Mastering the art of small talk in English

Have you ever felt anxious when starting a conversation in English? You’re not alone! Mastering the art of small talk in a foreign language is essential on your learning journey. It's a crucial social skill that opens doors to new connections in the English-speaking world, and you don't have to be an advanced speaker to succeed in it.

💡 Small talk - a short informal conversation about random basic topics like weather, food, hobbies and so on. This seemingly unimportant chat with someone often promotes learning, expands your world views, and contributes to a sense of belonging to the community.

Only positive features so far, right? Now, where do we begin with small talk?

Best topics for small talk 📋

Keep in mind that being relevant is crucial for successful small talk. So, when choosing a topic, aim for something that's interesting and relatable to both you and the person you're chatting with:

• Weather
• Prices and economy
• Traffic
• Background / life
• Food
• Pets/ kids
• Traveling

❌ For smooth experience, avoid such topics as politics, health, religion, money and similar controversial ones.

Conversation starters 🫒

Imagine you're starting a conversation with a stranger. The easiest way to get them talking is by asking a simple question — nothing too complex, just something they can respond to immediately. The weather is always a safe bet:

• “Beautiful day, isn’t it?”
• “It’s so nice out today, isn’t it?”
• “Can you believe all the rain we’ve been having lately?”
• “It’s pouring out there”
• “It’s really cold for this time of the year”
• “They say it will be a little chilly today”
• “It’s so windy outside that it almost blew me over”

Useful questions for small talk ❔

Once the conversation is flowing, you can transition to more specific topics and learn more about your speaking partner:

• “How did you end up at [name of event]? (when meeting someone at the party)
• “How did you choose to work in [field]?
• “Are you a long way from home?”
• Are you reading any good books right now? I’d love some recommendations. How about shows?
• What are the best cheap eats around here?
• What’s the best “hidden gem”* around here? (a fascinating place that only a few people know about)
• What’s your favorite thing to do around here on the weekends?

How to keep small talk going 🔁

To keep the conversation going, it's crucial to demonstrate genuine interest in the person you're talking to. Here are some natural ways to do so in English:

• Oh, really? Oh, yeah?
• Incredible! Amazing! Fantastic!
• How awful! What a pity! Poor you!
• How interesting!
• No way! I can’t believe it!
• My goodness! My gosh! Good heavens! (to show surprise)

What next?

Let's face it: mastering small talk takes practice. If you're eager to hone your skills in English conversation, find local English-speaking events, consider joining an English language club, or connect with a speaking partner. And for accelerated progress, check out our English Bootcamp course — you'll be chatting like a pro in no time!