Making small talk
'Small talk' means conversation about things that aren't really very important, especially with people we don't meet very often.
Ten ways to start a friendly chat
casual · neutral · formal
- You must be Susan's husband.neutralYou must be Susan's husband. I'm her colleague.
- How's your wife / friend?neutralHow's your wife? Is she still teaching?
- Nice weather, isn't it?neutralNice weather, isn't it? Not too hot today.
- What's new?casualHi Ravi! What's new?
- I haven't seen you for ages.neutralKumari! I haven't seen you for ages.
- What have you been up to?casualWhat have you been up to since school?
- Are you still working for the same firm?neutralAre you still working for the same firm in Colombo?
- Have you heard from Jenny recently?neutralHave you heard from Jenny recently? She moved to Australia.
- What a coincidence!neutralYou're on this train too? What a coincidence!
- Fancy meeting you here!casualFancy meeting you here at the Kandy perahera!
How to use them
- is used to introduce yourself to someone, when you think you know who the person is.
- is used to ask the person you are talking to for information about someone close to them.
- is used when you can't think of anything else to talk about. If the weather is bad, you could say 'Rotten weather, isn't it?' instead.
- are general enquiries, asking for news about a person.
- are more specific than 4 and 6, but are still enquiries for information.
- has a similar meaning to 4 and 6, but is expressed as a statement rather than a question.
- are used to express surprise when you meet someone you weren't expecting to meet.
Quick check
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"Fancy meeting you here!" shows:
"What have you been up to?" asks:
Which question is a safe way to start talking with someone you don't know?
See also: "How are you?" · Telling people your job
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