55 Best Topics to Talk About

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Tired of talking about the weather? Create captivating and intriguing conversations with friends, dates, and family with these topics to talk about, and say goodbye to awkward silences!

Topics to Talk About

Interesting

1. “If I Won the Lottery…”

We’ve all been there before: bored on the train or bus, we decide to torture ourselves, imagining all the things that we could do if we win the lottery jackpot.

While it might be torture to imagine it alone, it makes for a fun and interesting topic of conversation with friends.

2. Discuss Your Dream Holidays

Imagine a holiday with an unlimited budget: where would you go, where would you stay? Would you opt for the beach or a bustling city? Somewhere with sun or snow?

Have fun imagining all the possibilities and learn a little bit about your conversational partner in the process.

3. Your Dream Dinner Party Guestlist

A great way to gauge a person’s interests and hobbies is to let them envision their fantasy dinner party – in particular, their VIP guest list.

Share your own and see if you have any heroes or heroines in common.

4. The Most Expensive Thing You Own

Whether it’s a fancy car, an expensive watch, or a designer jacket, share with each other the most expensive thing you have ever bought or own.

If neither of you has ever splurged, turn the question around: if you could buy one thing – irrespective of price – what would it be?

5. Your Perfect Daily Routine

Take turns imagining the perfect day; what would you do, where would you go, what would you eat?

If you’re on a date, this might even help you learn more about your potential compatibility: if you’re a night owl and they’re in the gym by 6 am, it might be a problem!

6. The Apocalypse

A frank discussion of what each party might do in the event of an apocalypse can be an interesting turn for the conversation.

Who knows, maybe your conversational partner is willing to share an underground bunker with you in the event of an alien takeover.

Small Talk

7. Food

People love nothing more than to tell you about the great food they’ve been eating – or even more, a bad restaurant or food experience they recently had.

Food is a great topic of conversation as your options are effectively unlimited.

From restaurants to cooking, from favorite dishes to secret recipes, the subject of food will keep the conversation flowing for hours.

8. Your Jobs

A classic topic but a classic for a reason; talking about your jobs is a great way to learn a little more about each other without being too intrusive or personal.

Let your friend or partner let off steam about their boss while learning a bit more about their daily life and their skills.

9. The Weekend

Everybody loves reminiscing about their favorite part of the week, even if it was only yesterday.

Whether it was a quiet weekend in front of the television or a fun-filled marathon full of exploits and stories, share with each other what you were both up to and your upcoming weekend plans.

10. Popular News Stories

A political scandal, an election, a celebrity breakup? If it’s in the news and people are talking about it, why not bring it up in conversation?

Try to stay light with the conversation if it concerns politics – small talk at the bus stop is not the place for a heated debate.

11. The Venue

Whether you’re having a drink in a noisy bar or having lunch in a newly-opened café, make some small talk about the venue and your surroundings.

Talk about the deco, the quality of the food or drink, or the overpriced menu.

Fun and Upbeat

12. Great Last Series You Watched

People love talking about their favorite series. Let your friend or partner rant a little about their current favorite, and you might pick up a new Netflix recommendation.

In addition, the subject of television shows can lead to numerous other topics and questions, such as your favorite childhood series, your worst season finale, or a series you wish would get rebooted.

13. Share Your Most Embarrassing Stories

Whether it is a tale from a first date gone wrong, a bodily malfunction, or a public speaking disaster, there is no better way to bond with a stranger than to share embarrassing stories from your respective pasts.

Lighten the mood and set a fun tone to the conversation by exchanging tales of humiliation – reminding each other that everybody is human is a great way to ease any lingering tension.

14. Astrology and Star Signs

Whether you believe in astrology or not, bringing it up in conversation is a fun way to gauge your partner’s interests (or disinterests!) and points of view without asking too many intrusive questions.

Not interested in astrology? Typical Sagittarius!

15. Music

In the same way that people love talking about their favorite television shows, people equally love sharing their passion for their favorite musical artists.

Let your conversational partner wax lyrical – pardon the pun – about their favorites and see if you have any tastes in common.

Music is also a great gateway for other interesting questions, such as their favorite song to sing at karaoke or their favorite love song or break-up song.

16. Travel

Discuss all the places in the world that you have visited, and have your conversational partner do the same.

You can both share your travel ambitions for the future; where you’d like to take a trip or even live in the coming years.

Sharing your travel bucket list is a great way to see if you have mutual interests and tastes.

17. Favorite Movies

While you might think that a conversation about your favorite movie could only last up to a maximum of five minutes, talking about movies is a great gateway to discussing other subjects.

