100 questions · hand-curated
100 conversation starters that don't suck
Most lists of 'conversation starters' are recycled wedding-reception small talk. These are the ones that actually open up a real conversation with a stranger — the kind you'd want to keep talking to.
Light openers (use these first)
- 1.What's the most interesting thing that's happened to you this week?
- 2.What's something you're surprisingly good at?
- 3.What's the last thing that made you laugh out loud?
- 4.What's your most controversial food opinion?
- 5.If you weren't doing what you're doing right now, what would you be doing?
- 6.What's the best advice you've ignored?
- 7.What's your favorite way to waste a Saturday afternoon?
- 8.What's a small thing that consistently makes you happy?
- 9.What's the most useless skill you've mastered?
- 10.What's the strangest compliment you've ever received?
- 11.What's something everyone seems to love that you just don't get?
- 12.What's the last thing you got really excited about?
- 13.What's a song you've had on repeat lately?
- 14.What's the weirdest thing in your fridge right now?
- 15.What's a hobby you wish you had more time for?
- 16.What's the best meal you've had this month?
- 17.What's something you're looking forward to?
- 18.What's your idea of a perfect lazy day?
- 19.What's a small luxury you'd never give up?
- 20.What's the last book or show that made you change your mind about something?
Get to know them (round 2)
- 21.What's something you used to believe that you don't anymore?
- 22.What's the most useful class you ever took?
- 23.What's a habit you wish you'd started earlier?
- 24.What's the kindest thing a stranger ever did for you?
- 25.What's something you've recently changed your mind about?
- 26.What's a piece of life advice you'd give your younger self?
- 27.What's a misconception people have about where you live?
- 28.What did you want to be when you were 10?
- 29.What's the most interesting place you've ever been?
- 30.What's a tradition from your family that you actually love?
- 31.What's a word in your language that doesn't translate well?
- 32.What's a food from your country a foreigner should try first?
- 33.What's something everyone in your country knows but the rest of the world doesn't?
- 34.What's a stereotype about your country that's wrong?
- 35.What time is it where you are, and what's a normal day for you?
- 36.What's the music scene like where you live?
- 37.What's a local snack you'd send to a friend abroad?
- 38.What's the best part of where you live?
- 39.What's the most overrated tourist spot in your city?
- 40.What's an underrated thing about your country?
Slightly deeper (once it's flowing)
- 41.What's something you've gotten better at lately?
- 42.What's a fear you've outgrown?
- 43.What's the best decision you've made in the last year?
- 44.What does a good day look like for you?
- 45.What's something you'd love to learn if you had a year off?
- 46.What's a piece of art that genuinely moved you?
- 47.What's a relationship that shaped who you are?
- 48.What's a moment when you felt completely yourself?
- 49.What's a difficult thing you're glad you went through?
- 50.What's a question you've been sitting with lately?
- 51.What's an experience that made you grow up fast?
- 52.What's the best gift you've ever given?
- 53.What's the worst advice you've ever followed?
- 54.What's something you used to want that you don't anymore?
- 55.What's a goal you have that has nothing to do with money or career?
- 56.What's a fear that holds you back?
- 57.What does success look like to you?
- 58.What's the most you've ever changed in a year?
- 59.When were you last completely surprised by yourself?
- 60.What's a quiet accomplishment you're proud of?
Fun and weird (use anywhere)
- 61.If you could be on the news for something, what would you want it to be?
- 62.What's the most chaotic thing you've ever done legally?
- 63.What's a conspiracy theory you find genuinely entertaining?
- 64.What animal would you be most insulted to be compared to?
- 65.What's the most ridiculous thing you believed as a kid?
- 66.What's the dumbest argument you've ever won?
- 67.Where do you think aliens are hiding?
- 68.What fictional world would you actually want to live in?
- 69.What's your villain origin story?
- 70.What superpower would actually ruin your life?
- 71.What's a mundane skill that would make you a great spy?
- 72.If you had to give a TED talk tomorrow with no prep, what would it be about?
- 73.What's a piece of trivia you can't stop telling people?
- 74.What's the most you've ever spent on something completely pointless?
- 75.What's a hill you'd die on?
- 76.What's an unpopular opinion you have about a popular thing?
- 77.What's the dumbest thing you spent a long time arguing about?
- 78.What's an apology you owe but won't give?
- 79.What's the most chaotic 24 hours of your life?
- 80.What's a weird flex you have?
- 81.What's something you've done that 99% of people would never do?
- 82.What's a small thing that should be illegal?
- 83.What's the most you've ever cried over something stupid?
- 84.What's the most absurd thing you'd do for a million dollars?
- 85.What's the smallest hill you'd die on?
- 86.What's a tiny thing that ruins your day?
- 87.What's a tiny thing that makes your day?
- 88.What's the most pointless thing you're great at?
- 89.What's the weirdest skill in your résumé?
- 90.What's the most embarrassing song you'd defend?
- 91.If you wrote a memoir, what would chapter one be about?
- 92.What's the most stereotypical thing about you?
- 93.What's the most aesthetic thing about your apartment?
- 94.What's a really specific thing you find attractive?
- 95.What's a weirdly specific pet peeve?
- 96.What's the most boring conversation topic to you?
- 97.What's the best low-stakes gossip you have?
- 98.What's a smell that takes you back?
- 99.What's a song lyric that's hit you harder over time?
- 100.What's the best meme of all time?
Try one of these on a real stranger
Free anonymous voice chat. No signup. Live captions in 14 languages.