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30 English conversation starters, and how to practise them

Half the fear of speaking English is not knowing how to begin. A few reliable openers fix that: they get the other person talking, buy you time, and make you sound relaxed. Here are thirty that native speakers actually use.

Social: "How's your week going?" · "What do you do when you're not working?" · "Have you been here before?" · "Any plans for the weekend?" · "How do you know [the host]?" · "What are you watching at the moment?" · "Where are you from originally?" · "What brought you here?" · "Been anywhere nice recently?" · "What's keeping you busy these days?" — Work: "How's the project going?" · "What are you working on this week?" · "How was your meeting?" · "Did you catch the announcement?" · "What do you think of the new tool?" · "How long have you been with the company?" · "What does your typical day look like?" · "Any advice for someone new here?" · "How did you get into this field?" · "What's the best part of your job?" — Small talk anywhere: "Nice weather today, isn't it?" · "Busy day?" · "Is this seat taken?" · "Do you come here often?" · "That looks good — what is it?" · "Long queue, huh?" · "Are you here for the conference?" · "How was the traffic?" · "Did you see the game last night?" · "Is it always this crowded?"

Reading them is step one; saying them is what counts. Pick five, say each to Airi, and let her answer so you practise the follow-up too — because the starter is easy, and the second sentence is where people freeze. Ten minutes of this and you have openers that come out on their own. Free to start.

A quick example with Airi

How's your week going?

Pretty good, thanks — busy but good. How about yours?

Also busy. I have many meeting and one deadline on Friday.

"A lot of meetings." Sounds hectic — what's the deadline for?

How to get the most from it

Pick five, not thirty

Own a handful of openers rather than half-knowing all of them.

Practise the follow-up

The starter is easy. Rehearse the second and third sentence with Airi.

Ask, then listen

Good starters are questions. Let the other person talk, then react.

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Frequently asked questions

What's a good way to start a conversation in English?

Ask an easy, open question about the situation or the person — "How's your week going?" works almost anywhere.

How do I keep the conversation going?

React to their answer and ask a follow-up. Practising follow-ups with Airi is what makes this automatic.

Can I practise these out loud?

Yes. Say any of them to Airi and she'll reply naturally so you practise the whole exchange, free to start.

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