Starting conversations in English

   

 
 We’ve all been there.

You’re hanging out with other travelers…

Everyone’s really friendly… and everyone’s having a great time…

But for some reason, you’re just standing there, all by yourself.

If you just knew what to say to break the ice and start a conversation, right!

Well, it really is easier that you might think.

 

Here’s exactly what I say when I’m in this kind of situation.

I just say, “Hi!”

Then I shake hands.

And I say, “Jeremiah. Nice to meet you.”

They tell me their name and we start chatting.

That’s my easy, direct approach. And it works every time.

 

Now, the next question is: What do you say to keep the conversation going?

That’s easier than you might think, too.

I say, “Nice to meet you, (Eric). How’s it going?”

He says, “Good.”

And I say, “Great [restaurant, view, etc.], huh?”

He says, “Yeah.”

And then we talk about the restaurant, the view or whatever and the conversation naturally develops from there.

 

Then all the obvious questions pop up, like:

“So what do you do? How do you like that? How are things going in the [film] industry these days..?”

Of course, you’re not doing an interview.

 

It’s important to share some stories about yourself, and reveal a little bit about who you are.

So here are some good story starters to do that. You can say:

“Once, when I was living in Barcelona, I went…”

“That reminds me of when I used to…”

“Oh, you’ve visited Tokyo, too. Did you ever get a chance to…?”

And then you carry on talking about Barcelona… some shared interest… or the Tokyo fish market… and discover all the things you have in common.

 

Then, over the course of the conversation, you might feel things naturally winding down.

So when it’s time to end the conversation, you can simply say:

“Well, I think that’s my [flight]…”

Or, “I’d better be going, I don’t want to miss my [train].”

Or, “I should really get going… I’ve got a big day tomorrow.” (That means you have a lot to do tomorrow)

 

Of course, if you two have ‘hit it off’… if you have a lot in common… then you’re going to want to stay in touch.

So you can say:

“It was great talking with you. We should stay in touch! Can I get your number?”

Or, “Nice talking with you. Be sure to drop me a line if your ever in [San Diego]. Here’s my card.”

Or, “Great meeting you. Hey, I’m going to be in town for a couple days. Do you want to [grab lunch tomorrow]? How about meeting back here at 11:30, tomorrow, and we can go from there?”

 

At the end of the day, starting conversations and getting to know new people is all about finding what you have in common. Share stories about those things, and ask questions to learn about the other person’s experience… and, if you hit it off, invite them out for lunch. What have you got to lose?

    P.S. It’s funny, but when you DON’T speak the language very well, you actually have a big advantage! In fact, I’ve always found that people are so much more open, and happy to talk with you when they see that you’re visiting from another country. So get out there! Meet some new people. And, with just a few of these new phrases in your vocabulary, I know you’re going to make some new friends. And isn’t THAT what travel’s all about!

 

See you next Sunday!