You could talk about other movies, actors, and actresses that you like or dislike, movies that you hate, or the first movie you saw in the movie theater. Share your favorites and let the conversation flow naturally.

To Get to Know Someone

18. Your Childhoods

While it might be a sensitive subject for some, talking about your respective childhoods is a guaranteed way to get to know one another more intimately.

Don’t rush the conversation or demand too many personal questions; instead, let your conversational partner open up to you at their own pace.

19. Favorite Books

Just like talking about your top movies, sharing your favorite book is a guaranteed way to initiate an interesting discussion with one simple question.

It might even spark a lively debate – get ready to defend your favorite novel!

20. Your Past Relationships

While making sure that you are both comfortable discussing the subject, having a conversation about your respective past relationships can help foster trust and ease, whether it be between friends or potential partners.

However, if you’re on an early date, it might be a risky subject of conversation. Don’t launch this topic of conversation too early in a new relationship – your curiosity might be seen as intrusive.

21. Friendships

While discussing former romantic relationships can be a tricky subject of conversation to navigate, talking about your friends, family, and other platonic relationships is easy!

Talk about your family, your oldest friends, your work friends, your funniest friend, or your most eccentric friend, and have your partner or friend do the same.

You’ll pass the time easily with this subject of conversation while learning about your respective social lives at the same time.

22. Your Deepest Flaws

See how honest you can both be with each other, as well as with yourself! Sharing your deepest flaws can be a great way to develop a close connection with a stranger or even a close friend or partner.

By discussing this, you can both lower your guard and let yourselves be vulnerable and candid with one another.

Being open to discussing your own flaws is also a great way to demonstrate that you are open to frank communication, which a potential partner will inevitably consider positive.

23. Reveal Something the Other Person Wouldn’t Guess

Whether it’s a unique job you once had or a secret hobby, bond by sharing with each other something that might not be obvious at first glance.

24. Biggest Pet Peeves

People love complaining about what irritates them, and it is a scientifically proven fact that a shared complaining session can help foster a bond between two people.

According to the New York Times, complaining can be “a useful tool in bonding and helping us process emotions like stress and frustration.”

While it is important not to go overboard, complaining about your respective irritations can help you and your friend or partner bond – especially if you share the same pet peeves!

And if the conversation really takes off, you may even learn about the most bizarre pet peeve you’ve ever heard of.

Deep Conversation

25. Politics and Philosophy

While this subject does have the potential to go south over heated disagreements, between two open-minded people, the subject of politics and philosophy can be incredibly compelling and fascinating for each party.

Discuss your thoughts on the state of the world today and express your political or philosophical ideas; you might change someone’s mind or have your own point of view altered!

26. The Future

Whether you talk about the future of your own lives or the general future trajectory of the planet, the uncertainty of the future makes it a fascinating conversation subject between open-minded people.

It is also a great umbrella topic: you can discuss the future you aspire to, your respective dreams and ambitions, as well as the future of the planet/your country/the world.

27. Dark Times

A great way to foster some emotional intimacy with a partner, friend, or stranger is to have both parties open up about past dark times in their lives.

You don’t necessarily have to go into explicit detail, but discussing bad times – and, especially, how you both overcame them – is a reminder to each party that everybody has a story and some baggage.

Make sure you’re ready to listen if you initiate this subject of conversation!

28. Biggest Fears

Sharks, hurricanes, or a childhood fear of quicksand that lingered into adulthood? Everybody has different fears, and discussing them can be a great way to get to know one another.

Whether the fears are irrational or stem from early-life experiences, you will understand each other a little more and have the opportunity to share some personal stories.

29. Your Favorite Childhood Memory

Positive memories and nostalgia are some of the best things to talk about to create an intimate environment where you can open up to each other about some of the most emotive and fun years in your life.

30. Best Year of Your Life and Why?

If you could choose the best year of your life to be made into a movie, which year would it be?

Not only is this a creative question bound to inspire a fun discussion, but you can both also get to know each other through this topic of conversation; you will find out what makes the other person happy.

Lighthearted

31. Coffee or Tea? Pizza or Burgers? Sun or Snow?

If you’ve run out of conversation topics but want to keep the discussion going, why not ask each other some either/or questions and see what you have – or don’t have – in common?

32. Funniest Dating App Stories

Everyone has dating stories that should be retold at a comedy store. Connecting in each other’s shared despair is a funny way to bond and find mutual ground.

33. Tattoos

Even if neither of you has any tattoos, a fun conversation can still be had on this subject.

Discuss what kind of tattoos you would get if you were one day to get yourself inked, or even enjoy a lively debate about the merits or shortcomings of body art.

Try not to be too virulent if you’re against the concept – your conversational partner might be hiding a secret ankle tattoo!

