If you’re looking for interesting things to talk about with friends, then this article is for you. You can use the lists below many times as you socialize with friends, old and new.
What you talk about when meeting new people and making friends is only one part of the friendship process, but it can be an important one. If you use topics of conversation wisely and get into those that interest your friends and potential friends, then you’ll do well socially.
We hope this will inspire some amazing and memorable conversations for you. Let’s begin!
Talk about food
You don’t have to be a foodie to have opinions on food … cooking, enjoying restaurants, different types of cuisine… You can talk about what each of you can cook – or always fail at cooking… this can result in one of you inviting everybody to a dinner party, especially if they enjoy cooking for others.
I personally think it’s totally appropriate to use your friends as guinea pigs for new recipes.
Talk about deserts (seriously)
Talking about light, fun, and mouth-watering subjects can be fun and get everyone involved. It sets the vibe that you and your friends can talk about anything and everything, including favorite desserts! It also helps create a connection with others as it deals with a vulnerability we all have: we tend to succumb to temptations. 🤷♂️
Talk about drinks… or don’t
Depending on who you’re talking to, this can be just fine, or not at all. So tread carefully. In any case, a short conversation about each person’s favorite drinks is always welcome. This is even more interesting if there is a culture or heritage behind it.
There is a long history, and rich culture, around wine, beer, bourbon and others. Those who like to dive deep in those topics will love to share their knowledge and preferences.
How do you say Cheers 🥂 in Yiddish?
Zei Gezunt? L’chaim? How do you say “cheers” in French? Spanish? How about Arabic? How about Chinese or Japanese? Learn a couple of those and talk about how people say cheers in other places in the world. That’s what I do. It makes me sound cultured! Which I may or may not be.
Talk about travel
Everyone’s favorite topic. This makes you all awake-dreaming about the relaxing time you want to have and where. It also reveals who’s better traveled and who lived where in the past, which in turn reveals many more topics you can talk about.
Talk about bars, restaurants, and clubs
Since you’re probably socializing in one of those types of places anyway, it’s an easy topic to talk about. You can spend a chunk of time talking about which places are better than others and why. You can also talk about which places you’d like to try.
This will also remind everyone of past experiences and stories related to the places they’ve been to.
Talk about local issues that affect your daily lives
Is your city building a new bridge to access downtown faster? Are they doing construction that makes your commute longer? You can talk about that. Everyone can share how it affected their daily life, maybe complain a little bit, or make a joke about it.
This has the added bonus of revealing who’s a big complainer, and how each person deals with the little annoyances that life throws at them.
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Conversation Topics For Making Friends
Talk about the latest movies and TV shows you’re enjoying
Horror? Thriller? Romance? Comedy? Based on a true story? Documentaries? What do you like best? You can talk about that with pretty much anyone. And everyone has their own opinion. Just don’t approach the subject with the classic “have you seen any good movies lately?”
That can reveal that you’re trying hard to find something to talk about. Instead, you can just say something like “I had a pretty normal week, just work-home back and forth… Oh! I’ve been watching Band of Brothers for the second time, I love that series, it’s such a classic.” Something like that can inspire a more spontaneous conversation.
Talk about the latest books you’ve read
… they reveal which kind of reader or non-reader everyone is (some people read only articles on their favorite topics, and that’s okay) … others prefer audiobooks … people have different reading habits and preferences and they generally love to discuss them with others
Podcasts can be a great conversation topic
Podcast listeners love to talk about their favorite podcasts, why they love them, and what they learned from them lately …
Talk about family
Depending on the age the conversation about family is different. Older folks will talk about kids, younger ones will complain about parents and the not-so-old, not-so-young will talk about how they realize that there is nothing like family.
In any case, there is always something to say about family, family holidays, family quirks, family trips, awkward family moments, and conversations (who caught whom, doing what).
