Interesting stories

Whether we’re talking to friends or strangers, sometimes it’s hard to avoid awkward silences. Luckily, with just a few topics in your pocket, you’ll have plenty of good questions to keep the conversation going! We’ve put together here 14 of the most interesting questions you can ask so that from now on you’ll never fall into awkward silences again.

Table of Contents

“What was the funnest thing you did last week?”

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Prompt the other person to talk about a positive experience. If you want to leave the impression of being a cheerful and upbeat person (which is always great, right?), try asking this question! Maybe the answer will surprise you, and you can use it to continue the conversation. ^{[1] X Research Source}

For example, if the other person says “I just got promoted!” You might say, “Oh, congratulations! Where do you work?”

“What do you like to do for fun?”

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Ask about the other person’s pastime. If you don’t want to jump right into the topic of work, try asking what the other person does on the weekend. This question will help you learn more about the person you are talking to and what type of person they are. It’s also a great way to start a conversation with a coworker or boss, and you may even find out that you both have similar interests. ^{[2] X Research Source}

You can ask questions like, “Did you find any fun here?”
Or “What did you do last weekend?”

“What do you do?”

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A career is often something very important to people. If you don’t know the person, ask them what they do. You can continue the story by asking them how long they’ve been at it, how they love it, and then share a little bit about your work. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

For example, if the other person tells you about their profession, you might say, “Oh, that’s great! I was planning to do that too before, but then I switched to biology in my last year of college.”
If you’re talking to a child, you might ask, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
If the person you’re talking to is still in college, you can ask, “What major are you in?”

“Where is your hometown?”

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Ask the other person to share something about their hometown. People love to talk about their childhood, so this is a great question to start a conversation. You can continue the conversation by telling them about where you grew up and how you feel about that place. And don’t hesitate to share some of your childhood memories! ^{[4] X Research Sources}

You can also ask, “How long have you been here?” or “Does your family live here?”

“Do you have a pet?”

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Almost everyone likes to talk about their pets. But if the other person tells them not to have pets, ask them if they would like to have a pet in the future (this question is also great for children). If you have pets, tell a funny story about them, even show them a picture of your pet if one is available. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

You can also follow up with questions like “What breed is it?” “How old is it?” “How did you have it?”

“Have you been to a concert/movie/drama recently?”

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Ask if the person you’re talking to has an interesting story to tell you. Maybe they just went to a big concert featuring their favorite band, or saw the premiere of a movie you’ve never heard of. This topic is broad enough to spark a long conversation and can tell you more about the person you’re talking to and their concerns. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

After the other person talks to you about the movie, play, or performance they just saw, you can respond with something like, “Oh, I heard about that too. Do you see yes or no?” Or “Like it, I’ve never seen it. Is it attractive?”

“Have you watched any TV shows recently?”

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Never before have TV shows been watched by as many people as they are now. You and your partner can chat about the shows you’re watching and recommend other shows. This is also an opportunity for you to know if the two sides have any common interests, and you can ask their opinions on those topics too! ^{[7] X Research Sources}

For example, you could say, “I’ve heard people talk about that show too, but haven’t had a chance to watch it. Is it as good as people say?”

“What are you reading?”

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Mention books you’re reading to spark an interesting conversation. After asking what the other person is reading, share with them the book you just read! Discuss the genre of the book, your favorite authors, and the book you plan to read to keep the conversation interesting. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

For example, you could follow up with the other person by saying, “I haven’t read that book, but I already ordered it at the library. Did you buy her latest book?

“Do you like this beer/soft drink/food?”

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Look what they’re eating or drinking to strike up a conversation. If you can’t think of anything to say, ask the other person about food or water. This question is very relevant at parties because almost everyone sips something at the party. You can tell them about the beer, soft drink, food or anything you see in front of you. ^{[9] X Research Source}

For example, when talking about beer, you could continue with, “I like this brewery. Have you been there before? When the company first opened, I went on a sightseeing tour.”

“Did you watch this game last night?”

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If you know the other person is into sports, this can be a hot topic of discussion. Maybe you hear them talk about their love of football or you see them wearing a team jersey. When the two of you discuss last night’s game (or last week, last month), you might talk about your favorite sports team, the players you admire, and your predictions for this season. But remember not to argue too much if the two sides have different opinions! ^{[10] X Research Source}

If you play a certain sport, don’t be afraid to mention it! Maybe the other person is also a sportsman, and the two sides can chat about good matches.

“How far has your project progressed?”

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If you know the other person is working on a project, ask them about it. Maybe they’ve been assigned a difficult assignment at work or are working on a big project at school. Whatever it is, you can ask to see if things are going well. You can then ask them how far they’ve come or if they’ve had any problems. ^{[11] X Research Source}

For example, if you ask the other person how their project is going and they say they’re having a hard time, you might ask, “What’s wrong? Did something go wrong?”

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

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This trivial topic can sometimes be fun to talk about. If you don’t know what to talk about and don’t know where to start, take out this treasure. The other will probably laugh and both of you can take a few seconds to recall the experience. You can continue the conversation by asking how and where they ate the food. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Let’s say the other person says that they once ate deep-fried scorpion. You might say, “Ah, did you go to Thailand or somewhere nearby? I think it’s only available in Thailand.”

“What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever encountered?”

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This general question will encourage the other person to tell a funny story. If you’re just getting to know the other person and have run out of topics to talk about, try changing the mood by asking them to tell a funny story. The hope is that you’ll both have a good laugh afterwards, and you can continue the conversation by sharing a funny story of yours. ^{[13] X Research Source}

If you want to narrow the question down a bit, try asking something like, “What was the funniest thing you did as a kid?” or “When was the last time you laughed until you were in tears?”

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

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Make an assumption to know more about the other person. For example, if they choose a place in the tropics, you can ask them if they like the beach. If they choose to be in a cold climate, you can ask if winter is their favorite season. This is a great way for you to talk about yourself and bring you closer to someone you don’t know much about. ^{[14] X Research Source}

When the person responds, encourage them to say more by asking, “Why?” or “Great! Why did you choose that place?”

Advice

Body language is just as important! If you’re talking to someone face-to-face, try to make eye contact and nod when they talk.

Steps