the person you’re chatting with has a fun story to tell you. Maybe they just went to a huge concert and saw their favorite band, or perhaps they went to the midnight showing of a brand new movie you’ve never heard of before. This question is just vague enough that it can spark a longer conversation, and it can tell you more about the person you’re talking to and their interests.^{[6]
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- After the person tells you what show, movie, or play they’ve seen, follow up with something like, “Whoa, I’ve heard about that! Did you like it?” Or, “Interesting, I’ve never seen that one. Was it good?”

7

“Have you watched any cool TV shows recently?”

Now more than ever, people are watching a lot of TV at home. You can chat with someone about the shows you’re watching and give each other recommendations, too. This is another fun way you can find out if you have any similar interests, and you can ask for their opinion on stuff as well!^{[7]
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- For instance, you might say, “I’ve heard of that show, but I haven’t gotten around to watching it yet. Does it live up to the hype?”

8

“What are you reading right now?”

Chat about what you both are reading to spark a fun conversation. After you ask what the other person is reading, feel free to share your latest book, too! Talk about your favorite genres, your favorite authors, and which books you want to read next to keep this lively convo going.^{[8]
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- For example, you could follow up by saying, “I haven’t read that one yet! I put it on hold at the library, though. Did you buy her newest release?”

9

“Do you like that beer/soda/food item?”

Take a look at what they’re holding for an easy conversation cue. If you’re feeling stuck (and it’s okay if you are), ask them about what they’re sipping or snacking on. This one is great for parties, since everyone is usually drinking or eating something throughout the night. You can then chat about your favorite beer, soda, or food, or whatever you’ve got in your hand right now.^{[9]
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- For instance, if you’re chatting about beer, you might follow up with, “I love that brewery. Have you ever been there? I went on a tour right when it first opened.”

10

“Did you catch the game last night?”

If you know this person is into sports, that can be a fun conversation topic. Maybe they brought up how much they love football, or maybe you see them wearing a soccer jersey. Once you bring up last night’s game (or last week’s, or last month’s), you can talk about your favorite teams, your favorite players, and any predictions you have for the season. Just try not to get too heated if you have differing opinions!^{[10]
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- If you play any sports, feel free to bring that up, too! Maybe the other person is also athletic, and you can chat about your favorite games or your best match.

11

“How’s your project going?”

If you know someone is working on something, ask them about it. Maybe they have a tough assignment at work, or maybe they’re working on a huge school project. Either way, you can check in with them about it to see how it’s going. Then, follow up by asking how far along they are or if they’ve run into any challenges.^{[11]
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- For instance, if you ask someone how their project is going and they say it’s tough, you could ask, “Why’s that? Are you running into issues?”

12

“What’s the worst thing you’ve ever eaten?”

This silly conversation topic can be fun to talk about. If you’re stuck and you’re not sure where to take your conversation, pull something like this out of your back pocket. Your conversation partner will probably chuckle, and you can both spend a few seconds thinking about a gross story. Then, follow up with questions about why they ate something or where they ate it.^{[12]
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- Maybe the person you’re talking to says they’ve eaten snails before. You could say something like, “Whoa! Were you in Paris or something? I thought they only did that in France.”

13

“What’s the funniest thing that’s happened to you?”

This vague question lets your conversation partner come up with a funny story. If you’re just getting to know someone and you run out of questions to ask, try lightening the mood by asking them to tell you a silly story. Hopefully, you’ll both be laughing by the end of it, and you can keep the conversation going by sharing a funny story of your own.^{[13]
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- If you need to narrow down the question a little bit, try something like, “What’s the funniest thing that happened to you as a kid?” or, “When’s the last time you laughed so hard you cried?”

14

“If you could vacation anywhere, where would you go?”

Throw out a hypothetical to learn more about this person. For instance, if they choose somewhere tropical, you might ask them if they like the beach. If they pick somewhere cold, you could ask if winter is their favorite season. This is a fun way to share things about yourself, and it can get you that much closer to someone you don’t know much about.^{[14]
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- Once the person answers, get them talking by asking things like, “Why’s that?” or, “Interesting! Why there?”

Expert Q&A

Question

What can I say to spark a conversation with my crush?

Julia McCurley
Certified Professional Matchmaker
Julia McCurley is a Certified Professional Matchmaker, Relationship Coach, and the CEO of Something More, Austin's premier matchmaking service. She has been creating happy couples in Austin for over 12 years and has helped hundreds of singles on their journey to finding love. Her blogs have been published on the Huffington Post, Good Men Project, SheKnows, Emlovz, and The Dating Truth. She also just published her first book, Game Set Match: A Professional Matchmaker's Advice on How to Win At the Game Of Love. Julia holds a BA in Business and Communications from The University of Puget Sound and received her Master Executive Matchmaker Certification from The Matchmaking Institute.

Julia McCurley

Certified Professional Matchmaker

Expert Answer

Mention something you have mutual interest in. If both of you like a TV show, you could say, "Hey, have you seen the most recent episode of..." That's usually a pretty easy way to get them talking again.
Question

What's something flirty I could text my boyfriend if we haven't talked all day?

Julia McCurley
Certified Professional Matchmaker
Julia McCurley is a Certified Professional Matchmaker, Relationship Coach, and the CEO of Something More, Austin's premier matchmaking service. She has been creating happy couples in Austin for over 12 years and has helped hundreds of singles on their journey to finding love. Her blogs have been published on the Huffington Post, Good Men Project, SheKnows, Emlovz, and The Dating Truth. She also just published her first book, Game Set Match: A Professional Matchmaker's Advice on How to Win At the Game Of Love. Julia holds a BA in Business and Communications from The University of Puget Sound and received her Master Executive Matchmaker Certification from The Matchmaking Institute.

Julia McCurley

Certified Professional Matchmaker

Expert Answer

If you've both been busy, you might spark a little romantic interaction by texting something like, "It's been a long day. I just got out of the shower and I was thinking of you...how are you?"
Question

What can I text if I haven't talked to someone in a while?

Julia McCurley
Certified Professional Matchmaker
Julia McCurley is a Certified Professional Matchmaker, Relationship Coach, and the CEO of Something More, Austin's premier matchmaking service. She has been creating happy couples in Austin for over 12 years and has helped hundreds of singles on their journey to finding love. Her blogs have been published on the Huffington Post, Good Men Project, SheKnows, Emlovz, and The Dating Truth. She also just published her first book, Game Set Match: A Professional Matchmaker's Advice on How to Win At the Game Of Love. Julia holds a BA in Business and Communications from The University of Puget Sound and received her Master Executive Matchmaker Certification from The Matchmaking Institute.

Julia McCurley

Certified Professional Matchmaker

Expert Answer

Just shoot them a compliment. Something like, "Hey, I miss your sense of humor. How are you?" Even if it's a little out-of-nowhere, people like a compliment!