"What if..." questions are fascinating! Unique prompts that spark lively conversations
Haven’t we all wondered at least once, “What if…?” Just one imaginative question—like what if you won the lottery, could go back to the past, or could dive into the world of your favorite story—can make a conversation instantly livelier! In fact, these what-if questions aren’t just fun; they can also reveal someone’s values and unexpected sides of their personality.
In this article, we’ve gathered a wide range of “what-if questions” you can use at hangouts with friends, when chatting with someone you’re interested in, or just to kill a bit of time.
Be sure to check out these uniquely tempting prompts that you’ll find yourself eager to answer!
- [Talk] Interesting! Hilarious! A Collection of Silly Questions
- A collection of questions that will liven up conversations with friends. Talk themes to deepen your bond.
- [Ultimate Either-Or] A great conversation starter and a chance to get to know each other!
- A collection of hilarious questions that will liven up the conversation and might help you learn more about the other person
- With friends or couples! A set of questions perfect for penalty games
- [Talk Theme] Liven up the drinking party! A roundup of funny questions
- [Conversation Skills] Get the Crowd Going! A Collection of Talk Theme Ideas
- [Punishment Game] A collection of romance-themed prompts. Punishment games that get men and women excited
- A collection of questions to liven up phone calls with someone you like or are interested in
- 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!
- [Punishment Game] Embarrassing Lines: A Collection of Material That Will Make You Blush
- [Personality Test] Fun and Entertaining! Carefully Selected Tests That Everyone Can Enjoy Together
“What if … ?” questions are fascinating! Unique prompts that liven up conversations (11–20)
How would you spend it if you won the lottery?
When in doubt, this might be the go-to topic! “What if you won the lottery?” It’s a conversation full of dreams, isn’t it? If you suddenly came into a large sum of money, what would you spend it on? A house, a car, delicious food—you’ll probably find images of all the things you want popping into your head.
Some people might take a more practical approach, like saving or investing.
How much you ‘win’ is also a key point.
If it’s 100 million yen, it turns into a real fantasy; if it’s a more realistic amount like 1 million yen, the conversation will probably get more concrete.
If you were to buy a vacation home, where would you buy it?NEW!
Speaking of vacation homes, there are many popular areas like Karuizawa, Izu, and Hakone.
Where would you want to buy a vacation home? The word “vacation home” gives an elegant impression, so honestly, if I could have one, anywhere would do—but let’s deliberately make it a discussion topic and dig deeper.
By asking why they chose that place and what they’d like to do at their vacation home, you might get a glimpse of that person’s hobbies and how they value spending their time.
I also think it’s fun to talk purely based on imagination.
If you could become Japan’s prime minister, what would you like to do?NEW!
Becoming Prime Minister doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want, but it is still a position that moves Japan, so you can’t help wondering, “What would I do?” Let’s have everyone imagine themselves as Prime Minister! From people who propose policies they truly wish would come true, to those who blurt out, “You must never do that!”—it’s a lively discussion topic where reality and fantasy intersect, revealing how everyone wants to shape Japan.
If you could go to the past, when would it be?
If you could slip back in time, when would you return to? You might think of various scenarios like “I want to fix a failure” or “I want to give my past self some advice.” As you follow your memories, it could lead into a conversation about shared recollections.
You could also add extra rules, like “Don’t let people in the past realize you’re from the future.” If you’re a history buff, the discussion might turn into “Which era would you want to visit?”
If tomorrow were the last day on Earth, how would you spend it?
It might be a little sad to imagine, “Tomorrow is the last day on Earth.” The only free time left is today… What would you do? You might think of lots of things: spending time with someone you love, eating your favorite food until you’re full, and so on.
The more seriously you think about it, the harder it gets! But that’s exactly why the conversation can really heat up.
There’s no point in dwelling on negative thoughts, and it might be more fun to limit it to doing things you love.
What would you do if you were attacked by zombies?
A foolproof bit from panic-horror films! “What would you do if zombies attacked?” is a theme that gets people talking in almost any setting.
Would you run or fight? Try expanding the conversation.
As a spin-off topic, asking “What items would you grab from a hardware store to fight zombies?” can be really fun.
You’ll get a sense of people’s sensibilities and personalities.
If you’re asking someone who loves zombie movies, the conversation will really take off.
From there, it’s natural to segue into talking about favorite films, too.
If your body could only touch either dogs or cats, which would you choose?
As a classic theme that sets opinions against each other, there’s the choice between being a “dog person” or a “cat person.” Let’s take that theme a step further and consider what you’d do if you could only touch one of them.
Some people might choose the one they’ve never been able to touch before due to allergies, while others might be satisfied just watching without touching at all—so not everyone would simply pick the one they like more.
By including the word “touch,” the question doesn’t just ask about your favorite animal; it also reveals how you relate to each animal.
If you could have just one wish granted, what would you wish for?
Here’s a straightforward—no, “simple is best”—question: If you could have just one wish granted, what would it be? It’s a tough one even when you ask yourself, isn’t it? Landing your dream job, getting that thing that’s out of reach on your current salary, meeting that famous person—the imagination just doesn’t stop.
There are wishes that simply can’t come true in the real world, too.
And that’s exactly why this kind of question reveals who someone really is! You could even spice it up by asking, “What if you had three wishes—what would you do?” That could be fun as well.
If you could meet a celebrity, who would you want to meet?
Is there a famous person you’d like to meet at least once in your life? A TV celebrity you watch, a model who shines in fashion magazines, an influencer you follow on social media, or a pioneer in the field you study—everyone probably has someone who comes to mind! Along with that comes the question: “If I actually met them, what would I ask?” or “What would I want them to do?” It’s a topic that makes it easy to keep the conversation going! Some might even say, “I admire them so much that I don’t actually want to meet them.”
If you could appear on a TV show, which one would you be on?
Variety shows packed with comedians, reality dating shows where real romance unfolds, music programs where artists perform their songs… Is there a TV program you’d like to appear on? The world beyond the square screen is practically a dreamland—wanting to step into that “world we admire” is only human! You might even get to meet your favorite celebrity—two birds with one stone! With video platforms booming, it might be very on-trend to ask, “Which YouTube channel would you want to be on?” too.