So you're just beginning to learn English and wish you could speak confidently with others? Show You've come to the right place.Once you've begun to learn the fundamentals, like English grammar and vocabulary, the next step is how to speak English. Assuming that your end goal is to speak it with friends, co-workers, or family members, you need to learn the most common English conversation topics. Why? The reason is, you'll likely run into the same conversation starters in English over and over again. These include phrases like 'how are you', 'what brings you to this event?', or 'where is...?' And let's face it, you don't want to be depending on your English translation app everywhere you go. More importantly, we want to avoid any awkward silences that naturally occur in discussions. To make sure you're not put into this situation, we'll give you some basic questions in English you can ask someone to break the silence. Whether you're an English teacher or an ESL student that's looking to improve your English, save these conversation topics! 15 English Conversation Topics That Will Turn You Into A Social ButterflyReady to dive in to learn the most useful English conversation topics? Let's get started with... LanguagesThe most obvious topic you may be speaking about with fellow ESL students is around languages. This could happen in the classroom, language exchange, or at a party when you notice someone speaks a foreign language.
CareerSince most of us spend half of our lives working, it's natural for us to converse about our professional careers. Depending on where you're located, asking someone about their job may not be appropriate. Some cultures like to skip the career talk completely, whereas big cities like New York or Hong Kong, you can't avoid this topic.
FamilyTalking about one's family is always a safe and enjoyable conversation topic as most people are rarely shy about their children, siblings, or parents. You may get yourself into a rabbit hole by asking someone about their children. Be prepared to be 'awed' by their photos, videos, and anything else they have to show off their beloved children.
AnimalsAlmost everywhere you go, you'll find people with their pets. The most common situation you'll run into is someone walking their dog in the park or out on the streets. However, if you plan to be in someone's home then anything is possible. Cats, birds, and even hamsters may be possible.
HealthFrom physical to mental health, ask or compliment someone about their health. Given how hard some people work to maintain their physical bodies, you could make someone's day.
Your RegionGet to know someone's background and where they came from. You'll not only learn a lot about their values, but you'll know what are the topics you can freely talk about and which ones are sensitive to mention. Examples may include their country's economic state, religion, political history, and more.
TransportationDiscussing one's travel options is inevitable when you're speaking with fellow travelers. If you're visiting an English speaking country and meeting other travelers at hostels, events, or your AirBnB, these conversation topics will naturally happen.
BooksFor all the book worms looking for fellow book lovers, the following questions will be particularly important for you to know.
SchoolSince most of us went to school (or still attending), this topic is one that will resonate with just about anyone. No matter where they are in the world.
Holidays and Gift-GivingIf Christmas or other important holiday is near, this is what everyone in your social circle will be talking about. Be part of the conversation by learning these questions.
FoodThe conversation around food is one of the most universally recognized, because it's a language on its own. Even if one person speaks English and the other person doesn't, a delicious dish is a delicious dish. However, if you know how to talk about food in English, even better.
Talents and HobbiesEveryone has a soft spot when you ask them about their passions. This could be their personal hobbies, projects, or a new skill they're learning, like a foreign language!
Guilty PleasuresOur guilty pleasures reveal who we really are when we're not in our work or school uniforms. It's what we do when we want to relax and how we spend our time when we're not busy with life's demands. It can also be a way to share a bond with someone if the two of you have the same guilty pleasures, like watching Game of Thrones!
TravelSince all of us have different travel experiences, asking to hear about one's travel story can turn into one of the most entertaining conversations you may have.
GoalsAsk someone about their goals, and you'll know what kind of person they are when they respond. If you want to really get to know a person, whether it's a potential girlfriend/boyfriend or a good friend, ask them about their dreams.
How to Use These English Conversation TopicsThe best way to make sure you memorize these English conversation topics is not what you think. Instead of trying to memorize all of these at once, reflect back on the type of conversations you've had in the last week. From the time you wake up to the time you went to bed, try to remember who you talked to, what you talked about, and which conversations were the most memorable. Once you've written those down, go back to our list of conversation topics and highlight the ones that most resemble your reflection from last week. Then only focus on memorizing those, and try to limit to 10 questions at a time. The reason this is more effective than trying to memorize everything is because you're only focusing your attention on your most common situations. Unless you have a photographic memory, it's an uphill battle to learn all the questions we presented today. So focus on the 10 most useful ones for you, and only once you've familiarized yourself with them, come back and learn the next 10. Of course, we recommend saving this article somewhere to have it handy! |