[Conversation Skills] Get the Crowd Going! A Collection of Talk Theme Ideas
There are plenty of times—like at a dinner with lots of new faces or when you want to get closer to new classmates—when you think, “I need some fun conversation topics!” But when the moment comes, sometimes the words just won’t come out.
Even with friends, the more time you spend together, the easier it is to run out of things to talk about.
So, here’s a roundup of conversation topic ideas! If you branch out from the themes listed here, your conversations are sure to flow.
Be sure to check them out!
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[Conversation Skills] Exciting! A roundup of talk topic ideas (1–10)
Daily routine
A low-key topic that can spark a lively conversation might be “daily routines.” It doesn’t usually come up, but we can’t help being curious about how everyone spends their day! When you run out of things to talk about with someone you’ve just met or with friends, try bringing up this theme.
Ask about things like “the first thing you do when you wake up” or “what you usually eat for breakfast,” and you’ll get a glimpse into your friends’ and coworkers’ everyday lives.
You might even uncover some unexpectedly quirky routines—so give it a try for inspiration!
Favorite convenience store sweets
Convenience store sweets are now reputed to rival neighborhood pastry shops in quality! With collaborations with famous shops and dessert brands, we’ve entered an era where you can easily enjoy all kinds of sweets from convenience stores.
If you’re getting together with fellow dessert lovers, this topic is a must! It’s a great chance to share your go-to picks and discover convenience store sweets you haven’t tried yet.
Talking about your favorite convenience store treats might even bring your friends closer together.
Be sure to use this as a reference!
Something I can say only now
If you want to keep things lively while quickly getting closer, one approach is to use the theme “things I can say only now.” Stories like these tend to evolve into secrets, such as tales of failure, which makes them easy to get people excited about.
In psychology, there are even findings that sharing such secrets helps reduce interpersonal distance.
Start by sharing one of your own big failures to set the tone and make it easier for others to talk.
You can also narrow the topic further, like “things I can say only now about ___.”
[Conversation Skills] Liven It Up! A Collection of Talk Theme Ideas (11–20)
complex
Do you have any insecurities? Have you ever talked about them with someone? You probably don’t really want to discuss your insecurities with others.
However, if you open up to each other about them, you’ll likely feel closer.
That said, be careful—if the topic is too heavy, it can be hard to keep the conversation lively.
Also, after talking about your insecurities, it’s important to find each other’s good points and give compliments.
That way, you’ll probably end up feeling more upbeat in the end.
Side dishes that go well with rice
There are so many side dishes that go well with white rice.
There are toppings like furikake that you sprinkle on, and accompaniments like pickles.
Main dishes like fried chicken also work great.
Try thinking from the perspective of “what goes well with white rice,” whatever it may be.
As a variation, it might be fun to talk about your favorite noodles or soups that pair well with rice.
And once you’ve grown closer, you could even exchange recommendations for your favorite side dishes as little gifts.
Summer Memories
Even if you ask about hobbies or how they spend time at home, sometimes the other person just doesn’t engage.
That might be because there are too many possibilities to think of.
In that case, how about narrowing the topic and asking about summer memories? They might tell you about unexpected hobbies like surfing, camping, or traveling.
Even if you don’t learn a specific hobby, you can still have a lively conversation about going back to their hometown or dealing with the heat.
You can also switch it up by asking about winter memories when the season changes.
What I want the most right now
A surprisingly versatile topic is “what do you want most right now?” Once you know what the other person wants, you can infer what they like and what they’re interested in, making it easy to expand the conversation.
For example, if they say they want a golf club, you can shift to talking about golf.
Even if you don’t know much about golf, simply asking lots of questions is fine.
Either way, the conversation is likely to liven up.
By the way, remembering what they want also comes in handy if you ever want to give a surprise gift.