Conversation Starters for Friends

Imagine a scenario where an old family friend comes visiting after years, with his son/daughter who is your age. The parents get busy talking to each other and leave you two alone to mingle and get to know each other. Since you two do not know each other at all, you are at a loss as to how to start a conversation with him and befriend him. If you have ever found yourself in such a situation and want to make sure that it does not happen again, below are some useful tips and ideas on conversation starters, which you can imbibe and learn from.

Ideas on Good Conversation Starters

Whenever you meet someone for the first time, you should always start with an introduction. Tell the other person your name and offer him your hand to shake. The other person will respond in the same manner. Once you know each other's name, it is time to get to know each other and the best way to do that is by asking some good questions.

What do you do?
A simple question, but very useful in making the other person open up to you. It will also give you an opportunity to know about their job, educational qualifications, which college they go to, etc.

How do you spend your weekends?
This question will give you a fairly good insight about the other person. You will come to know how the other person likes to spend his leisure time. If he prefers hiking, cycling or traveling, it can be inferred that he loves spending time outdoors. If he likes to read, watch TV, surf the net during the weekends, it means that he is an indoor person. By knowing all these things, you will have a good idea, whether your hobbies/ interests match or what you can do together in future.

Where did you grow up?
Asking about someone's childhood or the city they grew up in, is another good question to ask. Almost all of us have some or the other happy memory related to our childhood. So the person you are trying to strike a conversation with, will have enough to talk to you about. Also, talking about the time when we were small and innocent, almost instantly brings a smile on our face. Thus, this simple question can serve as an ice breaker between you two.

How did you meet your boyfriend/girlfriend?
Although this is not one of the typical conversation starters, still if you have developed some kind of comfort level with the other person, where he has already told you that he is dating someone, you can go ahead and ask this question. Most people would love to tell their story, especially if they are in a serious relationship.

What is the most funniest/unusual/ craziest/stupidest thing you have ever done or has happened to you?
Before asking this question, narrate a similar story of your own experience so that the other person does not feel awkward while narrating his. Funny conversation starters surely serve as ice breakers and increase the comfort level between two people.

Once you have known each other and start hanging out together as friends, there are a number of topics, on which you can talk to each other. Some interesting conversation topics with friends are sports, TV shows, films, favorite books and authors, birth dates and sun signs, favorite cuisines, clothes, holidays, sharing some funny incidents, etc. At a later stage, if you become good friends and begin to trust each other, you can even discuss your careers and relationships, and take advice from each other on these.

You can come up with anything interesting, (which is not too personal), and start talking or asking questions about it. While talking, make sure that you display good and welcoming body language by looking the other person in the eye and smiling from time to time. Pay attention to what they are saying, and give your opinions every now and then. In the end, just remember one thing - be yourself and enjoy your interaction with others rather than feeling pressurized to make good conversation.