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Questions to get to know each other – Ask that for better conversations

Get to Know You Questions – 150 Questions to Ask to Get to Know Someone And To Keep Conversations Going

Are you looking for casual questions to get to know each other and keep the conversation going? Then you've come to the right place! Everyone knows that moment in a conversation when you run out of things to say. The result is an extremely awkward silence in which you stare bashfully at your glass of water. Very few questions can be as awkward as this moment. Fortunately, there are rhetorical ways and means that can help against awkward silences and really keep any conversation going.

In this article, I would like to introduce you to simple and useful questions for getting to know each other in a wide variety of everyday situations. For example, ask them to friends, your partner, professional contacts, your parents or children, or simply on your next date. Have fun!

I have divided the questions into the following categories:

Why do you need questions to keep a conversation going and loosen it up?

A few things first! The topic in my blog may seem rather "off-topic" to you. I would therefore like to briefly show you what it has to do with sustainability and health and how you can benefit from the questions about getting to know each other.

The advantages of asking your counterpart interesting questions:

  • Getting to know new facets of others: When you think you know everything about the other person, you quickly run out of steam. Promising questions suddenly reveal things that surprise you.
  • Variety: Always talking about the weather is terribly boring. By asking specific questions, you bring a breath of fresh air to any small and deep talk.
  • Maintain interest: You don't want to talk to boring people and about boring topics forever. Your questions provide exciting answers and can also help, for example, to make other people aware of environmental issues such as the Zero Waste Lifestyle or the vegan life to inspire.
  • Helping others: Everyone has a cross to bear. Your questions can, for example, uncover your counterpart's worries and problems, which you can eliminate and solve together. That makes it easier, for example, Convince peopleto make a positive change in your own life. Either way, they encourage you to question things that you would otherwise not have questioned.
  • Become more confident: Do you know the situation of excitedly thinking about what you could talk about before a conversation? This uncertainty no longer exists because you know these conversation-stimulating questions and use them wisely.

There are certainly dozens of other reasons. For me, the most important thing is that questions to get to know each other enliven every conversation, make people happier, encourage them to question and bring exciting things to light.

One more important note: Most of the questions don't just fit into one category. Even though I have assigned them to the topics "Partner", "Friends", "Small talk", "Business", "Date", "Funny", "Parents" and "Children", you can of course also mix and match the questions and use them for other occasions.

150 questions to keep your conversations going

Now that it's clear why this article can be so useful for your everyday life, let's get started. Here are the best questions, to loosen up and keep your conversations going. Let's go!

Questions to get to know your partner

Questions to get to know each other and fluent conversations to partners

Over time, you think you know each other inside and out. But you can also find out lots of new things about your partner. Simply use the following questions to find something new to talk about:

  • What would you change about this restaurant if you were the boss?
  • Which person - dead or alive - would you love to invite to dinner with us?
  • What's the craziest child's name you've ever heard?
  • How old do you most want to be?
  • In what state do you never want to see me?
  • If you have a specific Environmental problem could be solved in one fell swoop - which one would it be?
  • Why did you skip school in the past?
  • You can look into the future for a minute. What would you want to know?
  • Do you believe in destiny?
  • You can choose your own name - what would you be called?
  • Is it important to you that others find you nice?
  • Have you ever been in contact with drugs?
  • What is the worst thing you have ever done to a person?
  • What word do you think I use too often?
  • Would you like to be with yourself?
  • Is there a person you never want to speak a word to again?
  • What was the worst gift you ever gave someone?
  • Which quality would you like me to have - and which not?
  • What are you grateful for?
  • What question do you never want to get an answer to?
  • Why do we eat cows, pigs and chickens - but pet dogs and cats?
  • When was the last time you did absolutely nothing for a day?

Questions for more conversation with friends

Get to know your friends better with these questions

Are you and your friends running out of things to talk about? Even in your Circle of Friends you can remedy this directly with the following questions to get to know each other:

  • What was your scariest vacation?
  • What was the most absurd trend that you participated in - for whatever reason?
  • What things are really driving you up the wall at the moment?
  • What were your most embarrassing fashion sins?
  • Do you believe that animals are here on earth WITH us or FOR us?
  • In which situation have you been really lucky?
  • What was the most criminal thing you ever did?
  • Do you believe in Conspiracy theory? If yes, to which?
  • What do you spend the most money on in your everyday life?
  • Sea or mountains?
  • You plant a tree. Which type of tree do you choose?
  • What would you like to change about your life?
  • Rather honest or nice?
  • Where do you prefer to swim: lake, sea or outdoor pool?
  • What is the meaning of life?
  • Summer or winter?
  • Would you rather be called something else - if so, what?

