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In this post, we're breaking down a list of questions to ask someone you just met.

I, too, had a hard time making small talk with people, which is why it has always been my mission to help people spark a deep conversation with just about anyone- sites like Elite Daily and IHeartRadio even featured some of my tips.

From flirty questions to ask when online dating to questions to ask a new friend, this list of questions to ask someone you just met will save you from a lot of dead air and awkward silence.

Contents

Ultimate List - #Ultimate-List

Ultimate List

Printable List - #Printable-List

Printable List

Tips - #Tips

Tips

FAQs - #FAQs

FAQs

More - #More

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Ultimate List of Questions To Ask Someone You Just Met

Don't you just hate it when you meet a person you genuinely want to talk to but can't think of any good conversation starter to get the ball rolling? It's even harder when making small talk is literally your biggest fear. But don't fret. This ultimate list of questions to ask someone you just met can turn any idle chat into an interesting conversation.

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Best Questions

Casual - #Casual

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Interesting - #Interesting

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Personal - #Personal

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Fun Questions

6 Best Questions To Ask Someone You Just Met

Every great conversation starts with an interesting question, but only some are skilled in asking one. Online dating, meeting new friends at a party, sliding into someone's social media, and even starting a deep conversation with a family member requires asking a great question to spark their interest. These conversation starters and icebreaker questions are perfect for any vibe.

1. Which is more fun: staying in or going out?

If your new friend is an extrovert, he would probably enjoy going out and being surrounded by people. But if he's an introvert like me, staying in to read his favorite book or having dinner with my closest friends is just as fun.

2. Describe yourself in five words.

This is an example of an interesting question you could ask in any social situation. Whether you're breaking the ice with your Tinder match, interviewing a new work colleague, or getting to know a new friend you met at a Halloween party, this seemingly random question will get you a lot of interesting answers.

3. What are three things that make you really happy? Why?

If you're not in the mood for shallow small talk and genuinely get to know someone, this is a great question to ask someone you just met. What I love about this question is that happiness is relative, so there are no right or wrong answers to this one, but you'll love seeing their face talking about them.

4. What do you like to do for fun?

What we love to do for fun says a lot about us. If you're getting to know a potential match or BFF, this is a good question to gauge if you share a common ground. Hopefully, you both enjoy the same things, giving you more reasons to hang out.

5. What do you like best about yourself?

We all have a strength that we're at least aware of and proud of. If your new friend can't think of anything, coming up with what you think is their best asset would be a great compliment.

6. What's your favorite food?

I love trying out new food, which by the way, is an awesome way to bond with someone. Perhaps your friend has a favorite place he always goes to for comfort food. Or better yet, if you're both foodies, why not plan a food crawl with them? Now that is a fun way to create a core memory.

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6 Casual Questions To Get To Know Someone

These get-to-know-you questions are great for chill hangouts over brunch, coffee, a video game, or a cold bottle of beer.

7. What shows are you into?

Almost everyone is into pop culture these days, so this question would give you a lot to talk about. This is also a fun question to nerd out over your favorite television fictional character or get recommendations of good shows you can add to your watch list.

8. How often do you play sports?

If you are both into sports and lead an active lifestyle, bonding over a gym session or basketball match can boost your closeness.

9. What do you hope never changes?

This kind of question only comes up during drunken nights when you're suddenly in the mood to reflect on life and look back on all its good and bad times. Perhaps you can share a favorite memory you wish you could freeze and return to. Or maybe your present life is already great as it is, and you hope it remains that way. If only, am I right?

10. What takes up too much of your time?

We all have a guilty pleasure we'd love to hate but can't. If it's turning into a bad habit, this might be the perfect time to do an intervention.

11. Where would you rather be from?

My favorite place in the world is New York City, but sometimes I wish it wasn't as messy and chaotic. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to live somewhere far and peaceful like the Bahamas.

12. What are you absolutely determined to do?

Right now, I'm determined to stay fit and look like Brad Pitt so I can date my celebrity crush, Dua Lipa. Here's to wishful thinking.

6 Questions To Ask If You're Ready To Know Dig Even Deeper

So you've been friends for a while now, but you have yet to have that one intimate conversation where you ask each other deep personal things to really close your bond. If you're looking to step up your relationship, this list of deep questions to ask will get you there.

13. What would you consider to be your deepest fear? (This question can be really telling of the depth or lack thereof of a person.)

Being scared is part of being alive, but a wise man once said, "Men are not afraid of things but of how they view them." This deep question is a great conversation starter when you're in the mood to have a thoughtful chat with your friend.

14. What makes you feel uneasy? Overwhelmed? Anxious?

We all have triggers, and as a friend, part of your job is making sure your friends take care of themselves, so learning about their emotional triggers will save you a lot of sleepless nights of them wailing over the phone.

15. Where have you felt the most failure? The most success?

You can tell a lot about a person's character, from how many times they stood up after failing and how humble they remain even after being successful.

16. What has been the biggest change you ever made that made you the most proud of yourself?

As long as we live, we will always be works in progress, and every step in the right direction is something to be proud of. Each of us has a different story to tell, and I bet they're all fascinating. Asking this question is a great way to start an interesting conversation.

17. Have you ever questioned your sanity and why?

Sometimes the craziest thing happens in our lives, and it will be so crazy it'll be enough to make you rethink your sanity and existence. Life, am I right?

18. Where does happiness come from? Define what happiness means to you.

Everyone has a different definition of happiness, and it's always interesting to see another perspective. I say happiness is best when shared. Asking this personal question might teach you both something new.

5 Interesting Topics To Ask A Career-Oriented Person

Have you ever met someone so passionate about their career that talking to them almost feels like they are one and the same with their job? Well, if ever you meet one, you wouldn't want to run out of interesting questions to ask because those guys have better things to do than senseless chatter.

