209 Conversation Starters for Social Situations
Last updated: August 27, 2025 by Michelle
Sometimes starting the conversation is the hardest part. I totally get it, but you can rely on this handy list of conversation starters to kick off even the toughest conversations. I love the variety of convo starters found here. They help me get rolling no matter who I’m talking to. Whether I’m texting a friend or talking to my partner, feeling silly or diving deep, there’s something here to help break the ice.
Start off with our favorite conversation starters, then check out all the other categories, or skip to the one that suits you best. We even have PDF downloads in case you have a cheat sheet for your next date!
Best | Interesting | For Couples | Funny | For Kids | Friends | Deep | Date-Night | Random | Flirty | Texts | Crush
Get a Random Conversation Starter 🗨️
The best way to start a conversation is by genuinely asking about the other person. Get a random question, and get talking!
Best Conversation Starters
The definition of “best” might be a bit subjective, but these are our favorite ways to kick off a conversation. See which spark inspiration for you!
Tell me about a moment in your life you’ll never forget.
What’s your favorite holiday?
Tell me about you.
If you had to stick to one food for the rest of your life, what would you choose?
What’s your favorite song?
Tell me a totally random fact.
Do you have any favorite memories from this week/month/year?
Do you remember the first movie you ever saw in a theater?
What would be your ultimate vacation if money was no object?
What is the most treasured item you own?
As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Interesting Conversation Starters
Sometimes, what gets a convo started is just an interesting question or idea. These interesting conversation starters help break the ice, whether you’re at work, with friends, or at a social gathering with strangers.
What is a surprising fact you learned recently?
What’s the best compliment you’ve ever gotten?
What do you think are the best and worst things about traveling?
Who’s the most famous person you’ve ever gotten to meet?
Tell me about the last really good book you’ve read.
What do you find most frustrating about your job?
What do you find most rewarding?
Which movie do you relate to the most?
Do you think there are times when lying is okay?
How does your family tend to handle disagreements and conflict?
How many countries have you visited?
Which would you like to visit next?
Do you think there’s a difference between a vacation and an experience?
Does the changing seasons affect your mood?
Do you have a dream car?
Are you a pack-last-minute person or a pack-way-ahead-of-time person?
What’s your favorite genre of movies, books, etc.?
Have you ever gone on a road trip?
What’s the most fun one you’ve been on?
What is your number one cooking tip?
What are your career goals?
What’s your favorite documentary?
When it comes to work, do you get any benefit out of networking?
If you could instantly acquire any skill, what would you pick?
What are your top five must-have items on a road trip?
Conversation Starters for Couples
When you're in a relationship, it can feel like you’ve exhausted every possible topic of conversation. Here are some conversation starters to help you get in the groove, whether you’re married with kids or just getting to know each other.
Did you go to your high school prom and who did you take as your date?
What is your favorite way to receive love?
What does love mean to you?
Do you try to be more like your parents or less?
Do you have a favorite workout routine?
What do we get way too competitive about?
How are your friends doing?
What movie can always make you cry?
Tell me about a hidden talent I don’t know about.
What’s something you seek in a relationship?
Where do you hope to be in five years?
What are you looking forward to in the next year?
What makes for a healthy relationship?
What’s something about you that people find annoying?
What’s something you did growing up that you’d like our family to do?
Is there something we did before getting together/getting married that you’d like us to start doing again?
What song do you associate with us?
What was the first time you realized you love me?
What do you like best about our family?
What would our couple’s costume be?
Do you like it more when we go out or stay in for the night?
Funny Conversation Starters
Starting a conversation doesn’t need to mean you’re going to talk about heavy stuff. It’s totally fine to get silly instead. Try these conversation starters that are sure to result in laughs.
What is the ugliest piece of clothing you’ve ever worn?
Which fictional character do you want to be best friends with?
What is the worst Halloween candy?
What’s the worst thing you ever named a pet?
If animals could talk, which do you think would be the funniest?
What’s your go-to fall drink: A pumpkin spice latte or apple cider?
What can make you laugh no matter what?
Would you prefer to be too hot or too cold?
Describe your most tragic haircut.
What’s the cringiest trend you actually participated in?