Short breather... and on we go...

  • Village or city?
  • Do you think you are a good role model for others? If so, why?
  • Would you say it's wrong, Torture animals?
  • Would you rather cry or smash something?
  • Have you ever had a fight with someone?
  • How long does your cell phone battery last - and what does it use the most for?
  • What is your biggest secret?
  • Have you ever had a more serious injury or illness?
  • Do you have nice feet for flip flops?
  • What is your relationship like with your parents?
  • When was the last time you cried?
  • What was the coolest experience of your life?
  • You're stranded on a desert island - what do you do?
  • Who was the dorkiest person you ever met?
  • Do we want to go on vacation - if so, where?
  • What role does money play in your life?
  • What was the last book you read?

Book Tips: Greater social skills, more charisma and more exciting topics of conversation are pretty good reasons for regularly Books to read. If you like, you can check out my Get the book Sustainable living for beginners here*. Here are a few more book recommendations that might be of interest to you.

Questions to get to know each other through small talk

Do you sometimes find it difficult to keep the conversation going when you meet new people? Here are some questions that offer plenty of new and exciting topics for discussion:

  • Who are you here with?
  • What are you currently working on and why?
  • Where do you live and what is your favorite place in the city?
  • Where did you get those shoes/sweater etc?
  • What kind of music can you really get down with?
  • What quote inspires you most? (Recommendation: Sustainability Quotes)
  • You have 4 hours more time in the day - what would you do?
  • What are you giving up for the climate?
  • Are you a good cook? If so, what do you like to cook the most?
  • What is your secret talent?
  • You can't fall asleep at night - what are you watching?
  • When was the last time you laughed at yourself?
  • What are you passionate about?
  • Which website do you spend the most time on?
  • Which sport do you enjoy the most?
  • What are your plans for today?
  • How are you winding down after work today?

Tip: With open questions, you are very likely to get the most out of your conversation partner. They have helped me above all helped to meet new people while traveling and make friends. But of course, closed questions can also be a real door opener.

Questions for casual conversations with professional contacts

Questions to get to know in the business environment

The next lunch break with the Colleague:inside or the next exciting Trade fair event is coming up. But what could we talk about? I've put together a few questions to open up the conversation:

  • If you had to recommend one app, what would it be?
  • Suppose you had 100,000 euros and had to spend them in a week: what would you do?
  • What is your absolute favorite series?
  • Would you say that you eat a healthy diet?
  • You can choose a stage name - what would it be?
  • What movies and series do you celebrate?
  • You need to emigrate - which country is your first choice?
  • Which country do you really want to visit?
  • What was your worst bad investment?
  • Why do people live vegan?
  • You become Federal Chancellor - What is your first official act?
  • Which sound can you imitate particularly well?
  • What superstitious things do you do?
  • On a scale of 1 - 10 - how bad is the German television program?
  • What was the most embarrassing situation in your life?
  • What was your last good deed?
  • Which three things are currently most important to you?
  • Are you usually too early or too late?
  • Your house is on fire - which item will you definitely save?
  • What's bugging you the most right now?

Tip: In a separate blog post, I have also provided you with my most important tips for a sustainable company outing with your colleagues. Have a look!

Questions for the first date, meeting or getting to know each other

You may be about to go on a first date or a first informal meeting and have something to say. Fear that you will quickly run out of things to talk about could. Don't worry! The following questions (please don't ask them all, it's too much!) are guaranteed to keep the conversation going:

  • Which star did you have a poster of in your nursery?
  • What has been your biggest adventure so far?
  • Do you tell your family that you have a date?
  • Which three things worry you the most at the moment?
  • What do you miss from your childhood?
  • Who else do you owe an apology to?
  • What would you like to change about yourself?
  • What was your nickname when you were growing up?
  • What has made you cry lately?
  • Do you get excited before dates?

Questions to get to know each other and laugh meanly

Nothing is more sympathetic and connectivethan laughing together. With the right questions, you can really elicit a funny story or two from anyone. Here are some inspiring questions you should try:

  • What was your dream job as a child?
  • What joke really makes you laugh?
  • What can't you do that is so easy for others?
  • How good are you at losing at board games?
  • What was your very first job?
  • How would you summarize the Internet in one sentence?
  • If your pet could talk, what would it say about you?
  • Have you ever been to jail?
  • How do you envision your life as a retiree?
  • What was the biggest bad purchase in your life?
  • Which tick do you have?
  • What's the cheesiest thing you've ever made for yourself or others?
  • Which celebrity or dialect are you good at imitating?