Talk about “when I was young, I mean, younger…”
Nostalgia is a favorite topic, even for younger people. We all like to start conversations with “Do you remember when?” I personally like to send my kids mad by saying “Do you remember when we didn’t have the internet?” It is fun to watch the complete incomprehension of a world where you cannot tweet!
Talk about “you know what’s weird?..”
If you agree that a thing or a person is weird or creepy (without taking too seriously), then it’ll get you closer. You’ll feel a little guilty gossiping, but brushing off those subjects can be funny and interesting. This shouldn’t become the only way you talk to people, but you can do it every once in a while. Rarely is even better.
Investments and preparing for the future
Yes, real estate and the stock market can be a little bit boring to some people. But that’s okay. You can from time to time talk about them. Depending on the age group and socio-economic background you’re in, it can be supremely interesting or not at all.
You must adapt. But everyone eventually takes retirement and financial independence seriously and it can be a nice subject to mention from time to time.
Talk about deals and recommendations
One of the great things about having successful friends is that you can exchange recommendations and insider deals. You want a new car, maybe their cousin can hook you up with an insider deal. Need a new job? maybe they can arrange a casual meeting. Looking to get a loan, maybe they can point you to someone who will save you tens of thousands.
This just happened to me recently, the more I spoke to friends about mortgage interest rates, the better deals I kept receiving. In the end, I secured an interest rate that even my banker friends couldn’t believe I got to access. Friends can do that for you. And it’s all about trading information and connections.
Even something as simple as “where’s the best place to get fresh veggies” can result in a fruitful discussion.
“Kids these days… They’re the worst!”
Well. I hope you won’t take this too seriously. Every generation thinks that the following one is… disrespectful, silly, wear ragged clothing, or don’t have any idea how life works. This is why it can be funny.
Whenever you criticize the generation younger than you, you remember that older folks were doing the same thing about your generation too. And still, it can always be fun to criticize the new generation, as long as you don’t take yourself too seriously.
Talk about upcoming events and holidays
Major events in your city; festivals; fairs; upcoming holidays and what each of you usually celebrates it, with whom, and where… this can also result in “you know what? Why don’t we go to my parents’ beach house for New Year’s eve!” or similar plans.
Talk about board games… or “bored games”
Some people love them, others find them boring. So it depends. You can talk about board games, your favorite ones, their favorite ones, and the ones each of you can’t wait to try out.
That can remind you of the funniest board games or card game nights with friends. A conversation like that can result in one of you suggesting a plan to do a card game or board game night at home.
Talk about summer or winter activities
Depending on the time of year, there is a wealth of activities that people get up to. If it is the summer, you can talk about beach holidays and time by the pool. You can talk about long summer walks and BBQs. If it is winter, then there is skiing or building that snowman or the snow angel you created with your kids.
Talk about volunteering
If you get out into the community or know people who do, you can talk about this. You may have helped at the local soup kitchen or gone out with a group to undertake important conservation work. All these experiences are fruitful topics and could lead to other ideas about how you spend your time.
Talk about “Do you really need to upgrade to the latest iPhone?”
You might be a complete convert to the latest tech. And, maybe not. Maybe you would advise them to wait a couple of years. This conversation is brilliant for discussing features, cameras, durability, colors, etc. or just making fun of people who can’t wait to get the latest one, then backward rationalize why “they had to get it.”
Talk about artificial intelligence
AI is supposed to change most industries and sectors, even services like healthcare, and law. Most jobs and businesses will be impacted directly or indirectly by it. … how it will impact your respective sectors? How best can you prepare? Everyone can give their two cents about technology in general and how it’ll impact their future.
There are a whole host of topics out there that can spike people’s interests. Religion and politics can be wonderful at inciting a heated debate, but it can equally offer points of conflict. It is best to tread carefully. However, being talkative about beliefs, values, principles, ethics, morals, and more can end in the longest and deepest of discussions.
If you start a sentence with “What do you believe about…?” you can be sure of a response of sorts. If you want to get really good at conversation, you should be interested in the world. Therefore, the more you watch, read, listen, and participate, the more things you can talk about.