What is your Roman Empire?
Tell me about a prank you pulled off.
What’s your worst guilty pleasure movie or show?
Do you have a favorite comedian?
Do you like to sing in the shower? What’s your go-to song?
Give me your best Wi-Fi name.
Have you ever misheard a song lyric in a hilarious way?
If you got a chance to haunt people as a ghost, who would you haunt and how?
Which famous actor should play you in the movie about your life?
What would be on the blooper reel of your life?
Conversation Starters for Kids
Kids should be allowed to get in on the fun as well! It’s great for kids to learn how to start and maintain a conversation, so try these conversation starters with the little ones.
Who’s your favorite teacher and why?
What’s a food you love?
What’s a food you hate?
Pick one: Chocolate candy or fruity candy.
If you got a time machine, where in time would you go?
Ice cream or popsicles?
What’s a word that’s hard for you to say?
Do you know how to swim?
Would you rather have a chocolate chip cookie or a sugar cookie?
Which animal would you be if you could be any animal?
Do you like playing in the snow?
What smell do you like best?
Where is your school?
Do you like it?
If you could teleport anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?
Is there something coming up that you’re really looking forward to?
Tell me about your happiest memory.
Who’s your best friend?
Conversations Starters for Friends
Even among good friends, sometimes a conversation peters out. Try these convo starters to reconnect with friends both new and old.
Do you have any favorite podcasts to recommend?
How have you been lately?
What do you value most about our friendship?
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had?
What’s your favorite food?
What’s been the highlight of your week?
How do you show gratitude in your daily life?
What were you up to last weekend?
How long have you been working at your current job?
What’s your favorite local park? Should we check it out?
Do you prefer hosting or being a guest?
How has your family been?
What’s your favorite video game?
Have any tips for warming up on a cold day?
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
Do you have any good recipes I could try?
Did you hear about what happened recently?
Have you talked with [mutual friend] lately?
Deep Conversation Starters
Some of us simply aren’t cut out for small talk. Dig into the deep stuff with these conversation starters that are anything but surface-level.
What is your biggest regret?
What problem in the world would you like to solve if you could?
How easy or hard is it for you to trust people?
What’s something you’re grateful to your parents for teaching you?
What do you regard as your biggest strength?
Who’s helped make you who you are today?
Do you believe in people’s capacity to change?
What’s something you’re proud to have overcome?
What does success mean to you?
What is something you think people misunderstand about you?
What is the kindest thing someone has ever done for you?
How do you hope people will remember you?
Who’s the most important person currently in your life?
When in life are you the most happy?
What is something you can’t live without?
Have you ever experienced flow? What were you doing and what was it like?
Talk about something you no longer believe but once did.
Do you have any specific goals you’ve been working on?
What is your most controversial opinion?
How do you push through hard times?
Conversation Starters on a Date
There can be a lot of pressure during a date to avoid the dreaded awkward silence. You’ll never have to worry about that if you have these date conversation starters in your back pocket.
How do you like to relax?
Have you been to this restaurant/bar/park/etc. before?
What’s the last movie you saw?
Do you consider yourself more of an introvert or extrovert?
How was your weekend?
Tell me about your long-term life goals.
Do you have pets?
What’s your biggest pet peeve?
What convinced you to come out here tonight?
Are you reading anything good right now?
If it weren’t for this date, what would you be doing tonight?
What hobby would you like to improve at?
Do you have any nicknames you’re willing to tell me about?
Where’d you get that [article of clothing]?
Where did you grow up?
Do you ever travel for work?
Random Conversation Starters
Some of the funnest conversations seem super random. Go with the flow and throw in one of these random convo starters to keep the chat going.
Do you have any completely irrational fears?
What’s your bedtime routine?
What’s a weird food or food combo you actually love?
Which invention are you most grateful for?
Would you prefer to always be a little early or a little late?
What do you think your pet would say about you if they could talk?
What’s your favorite compliment you’ve ever gotten?
What’s your super secret weird talent?
Would you rather go back in time and warn your past self about one thing or go forward in time and get one piece of advice from yourself?
What’s your tip for getting going in the morning?
How do you feel about modern-day royalty?