Tip: Openness is definitely one of the most important positive character traits of a person. You can find out what other characteristics make a "good person" in the linked blog article!

Questions to get to know parents

With these questions you will also find out new things about your parents

If you have lived at home with your parents for a long time, you think you know everything about them. But there are still sooo many questions to find out more about them and make the conversations we have together more exciting.

Here are some questions you should definitely ask mom and dad:

  • What does friendship mean to you?
  • How was your first kiss?
  • What's the craziest thing you've ever done?
  • You have 100 euros to spare - what do you donate it to?
  • Do you sing when you drive?
  • Would you say that you love animals?
  • What do you like most about your life?
  • When was the last time you lied?
  • You have tomorrow off. What have you always wanted to do?
  • Was I more of a bully or a good kid?
  • Who came closest to making your life what it is today?
  • What did you wish for my life when I was born?
  • A movie about your life - which song would be the soundtrack?
  • What bothers you about digitalization?
  • What do you like to spend money on?
  • What would you do differently if you were 18 again?
  • What was the worst thing that ever happened to you?
  • How many apartments have you lived in?
  • What do you miss most compared to the past?
  • What do you spend most of your time doing?
  • If you could change something in the world right now - what would it be?

Questions for children to get to know

Questions for children to get to know each other and have good conversations

Conversations with children can also now and then difficult design. You want to get to know your daughter or son even better? Then ask the following questions, for example:

  • Which YouTube channel do you like to watch the most?
  • What are you most afraid of?
  • You can choose a superpower - which one is it and why?
  • What is your favorite joke?
  • What makes a good friend?
  • Which is your favorite Disney movie?
  • You can be a wild animal from now on - which one would you be?
  • Why did you have to laugh really loud last time?
  • On which internet site do you spend most of your time?
  • What word immediately comes to mind when you think of me?
  • What was the last thing you dreamed about?
  • You can choose a profession - what would it be?
  • What do you find particularly disgusting?
  • What have you done really well recently?
  • Who or what are you most annoyed about at the moment?

Can you think of other effective questions to ask about each topic? Then just write me a comment!

FAQ about questions around getting to know each other

What are profound questions?

This refers to more challenging questions that the person answering usually has to think about and reflect on a little longer before responding. They go beyond the usual small talk and are generally referred to as deep talk.

Here are some examples of in-depth questions:

  • What do you want in your partnership?
  • How are you really doing?
  • Is there life in other universes?
  • What does a perfect day look like for you?
What is meant by open questions?

An open question is a question that cannot simply be answered with "yes" or "no", but requires a longer answer. In contrast to a closed question, it gives the person answering more space to answer. The person asking the question can then assume that they will learn more about the person answering.

How do I entertain myself properly?

Anyone who adopts an open, stable posture, is friendly, curious and cordial, shows genuine interest in the other person, asks open and exciting questions and also answers openly and excitingly themselves has the best chance of having wonderful, connecting conversations.

Use questions to get to know each other in everyday life

If you were to answer all of these questions, the person you're talking to would definitely already know a lot more about you. Whenever you feel like it, you can use them to get to know people better, to arouse and maintain interest in a certain topic and to get conversations going.

But please don't forget to answer your conversation partner's questions openly, honestly, excitingly, warmly and enthusiastically. Then you have a guarantee for great conversations.

And if your conversations drift into an awkward silence anyway? Yes, then you can always ask confidently what irritates the other person or whether he/she can also enjoy it when there is simply silence 😉.

Can you think of any other questions to get to know us? Then please write me a comment with your suggestions under this collection.

Stay talkative,

Christoph from CareElite - Plastic-free living

PS.: In the Mental health blog I've put together lots of other everyday tips for you. For example, find out now how you can get a lot of Collect karma points can!

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* Links with asterisks are so-called Affiliate linksIf you click on it and buy something, you automatically and actively support my work with CareElite.de, as I receive a small share of the proceeds - and of course nothing changes in the product price. Many thanks for your support and best regards, Christoph!

Christoph Schulz

Christoph Schulz

I'm Christoph, an environmental scientist and author - and here at CareElite I'm campaigning against plastic waste in the environment, climate change and all the other major environmental problems of our time. Together with other environmentally conscious bloggers, I want to give you tips & tricks for a naturally healthy, sustainable life as well as your personal development.

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