Having a lot of friends is a good thing because you can share things with them and even help each other. When you meet new people, just saying hello and where you’re from isn’t enough to really get to know them. You need to talk to them more to learn more about them.
Don’t ask a lot of questions right away when you meet someone new. This might make them feel uncomfortable or like you’re being mean. Instead, try to be friendly and start a conversation. That way, you can get to know each other better and have a good first meeting!
Starting a conversation with someone
To start talking to someone, you can ask them questions. It’s important to say hello in a friendly way and stand in a spot where both of you feel comfortable. You want to be close enough to hear each other well, but not too close that it feels awkward.
Here are some ways you can say hello:
“Hi Tom! What’s up?”
“Hey man! Busy today?”
“Aye, mate! How’s life?”
Remember, these greetings are for people who are around your age. If you’re talking to an older person like a grown-up friend or neighbor, it’s best to use more polite language, like “Good morning! How are you?” or “Hello, Mr. Smith. What have you been up to?”
Breaking the Ice
There are many things you can talk about to break the ice with someone new. A common topic is the weather. But when you’re in a different country or talking to someone who speaks a different language, there might be different cultural norms you have to follow.
So, you shouldn’t ask questions like “Have you eaten yet?” or “Have you taken a shower yet?” that might be common in Philippines.
Here is an example of a conversation that could break the ice:
Dialog 1
John : Hey, James. What are you up to?
James : Hi, John! Nothing much, just relaxing.
John : What do you think of the game yesterday?
James : It was amazing, John! I’ve always loved watching Messi play.
Dialog 2
John : Good evening, Anna! How’s life been?
Anna : Good evening, John! It’s been great. How about you?
John : I’m doing well, thank you. Did you get a haircut?
Anna : Yes, and I added some color to it too.
John : Your hair looks great, Anna. You kind of resemble Emma Watson with this look.
Questions to get to know someone better
Once we’ve said hello, we can ask some questions to learn more about the person. These questions might seem odd, but they can make the conversation more interesting and help us get to know the person better.
What’s your favorite item of clothing?
What’s a skill you really want to learn?
What would be an awesome adventure to go on?
What songs can you sing by heart?
What takes up a lot of your time?
How do you unwind after a long day?
What TV shows do you like to watch?
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If you want to talk about deeper things, you can ask these questions:
Who helps you be better?
What do you think about a lot?
What book had the biggest effect on you?
What makes life happy?
What are you really into?
What silly thing are you really proud of?
What is the most important goal in your life?
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If you know someone well and they seem okay with talking to you, you can ask them some more personal questions like:
What stops you from sleeping at night?
What do you wish you had done differently?
What makes you nervous or worried?
How do you want to change as a person in the future?
What was the biggest surprise about yourself that you’ve learned?
Is there anything you did in the past that you would like to change?
What do you think people see when they look at you?
When making new friends, it’s important to be aware of any topics that might make them feel upset or uncomfortable. Let the conversation flow naturally, so it doesn’t seem like you’re asking too many questions. Good luck!