Which five items do you always have to have with you at the beach?
Which three people, dead or alive, would you want to get a meal with?
What would you make illegal if you could?
What weird conspiracy do you kinda believe in?
What is something you didn’t expect to like that you’re now obsessed with?
Have you ever gone to a fortune teller?
What mundane task would you like to add to the Olympics?
Do you think there are other forms of life out there in the universe?
Flirty Conversation Starters
Sometimes, you’re not just starting a conversation; you’re also trying to flirt. Turn up the heat with these flirty conversation starters.
Do you have a favorite romantic movie?
Do you think men and women can be friends?
Which qualities do you find most attractive in another person?
Have you ever played Never Have I Ever?
Which song do you think is the most romantic song ever?
What do you find most annoying about dating?
Which celebrity would you date if you could?
What’s something small that instantly makes someone more attractive to you?
If we were a couple from a movie, which couple would we be?
What’s the most spontaneous, crazy thing you’ve ever done?
What’s the first thing you noticed about me?
If we were the last two people on Earth, what do you think we’d do first?
Conversation Starters You Can Text
Do you have a friend or loved one who you can only talk to through text? If so, you can rely on these text-able conversation starters.
What’s the weirdest app on your phone right now?
What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen on social media lately?
Do you think social media is making us worse?
Do you ever video chat? Do you like it?
What’s the worst text you ever accidentally sent?
Send me a funny meme.
Any plans tomorrow?
Do you prefer calling or texting?
What’s your favorite social media platform?
How many pet pictures do you keep on your phone?
Send me the most recently saved meme on your phone.
Tell me how your day is using only emojis.
What’s the most useful app you have on your phone?
Have you ever accidentally texted your ex?
Conversations Starters for Your Crush
It can feel completely impossible to talk to your crush. Learn a conversation starter to combat those sweaty palms and stutters.
What’s your favorite food?
Do you think soulmates are real?
How do you feel about Valentine’s Day?
What’s your ideal lazy Sunday?
Who would play at your dream concert?
What was your first impression of me?
What is your favorite sport?
Is there a song that reminds you of me?
What’s something you think we’d be really good at?
Which movie could you watch over and over indefinitely?
What’s the best vacation you ever went on?
What’s something you think you could teach me?
Which fictional character would you compare me to?
Do you prefer cats or dogs?
Would you rather go to the mountains or the beach?
What’s the one thing I should know about you?
How to Start a Conversation—And Keep It Going!
It’s great to have lists of conversation starters, but they’re useless if you don’t know how to make the most of them! Here’s our top tips for an engaging conversation.
Use Open-Ended Questions
Many of our conversation starters take the form of open-ended questions. That isn't an accident. These questions open the door to more conversation precisely because they don’t have one clear, easy, black-and-white answer. Embrace the ambiguity and see where the conversation takes you!
Follow Up on the Answers
Don’t just ask the questions on our conversation starters lists. Follow up on the answers. A great thing about open-ended questions is that when someone starts answering, you can follow up on that answer, possibly with more questions. This keeps the conversation flowing naturally.
Be Interested!
While asking these questions and follow ups, make sure you’re actually interested in the answers. Don’t just go through the motions. If you’re sincerely interested, that will come across to other people, so make sure you’re choosing conversation starters that really do matter to you.
Discover Shared Interests and Values
If you follow the above three points, you will naturally find shared interests and values in the course of your conversation. That’ll help keep you interested and interesting. And you may create a new or stronger bond with the other person because of the things you share.
Keep Eye Contact
As much as possible, keep eye contact during the conversation. Try to stay focused on the person you’re talking to. People tend to notice when your attention drifts away, and it can feel uncomfortable and even upsetting, as though you are ignoring them. If eye contact is difficult, you can focus on the person’s forehead, nose, or mouth. As long as you aren’t entirely looking away, you should be fine.
More Conversation Starters and Party Games
- Never Have I Ever Questions
- Would You Rather Questions
- Would You Rather Questions for Kids
- Truth or Dare Questions
- Questions to Ask Your Boyfriend
- Questions to Ask Your Girlfriend
- Trivia Questions
- Trivia Questions for Kids
- Knock-Knock Jokes
