If you are a nervous in social situations and don’t know what to say, having some thought-provoking questions will make anything less stressful.
As a girl who grew up pretty shy, this really spoke to me. I always admired extroverted people who could walk into a room and own it. They didn’t question what they said or plot what they would talk about.
They just walked right in and said what was on their mind. I, on the other hand, didn’t know what to say and would stress about social situations. For any event, I would try to figure out who was going to be there so I would have a list of things to say.
Talking to someone you don’t know is not always an easy thing to do, especially if you don’t have any background on who they are. Sometimes engaging in a conversation can feel more like playing 50 questions. The typical questions like “What do you do?” or “How do you know the host?” or “What college did you go to?” will get you nothing but one-word answers followed by empty silence.
Starting a conversation is always awkward, but only if you don’t know what will engage people. Here are the best conversation starters for someone who doesn’t know what to say.
When you don’t know what to say – 50 questions that work like a charm
If you are someone who always thinks that you don’t know what to say, fear not. Being social, even if it does not come naturally, can be something that you can learn through practice.
If you know what to say, conversation flows pretty easily. You just have to know how to get other people to step in and guide the conversation. Once you do that, you’ll feel that you are talking as easily as being in a ping pong game.
#1 Are you bothered by rattling noises in the car while driving? [Read: How to keep a conversation going with the opposite sex]
#2 If you could eliminate one person from earth, who would it be?
#3 If all you could eat was your favorite food forever or you could never have it again, which would you choose?
#4 If you could start your life over again, what age would you start it at?
#5 If you were made from fabric, what type would it be?
#6 What do you think we will name the next generation since “x” and Millennial are taken?
#7 What do you think SnapChat was invented for? [Read: Six easy conversation starters that’ll always keep a conversation going]
#8 If a bear and a tiger got into a fight, who do you think would win?
#9 If you had a million dollars, what is the first thing you would do?
#10 Are you a mountain climber or a sand comber?
#11 If you were a dog breed, which would it be?
#12 If you only had 24 hours left to live, what would you do? [Read: 20 signs of attraction in the first conversation]
#13 If you heard the world was going to be hit by an asteroid, but if you prepared for three months by building a shelter, you would have about a two percent chance of living. Would you spend three months planning or taking the time to live it up?
#14 If someone offered you a job in the arctic for ten years that would make you filthy rich, but you couldn’t talk to the people you love while there, would you take it?
#15 What is the one thing that a friend can do that is grounds for a breakup? [Read: Drawing a blank? Try these 25 perfect conversation starters instead]
#16 Could you stay with someone if you found out they cheated on you?
#17 If I asked people to describe you in three words, what would they be?
#18 Now that you are grown up, are you what you wanted to be when you were a child?
#19 Have you ever had a recurring dream? What was the most terrifying dream you ever had?
#20 If you had to lose either smartphone technology or the internet, which would you chose?
#21 What name did you always wish your parents had named you?
#22 Do you think that there is such a thing as ghosts and, if so, how does that work? [Read: How to be funny and make people love your company]
#23 If you had a time machine, what is the one pivotal moment you would go back to and change?
#24 Would you rather have a sub-par house in an awesome location or an incredible mansion in a sub-par area?
#25 If you got stuck on the ferris wheel for hours, who would you want to get stuck with?
#26 Are you someone who has to have a book in paperback or are you okay with digital media?
#27 What was the greatest band of all time?
#28 Everyone has that “I could have been ___.” What could you have been if you really set your mind to it? [Read: Things to talk about with a girl – 43 conversation starters]
#29 If you could only have one season, which would it be?
#30 If you had to eliminate one holiday from your life, which one would it be?
#31 Do you think people like the Duggars who have 19 kids are being fair to their kids? Do you think they are getting enough attention individually?
#32 Do you think that if you go to a buffet you should be able to hang out from breakfast to dinner if it is all you can eat?
#34 If hell is supposed to be miserable, what do you think you will have to do if you end up there for eternity?
#35 If you can’t find the remote, is it smarter to get up and change the channel or spend an hour looking for it? [Read: 40 first date questions to have a great conversation]
#36 Do you think it is easier to have an affair now with the internet and keep it quiet or before the internet was created?
#37 If you could have a special talent, what would it be?
#38 If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
#39 If you were a superhero, what would the name of your nemesis be, and what would they do to make them your enemy? [Read: Socially awkward? 16 little hacks to loosen up and live life]
#40 Do you think that there could really be a town like Footloose where a deacon could make it illegal to dance?
#41 If a new law was passed that you were vehemently opposed to, would you conform or “fight the Man?”
#42 If you had to press the red button, would you want to make the decision all on your own or have it be a group decision?
#43 Do you think that world peace is obtainable… what would it take? [Read: Social anxiety to social butterfly – How to be less awkward]
#44 Why do you think people fight over religion?
#45 Would you rather be too cold without a blanket or too hot without any air conditioning?
#46 Do you think that you will go through a midlife crisis, and what do you consider midlife?
#47 What are three things on your bucket list? [Read: How to easily make small talk without feeling awkward]
#48 Do too many cooks really spoil the broth, or is it important that everyone give their best opinion and ideas?
#49 Who has been the biggest influence on you and why?
#50 What was the dumbest clothing trend of all time?
Small talk can be very difficult, especially if it doesn’t inspire anyone to engage in a conversation. If you ask questions that only get one word answers, at some point it is going to feel like a Q&A session.
[Read: 36 racy, random funny questions for flirty guys and girls]
Asking provocative, funny, and thought-provoking inquiries will help you get someone wrapped up in a conversation and in you. And if you use these questions, you will never again think that you don’t know what to say.
