Conversation topics in English. It helps you break the ice and get to know a person better

Sometimes the conversation itself, with people of the same nationality, gives us headache. To this is added the traction that we feel when we know that we will have to speak in English, in certain situations, which can be amazed.

There are solutions to reduce both concerns. As for the initiation of a discussion, well, it is very important to find a topic at hand, a topic of conversation to which all the subjects involved feel comfortable. Related to English, its level can be maintained and high with different methods such as participation in courses, Readingthe use of some applications to learn foreign languages ​​so that the vocabulary and knowledge of the syntax do not do it rust.

Because it is so difficult to find conversation topics with a new person

Let’s review the circumstances that we make, the Romanians and not only be cautious in discussing someone for free:

Growth (school, but also Circle of Close Childhood)

We are afraid of error, judgment and criticism. What else, we are afraid of shame, is better to say, because we have faced this at home (Stop doing it the world laughs at you) and to school (Ohoo). So we think we are better, because others could laugh at us. Somehow justified fear, because in some Romanian traditionalist environments Really laugh one of each other without a solid reason.

I remember the moment I still had grandparents in the country that I invited an acquaintance from the Netherlands to their village. The news has spread and visited several neighbors, generally old, with or without fairy or teeth, but with a lot of curiosity. One of the reactions, after asking if the Dutch spoke the Romanian and was told that no, consisted of a laugh full of superiority and a scarcely empathic comment: Salt! In the same context, another lady, whose daughter had married in another region of the country, said that through those parts people are less intelligent, because instead of belabourI say basket, (This is exactly on the back of how much you should!).

Many Romanians still judge superficially. The totally false thing in an international environment in which you would have the opportunity to speak English, in which people are used to otherness and ask for no difference, whether it is language, looking or conceptions.

The desire to make us pleasant

A new person is the one we don’t know, theoretically, nothing: we do not know their interests, opinions, etc. The desire to validate is innate and therefore we feel that we could say things that arouse disapproval or even reproaches.

But not the opinions are those that make a man pleasant, but the way of approach. The moderate and non -aggressive address, with notes of humor, empathic and warm will guarantee the admiration of the other, not political affiliation, religion, opinion on vaccines or knowledge of astronomy. Whatever you speak, if you keep a balanced tone and you are very attentive to the social signals transmitted by the other, everything will be fine.

The feeling that we do not know enough details on a particular topic

Once again the fear of laughing. It is very possible not to be a doctor in history, geopolitics or medicine, but you will not have to show specialized knowledge. And anyway, you can always recognize (and really wise) that you are not completely informed about a topic and ask for details or clarifications on the other. However, the conversation with a recently known person should remain in the phase of Pleasant speechDiscussion on pleasure, without deepening the topic, which could make the interlocutor feel uncomfortable. In particular, you do not feel the need to emerge, to demonstrate something: the goal you prefer is to build a bridge for other people, to make them relax.

Conversation topics in English perfect for breaking the ice

The beginning of the beginning, this pause of the ice-is the most difficult moment in a relationship, whether it is business or friendship. The ideal is to be able to connect to something you have in common at that moment, an event, a place, the program, the weather circumstances, etc. Here are some conversation topics that will help you easily break the ice even when you have to speak in English.

Topics suitable for work

You can meet new people at work, in a seminar, training, conference – in this case, it is important to be hot and welcoming to make them feel at home, if you are in the company or in the host country. You can make the initial conversation by asking:

• While traveling
• How are the accommodation conditions
• What they started visiting, which restaurants, shops, tried and how they seemed. You can formulate tips for places to visit or parks, restaurants and coffee or other experiences that are worth testing.
• If you are in a new country or a half, you can ask for information on places to visit, traditional shawl
• In the professional environment, you can ask for details on the scope and the specificity of your interlocutors, who can have or are employed. Generally people are pleased to talk about the field they operate in. In this way you can find new and useful things that I can use later.
• You can be interested in cultural / public policies between you, starting from something simple, closeness: Let me take a cup for guests! You know, in our country there are a lot of waste and very little recycling, we produce tons of plastic waste every day, so in this office we have given up using plastic glasses. Since the government does not have the priority of being ecological, we must do it alone. How is it in your country?
• Travel information: countries and cities visited, best beaches and summer resorts, best winter resorts (and sports), medium in which they worked
• Speaking of news on the field: third parties and their strategies, discoveries on the field, price or personal variations

Once the ice breaks, here are ideas of questions in English to keep the conversation alive:

Where were you born? How is life in your hometown?

Guidi? What do you think of electric cars?

How is the school program and children’s structures in your city? How do people who have young children work to manage their time?

What was your worst / best holiday?

Would you ever open a business alone? Where?

Where would you like to live?

Do you look at the news?

What was your best / worse job experience?

Topics suitable for school

At school it can mean high school, college, master’s program or go to study in another country or get a new colleague in your group. In this case, you can discuss:

• Where and how he lives, if he likes the area, if he has made friends or acquaintances
• If you need help to find certain structures or services
• Information on the period spent in his country and the differences between the courses and their approach, program, themes
• Favorite music information, favorite programs, books or authors
• On famous events in the hometown (Festival) or ways of spending free time
• Information on sports practiced or other clubs attended or participated
• About the plans for the next period: what places they would like to see, what they would like to learn, try.

Questions you could face in English to a new knowledge of the school:

Do you like reading? What are your favorite authors / books?

Where do you like to get out?

Games to video games? Where / what kind?

Do you like to wear makeup? Are you good at doing it?

Do you like pets? Have you ever had a pet?

What is your stellar sign? Do you believe in star signals?

What career is interested in and why?

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

What was your best holiday experience?

Do you prefer to go to the beach, in the mountains or visit other cities on vacation?

What is your favorite comfort food?

What do you like to wear? What do you feel comfortable in?

Do you have tattoos?

Have you ever volunteered?

Suitable topics among friends

If you have older acquaintances you see and you will discuss in English, which practically would adapt to the friends category, you can discuss what has happened in everyone’s life since you haven’t seen: I graduated from the University / I got a job at … / I got the driving license / I got married or became a dad. Graduated studies, changes in the workplace, general details of personal life, holidays or special holidays, everyone can be a good start, until they return to each other.

Depending on the environment in which you meet, you can also approach topics as discoveries or trends in science (such as: British researchers have discovered that …), prospects for events in the near future, films, books, very beautiful concerts recently discovered.

5 conversation topics to avoid

There are also topics considered taboo, which is better not to touch, because people react differently to them, being considered private:

• Money, income and personal expenditure
• The family situation (that the other is married or not, if he has children)
• Sexual orientation and everything related (including external events such as gay fashion shows)
• Religion
• Medical history

In addition to these, it is not recommended to:

• Support your views strongly, aggressively until white clothes
• Insist on demonstrating something, even with scientific topics, if it is obvious that the interlocutor has another opinion
• Talk ironically about other people or habits

It may seem difficult to converse relaxed in English, Even when you are known the topic of the conversationBut this relaxation concerns the frequency with which you do it: more often, more casual. You can find in the article Our some tricks in this sense. Fluna does not necessarily have to do with your real English level, more precisely how many or few grammatical errors you do. It has more connection with self -confidence – not to be native, nobody will judge you for grammar, provided that you can understand and send the desired message.

Photo source: UNSSPLASH