19. Who or what inspires you in your career?

Every career person has a motivational speaker or a big-buck CEO they look up to. It's true what they say- having good role models is one way to set yourself up for success.

20. How do you approach taking time off from work?

That is if they ever take time off. Perhaps this could be a good question to start an intervention.

21. What's the career highlight you're most proud of?

Passionate people are go-getters, so I'm sure he will have a list of accomplishments he'd love to talk about.

22. What's your favorite thing about your current job?

A person who's genuinely happy about their career will have a lot of things they love about their job. Perhaps it's the people that they work with. Or it could be being able to build relationships with customers.

23. Does your job make you feel happy and fulfilled? Why or why not?

When you are doing work you really love, time flies by, and you lose yourself in the hustle and bustle of your job. The Japanese called this "ikigai" or flow- a transcendental state where time ceases to matter.

6 Personal Things To Ask Someone To Know Them Better

Unless a person shares something personal with you, you can't really say you're good friends. These personal questions are enough to move you closer to being best buds.

24. Are you a religious or spiritual person at all?

Being religious is different from being spiritual. Being religious means you strictly follow a set of rules and beliefs initiated by a community or group. On the other hand, being spiritual is more of a solitary experience where you find your own sense of purpose and peace.

25. How would you best describe yourself? And how do you think others would describe you?

How you see yourself may differ from how others see you but knowing both perspectives can help you get to know yourself better. That is, if you look at it with an open mind.

26. What is the most annoying habit that other people have?

We all have pet peeves. I, for one, hate it when people walk super slow in public.

27. What's the best thing about you?

Sometimes you just have to love yourself a little bit better. If your friend is having a hard time answering this question, enlighten them by mentioning what you love about them. It will be a sweet gesture.

28. What hobby would you get into if time and money weren't an issue?

The possibilities are endless! If time and money weren't an issue, I'd be an F1 driver by now. If only we were born rich.

29. What are you most looking forward to in the next 10 years?

It's always a good thing to set a goal for yourself. It keeps you on track and gives you a reason to wake up every morning.

6 Fun Topics To Ask Someone To Keep The Conversation Going

Too much of anything can feel heavy, so why don't we lighten things up a little with fun questions to ask? These fun questions to get to know someone are perfect for any time.

30. How confident would you say are you as a person?

Not all people are born confident, but you can certainly master it. The key is to constantly challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone.

31. What were you like as a kid, and how do you think you've changed as you've grown up?

Everything seemed so blissfully easy when we were younger. Growing up changes you as a person. This is a great conversation starter if you're in the mood to take a trip down memory lane.

32. What do you miss most about childhood?

We all have a favorite memory from our childhood. Reminiscing the good old days will always be fun.

33. What was the last adventure you went on?

I say be like Peter Pan and go on adventures as long as you can. You're only young once you know.

34. Where's the next place on your travel bucket list and why?

Sharing a travel bucket list with a friend is always more fun, and traveling together has always been a great way to strengthen bonds.

35. Do you like going to the movies or prefer watching at home?

I miss the days when you literally have to go out and dress up to watch a movie. But I guess being comfortably snug at home while watching "The Lord of the Rings" has its perks too.

Downloadable and Printable List of Questions to Ask Someone You Just Met

Here is a downloadable and printable jpg/pdf list of questions to ask someone you just met (right-clicked the image and select Save Image As...):

Tips For Asking Questions To Someone You've Just Met

Not big on small talk? Need help approaching someone? Stop being a wallflower and follow these steps.

Tip #1: Start with things that are simple.

As much as you hate small talk, banters are necessary to help two strangers warm up to each other. Icebreakers or trivial questions such as, "You look awesome" or "How are you today?" are always safe bets.

Tip #2: Share as you go along.

Naturally, starting a conversation requires you to share something about yourself. Remember, communication is a two-way street, so it has to be a give-and-take of you asking each other questions and sharing something about yourselves.

Tip #3: Dig deeper as you get to know them.

When you feel like the other person has warmed up to you and an actual conversation is finally taking shape, try asking a question that's a bit more thoughtful, like, "How did you get into your career?" or "That is such an interesting hobby. Have you always been passionate about it?"

Tip #4: Don't push anything that's too personal.

Of course, you wouldn't want to be a prick to anyone, so if someone's not yet ready to answer a personal or intimate question, don't push it. Move on and ask something else.

Tip #5: Ask questions that encourage discussion.

As I said, every great conversation starts with a great question, so put a little effort into piquing their interest.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are more pointers to help you make the best out of social situations.

How do you talk to someone you just met?

If you don't know how to start a conversation, a friendly "Hi!" and introducing yourself is always a good start.

How can I make the conversation going?

Many people need to learn how to keep a conversation going. The key is to ask follow-up questions relevant to their previous answer.

Why is asking the right questions important?

The questions you ask will set the entire tone of your conversation, so asking thoughtful and interesting ones is important.

How can you start asking better questions?

Practice makes perfect. If you're not used to being in social gatherings, step out of your comfort zone and try sparking conversations with people. If you're nervous, go with a friend who's a little more experienced and take note of how they ask questions, their body language, and social cues.

More Interesting Articles To Explore

Here are more guides to help you master the art of conversation.

  1. Dating for the first time? Learn how to talk to girls and flirt the right way.
  2. Need a little help with your dating game? This article will teach you how to make your crush like you.
  3. Girls are already hard to read as they are. It's even more complicated when she's the shy type. Find out all the signs a shy girl likes you, and stop reading between the lines.

In Conclusion

And that is it in this list of questions to ask someone you just met.

Now that you have this list of questions to ask someone you just met, you'll always have interesting questions to ask.

These questions to ask a new friend will break you out from being a fly on the wall.