Otrigal50 conversation starters for chatting with strangers
The first ten seconds of a chat with a stranger are the hardest. A good opening question makes them easy. Here are 50 that work on video and on text, sorted by mood. Pick one that sounds like you.
A tip before you start: say hello first, smile, and ask just one question at a time. For the rest of the basics, see random chat etiquette.
How to open a conversation
- Start friendly. "Hi! How is your day going?" is better than silence.
- Ask open questions. Questions with "what" and "how" get longer answers than yes and no.
- Share a little too. Answer your own question after they do.
- Listen and follow up. Ask about the thing they just said.
Easy starters
- What is the best thing that happened to you this week?
- What are you up to tonight?
- Where in the world are you right now?
- What song is stuck in your head?
- What is your favourite way to spend a free Sunday?
- Tea, coffee or something else?
- What was the last show you could not stop watching?
- Are you a morning person or a night person?
- What is the best meal you have had this month?
- What is one small thing that made you smile today?
Fun and silly
- Would you rather always be ten minutes early or ten minutes late?
- If you could have any superpower for one day, what would it be?
- What is the strangest food you have tried?
- Which cartoon character are you most like?
- If you had to eat one food for a year, what would it be?
- What would your talent be in a talent show?
- Which animal would be the worst to have as a roommate?
- What is your most useless skill?
- What would you name a pet dragon?
- What movie could you quote from start to finish?
For students and young professionals
- What are you studying, and what made you pick it?
- What is the best class you have taken so far?
- What is one thing you wish you knew in your first year?
- How do you study best: library, café or at night?
- What do you want to do after you finish?
- What is the best advice a senior has given you?
- What is the one app you cannot study without?
- What is a skill you want to learn this year?
- What is your hostel or campus food like?
- What would you build if you had a free month?
Travel and culture
- What is a place in your city that visitors should not miss?
- What is one word from your language that has no good translation?
- What festival do you enjoy the most?
- Where would you go if tickets were free?
- What is the best street food near you?
- What do people get wrong about where you live?
- What is a tradition in your family you like?
- Which country would you like to live in for a year?
- What is your favourite thing about your hometown?
- What is something you are proud of about your culture?
A bit deeper, once the chat is going
- What is something you changed your mind about recently?
- What do you do when you feel stuck?
- Who has influenced you the most?
- What is a goal you are working on right now?
- What makes a day feel good for you?
- What is the best advice you have ever got?
- What is something you are looking forward to?
- What would you tell yourself from five years ago?
- What is a small kindness you have never forgotten?
- What does a good friend do?
One more thing: keep it safe
Keep personal details private, skip any chat that feels wrong, and report anyone who breaks the rules. Read the safety guide, then try a random video chat or a text chat.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good first message to a stranger?
A friendly hello and one open question, such as "What are you up to tonight?".
What should I avoid asking?
Personal details like address, workplace, or phone number, and anything that makes the other person uncomfortable.
What if the conversation goes quiet?
Ask a follow-up about something they said, or pick a new question from the list. If the chat is not working, you can skip.
Do these work on text chat too?
Yes. They work the same on video and on text.
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