34. Favorite Genre of Music or Movies

Conversation starters don’t come much better than your love of certain types of music or film. If you have similar tastes, you can connect deeply over your mutual love of certain things.

If you don’t, you can still learn about new movies, styles, and musical genres from the other person that you may be into.

35. Musical Instruments You Play

Music is a huge part of many people’s lives, and if you play a musical instrument, there’s instantly a bridge to talk about theory, practice, and music of all kinds.

36. Are You a Cat Person or a Dog Person?

If you’re on a first date and want to know if you’re compatible, this is the conversation starter to kick things off!

37. The Catchiest Theme Song or Theme Tune from Childhood

If this one doesn’t end up with you and whoever you’re talking to humming and singing some classic tunes from childhood, you’re simply doing it wrong!

38. Your Spirit Animal

Great conversation starters will always intrigue without putting pressure on someone to open up about something personal.

Spirit animals can be meaningful, funny, or quirky, depending on your personality, and everyone deep down has a secret animal in mind.

39. Your Favorite Restaurant in the Local Area

Discover some new places to try, or dive into an emotive debate about the joint to get pizza, Mexican, or steak from, with this fun topic to talk about.

40. Funny Stories from Your Previous Jobs

From bad bosses to embarrassing moments in front of co-workers, this funny conversation starter is sure to bring a few of you to tears of laughter.

More Topics to Talk About

41. Advice You Would Give to Your Younger Self

No matter how old you are, you’ve always experienced more than a younger version of yourself.

42. Aliens and Conspiracies

Discuss with your conversational partner the potential of alien life, the Earth as a simulation, or any of the other conspiracies you discovered while flicking through YouTube documentaries at 3 am.

Have fun with this subject and make sure to keep it light – there’s a difference between an open discussion and trying at all costs to convince a first date of a conspiracy.

43. Worst Habits

Just like sharing your worst fears or embarrassing stories, sharing your worst habits is a great way to bond with each other and get to know each other more intimately at the same time.

Maybe you both bite your nails, or both have a penchant for letting the dishes “soak” for three days.

Whatever your bad habits, sharing them will bring you closer to your friend or partner (and will warn them in advance of your “quirks!”).

44. One Habit You Wish You Could Build

For a great conversation starter, ask each other what’s the one habit you would like to build or get better at and why. This is a great way to understand someone’s personality and priorities a little better.

45. If Money Wasn’t an Issue, How Would You Use Your Free Time?

Deep conversation starters will often give you broad themes to focus on. Talking about your free time if everything is on your terms allows you to get to know someone’s true passions and priorities.

46. What fictional character would you be, and why?

From Sherlock to a Disney princess, the scope of this question is vast. You’re sure to get some interesting answers if you choose more than one character.

47. Favorite Food or Cuisines

Food is a huge part of all of our lives, and so many of us crave certain foods and cuisines, even if they’re a little indulgent. This is a great conversation starter to bond over.

48. The Worst Pickup Line You Have Ever Used or Had Used on You

As funny conversation starters go, this is surely right up there. Be prepared for some truly eyebrow-raising answers and a lot of laughs along the way.

49. What You Love and Loathe About Your Current Job

This is a good topic to discuss if the people you’re talking to are invested in their careers. Be honest about the positives and negatives of what you do for a living.

50. Your Favorite Fashion Trend and its Decade

Whether it’s the velcro and cargo of the 90s or the crop tops and baggy jeans of the 00s, everyone has a favorite fashion period in their life, be it for the right or wrong reasons!

51. Biggest Guilty Pleasure

It could be a terrible song, an unshakable habit, or food that’s just really bad for you, but whether you’re talking to a new acquaintance, date, or best friend, we all have guilty pleasures.

52. Favorite TV Show and Favorite Season of the Show

Good conversation and healthy debate can be had over tv shows, particularly if you’re happy to talk about characters, specifics, and certain seasons.

53. Dream Job

You can learn some interesting things about someone when they talk about their dream job while bringing an aspirational feel to the conversation.

54. Favorite Holiday to Date

We all have wonderful memories of past holidays, and sharing those memories with each other can bring plenty of positivity and nostalgia to the conversation.

55. How Much Sleep You Can Function On

This question is not only a great way to lead a conversation into routines, schedules, and daily life, but you could quickly understand if someone prefers a ‘wild night out’ or a ‘quiet night in’ with this one!

Keeping the conversation flowing is always tricky, no matter who you’re talking to. Just like anything in life, it’s always good to be prepared.

Keep these awesome topics of conversation in mind so that when you are talking to someone close to you, or someone you’ve just met, you’ve always got plenty of ways to steer to conversation onto a fun and intriguing path.

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