Conversation: How To Talk To Stranger

Conversation, # ice break, small talk, stranger, talk,

Do you feel nervous or shy when talking to new people, especially in crowded and noisy places like parties or bars?

Even though getting better at talking to strangers takes practice, it can still be hard, especially if you’re an introverted person.

In your career, you’ll meet a lot of new people in and outside of work. Being good at starting conversations with strangers can help you make important connections for your job.

Try making a list of things to talk about to help you get started.

Table of Contents

Ways to Start Conversations with New People

Here are some tips to start conversation with stranger:

Say Hello
Give a Compliment
Discuss the Weather
Request Assistance
Offer to Assist
Make a Joke
Share A Random Fact Information
Question about Current News

Say Hello

Introducing yourself to others with a greeting is a common way to start a conversation in many languages, including English. There are formal and informal greetings you can use depending on the situation.

Formal Greetings:

Hello
It’s a pleasure to meet you
Good morning / afternoon / evening

Informal Greetings:

Hi / Hello / Hey / Yo!
What’s up? (What’s good?)

Alternatives:

Have a great day
It’s nice to see you
Hello from afar
Have a good day
Great to meet you
Hello and best wishes
Hello
Hey there!
Hi
How are you doing?
How have you been?
Howdy!
Hey friend!
Nice to meet you
Greetings!
What’s going on?
What’s up?
Yo!

Give a Compliment

Making a compliment is another way to start a conversation with someone new. By giving a compliment, you can start a positive and friendly conversation about the thing you complimented.

To keep the conversation going, you can ask some follow-up questions like where they got their shoes or how they got that cool accessory.

Here are some examples of compliments that could start a conversation:

You have such a great smile!
Your outfit looks amazing.
Your shoes are so cool!
You seem so kind and friendly.
I love your hat, it’s so fancy.
You’re radiating positivity.
You look great, have you been working out?
Your sunglasses are so stylish.
Your shirt is really nice.
You caught my attention with your smile.
You have a friendly aura around you.
You seem like a really cool person.
My mom told me not to talk to strangers, but you don’t look scary at all.
I love your shirt, where did you get it?
You seem like a really kind person.
You have a great energy and aura around you.
Those sunglasses look really cool, where did you get them?
Your outfit looks amazing, did you just get it?
You’re so cute!
That hat is so fancy, where did you find it?
You look like you’ve been working out, you’re in great shape!

Discuss the Weather

Asking about the weather is a great way to start a chat with someone new. It’s a common topic that everyone can talk about, whether it’s with friends, family, coworkers, or strangers.

You can ask what the weather’s like, if it’s hot or cold, or if there’s any rain or snow. To get started, make sure you know some weather-related vocabulary and expressions.

Here are some examples:

“Wow, it’s such a nice day out!”
“Gosh, it’s so hot today.”
“Do you think it’s going to rain later?”
“This weather is just perfect, don’t you think?”
“I can’t handle this heat anymore!”
“It looks like it’s going to snow, huh?”

You can also ask for specific weather information:

“What’s the temperature like?”
“Is it raining or snowing there?”
“What’s the forecast for the week?”

And here are some possible answers:

“It’s freezing outside! It’s minus 10 degrees.”
“No, it hasn’t rained here in weeks.”
“It’s 22 degrees Celsius here.”
“It’s pouring rain outside.”
“It’s a beautiful day, we couldn’t ask for better weather.”
“The forecast is calling for sunny skies all week.”

Request Assistance

One way to talk to strangers is to ask for help. By asking for this help we can open a conversation. But one must also look at the situation, whether asking for help makes it possible. However, one must consider the context and assess if it’s appropriate to ask for help.

Here are some line to request an assistance:

Excuse me, do you have the time? I seem to have left my phone at home.
Hi there, could you help me find my way to the nearest coffee shop? I’m new to this area.
Hi, I’m trying to find a gift for a friend. Do you have any recommendations for a good bookstore in the area?
Hi, I’m having trouble setting up my camera. Do you happen to know anything about photography?
Hey, can I ask for a quick favor?
Excuse me, do you have a moment to give me directions?
Would you mind taking a photo for me?
I’m trying to find [insert place here], do you know where it is?
Would you like to share my umbrella? It’s raining pretty hard outside.

Offer to Assist

Offering to assist a stranger who’s having difficulty with a task is an excellent way to initiate a conversation. The manner in which you approach the situation will vary based on the place and context of your interaction. Here’s a sample scenario:

Here are some sentence to offer an assistance:

Excuse me, it looks like you’re carrying a heavy load. Can I help you with that?
Hi there, I noticed you’re searching for something on your phone. Can I help you find what you’re looking for?
Hi, I’m an expert on this area. Can I give you some recommendations for the best places to visit while you’re here?
Hi, I saw that you’re having trouble with your map. Can I help you find your way?
Can I help you with anything?
Can I offer you a hand with that?
Hey, do you need any assistance?
Do you need any help with anything?
Let me give you a hand with those, they look heavy.
Can I offer you some gum?

Make a Joke

Here some joke you can use to break an ice:

Why did the tomato turn red? Because it saw the salad dressing!
Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field.
Why did the coffee file a police report? It got mugged.
Why did the cookie go to the doctor? Because it felt crumbly.
Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field.
What do you call a cow with no legs? Ground beef.
Why can’t a bike stand on its own? It’s two tired.
Knock knock. Who’s there? Banana. Banana who? Knock knock. Who’s there? Banana. Banana who? Knock knock. Who’s there? Orange. Orange who? Orange you glad I didn’t say banana again?
Why did the chicken cross the playground? To get to the other slide!
What do you call a fish with no eyes? A fsh.
Why do elephants never use computers? They’re afraid of the mouse!
Why was the math book sad? Because it had too many problems.

Share a Random Fact Information

This method is most effective when the interesting fact you share is relevant to the current location or situation. When used in the right context, it can be a powerful tool for starting a conversation with someone new.

Example random fact information you can use:

Did you know that the human nose can detect over 1 trillion different scents?
The heart of a blue whale is so large, a human could swim through its arteries.
Elephants are the only mammals that can’t jump.
The shortest war in history lasted only 38 minutes between Britain and Zanzibar.
The Great Barrier Reef is visible from space.
The average person will spend six months of their life waiting on a red light to turn green.
The average person will spend two weeks of their life kissing.
A sneeze can travel up to 100 miles per hour!
The average person will spend five years of their life dreaming.
The oldest living thing on Earth is a bristlecone pine tree that is over 5,000 years old.
A group of flamingos is called a flamboyance.

Question about Current News

An approach to striking up a conversation is to bring up current events. Most people are interested in the latest happenings. By discussing the news, it’s possible to keep the conversation going.

Here some example questions you can use:

What’s your take on the current state of politics?
Have you been following the news about the recent protests?
What’s the latest news that has caught your attention?
Do you keep yourself informed about current events?
Do you have any thoughts on the recent developments in science and technology?
What do you think about the new policy decisions being made by the government?
Have you read any interesting news articles lately?
Do you think the media covers all the important events happening around the world?
What’s your opinion on the current state of the environment?
How do you stay updated on current affairs?