[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!
- A collection of questions that will liven up conversations with friends. Talk themes to deepen your bond.
- "What if..." questions are fascinating! Unique prompts that spark lively conversations
- [Talk] Interesting! Hilarious! A Collection of Silly Questions
- [Talk Theme] Liven up the drinking party! A roundup of funny questions
- A collection of hilarious questions that will liven up the conversation and might help you learn more about the other person
- Liven up your drinking party! Fail-safe conversation topics and talk themes
- [Self-Introduction & Games] Icebreaker Ideas Collection
- [Ultimate Either-Or] A great conversation starter and a chance to get to know each other!
- A collection of questions to liven up phone calls with someone you like or are interested in
- Questions to deepen your bond as a couple! Conversation topics that will get lovers talking
- Fun two-player games recommended that you can play using conversation only
- Games you can play with just conversation. Classic and popular activities you can enjoy without any props!
- [Let’s Get Closer] A Collection of Engaging Questions for Self-Introductions
[Conversation Skills] Get the Energy Up! A Collection of Talk Theme Ideas (31–40)
Favorite YouTuber or TikToker
YouTube and TikTok are watched by many people in their everyday lives, like during commutes or while cooking.
Because of that, topics about YouTubers or TikTok are easy to relate to and can really liven up a conversation.
If you start with something like, “Do you have any YouTube channels you always watch?”, the other person will likely get into it and open up.
It’s also a great idea to share a favorite video—like, “You’ve got to watch this YouTuber’s video!”—and watch it together while on a call, then share your thoughts.
You’ll get to learn about their tastes, too!
Places I want to visit on a trip
Conversations about a bright future are exciting just to imagine, so they’re likely to be lively even over the phone.
Travel is an important event for creating special memories.
That’s why discussing places you’d like to go together can bring the two of you even closer.
Even if you don’t recognize the place when someone says, “I want to go to ___!”, you can look it up on your phone and share it.
Talking about what kinds of experiences you can have and what types of accommodations are available will broaden the conversation and boost the excitement!
Things I want to try at least once in my life
I think everyone spends their days with their own goals and dreams.
How about talking together about the goals you have in life and the things you want to try before your life ends? Sharing close-to-home goals is nice, but it might be even more exciting here to talk about big dreams and ideals.
Wanting to see the world’s most breathtaking views or to indulge in extraordinary luxury—those differences in ideals shaped by people’s ways of thinking and personalities are a fun highlight.
By resonating with someone else’s ideal, you might even add a new item to your own list of dreams.
The last meal of one’s life
Meals in our daily lives are an essential element for living a fulfilling life, aren’t they? Among those meals, there’s a classic discussion topic: talking about what would be the most fitting final meal to conclude one’s life.
Would you choose a luxurious feast, or something that’s familiar and part of your everyday routine? The differing perspectives here are what make the conversation lively.
If foods that changed your life or little-known dishes make an appearance, it can also help broaden everyone’s culinary knowledge.
Share the stories connected to those foods as well, and aim to build empathy through them.
Things I was glad to have bought this year
Asking about the best things people bought this year is a perfect theme for year-end parties like bonenkai.
From items everyone would want to niche picks that showcase someone’s full-on hobby, you might discover new sides of friends you thought you knew well.
And for anyone who made a regrettable purchase, it could be a source of tips for better options in the same category.
As a conversation topic for parties, this question is highly recommended—especially great for larger groups and sure to get the energy up.
How to spend a day off
When you’re getting your hair cut at a salon, the most common small-talk topic has to be, “So, how do you spend your days off?” Right? Homebodies are like, “It’s my precious day off, so I don’t want to go out,” while outdoorsy types are like, “How could you not go out on a day off?!” Depending on a person’s lifestyle—taking a short trip, diving into hobbies, or spending time on chores like laundry and cleaning—everyone spends their days off differently.
It’s the kind of topic that’s bound to get lively with reactions like, “I had no idea you were like that!”
Hobbies
Hobbies come in as many varieties as there are people—some we’ve kept up for years, others we’ve just started.
A delicate-looking woman might secretly be into weight training, while a burly guy who seems like he practices martial arts could actually be studying the tea ceremony—there are plenty of hobbies you’d never guess from someone’s appearance.
When it comes to hobbies, if you share the same one, the conversation will take off right away… But don’t worry—even just having someone listen to you talk about your hobby is delightful, so if you play the role of a good listener, the conversation will naturally pick up! It’s a great topic for those who struggle to keep a conversation going.
Which would you rather go to, the past or the future?
A lively conversation topic where you choose which way you’d travel in time.
Some people want to meet their past selves to prevent mistakes, while others want to be amazed by the future world—everyone’s thoughts and reasons are unique, making for fun twists and turns.
Just imagining things like “I’d go back to memorize the answers to a test” or “I’d go to the future to meet robots” is part of the charm.
You’ll hear both serious and silly answers, and the laughs keep the conversation flowing.
There’s no right answer either way, so personal values and preferences naturally come out, and the discussion just keeps expanding.
With imagination and a dash of wishful thinking, it’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser of a topic.
What was your childhood dream?
As we spend our days busy, we have fewer chances to think back on the past.
In times like that, asking what dream you had as a child can be a good prompt to reflect on each person’s journey.
Let’s try to remember who we were back then—what kind of person we were, what sparked our dream, and what kind of dream we had.
For many, that dream has changed along the way, so it might also be interesting to focus on how it has evolved.
What pet would you like to try keeping?
Pets are like family to humans, and the type of animal someone welcomes as a pet can reveal aspects of their personality.
This set of questions explores attitudes toward pets—what animals people currently have and what they’d like to have.
It’s also a good idea to ask about unexpected choices, not just classics like dogs and cats, since those picks can reveal deeper parts of someone’s character.
Let’s also check their imagination—how clearly they can picture life with a pet.