The short answer: the best fun conversation starters ask for a quick opinion, a choice or a tiny story rather than facts about someone’s life. “Beach holiday or city break?”, “What’s a hill you’d happily die on?” and “What’s the most useless talent you have?” all get people laughing within seconds, because there is no wrong answer and nothing personal to protect. Say yours first, keep it light and follow up on whatever they say.
This guide gives you 70 playful openers grouped by format, so you can pick the style that suits you and the moment: this-or-that choices, harmless hypotheticals, low-stakes hot takes, story prompts and two-minute mini games. You’ll also find openers for specific settings (a first coffee, a group table, a party, a text) and a short section on delivery, because how you ask matters as much as what you ask. Everything works for new friends, groups and dates alike, in the UK, Ireland, Australia or anywhere else.
- “What’s a small thing that makes you unreasonably happy?”
- “Be honest: what’s your most controversial food opinion?”
- “If you had to teach a ten-minute class on anything, what would it be?”
- “What’s the best thing you’ve ever found or won?”
- “Which fictional place would you move to tomorrow?”
Why fun openers work better than interview questions
“So, what do you do?” is a perfectly polite question, but it tends to produce a polite answer and then a pause. A playful opener does something different: it invites the other person to show a bit of personality straight away. When someone tells you they would fight to the death for brown sauce on a bacon sandwich, you learn far more about them than you would from their job title, and you both have something to laugh about.
Fun openers also lower the stakes. Nobody worries about giving the “wrong” answer to “Would you rather have a rewind button or a pause button for your life?” That matters when people are nervous, which most of us are when meeting someone new. And the nerves are usually unnecessary: in a well-known series of experiments by Nicholas Epley and Juliana Schroeder, commuters in Chicago who were asked to talk to a stranger reported a more pleasant journey than those told to sit in silence, even though most predicted the opposite. The Chicago Booth summary of the study is a short, reassuring read if you tend to assume people would rather be left alone.
There is one rule to keep in mind: a fun opener starts a conversation, it doesn’t replace one. The magic happens in the follow-up (“Wait, why brown sauce?”). If you want the deeper layer later on, our guide to deep conversation starters shows how to move from playful to meaningful step by step, and our main list of good conversation starters covers the everyday basics.
This-or-that fun conversation starters
This-or-that questions are the easiest format of all. They take two seconds to answer, they work with complete strangers and they almost always lead to “Why?” Use them in the first few minutes, or when a conversation needs a gentle restart.
- Beach holiday or city break?
- Early bird or night owl, and are you happy about it?
- Sweet or savoury breakfast?
- Cinema or film at home with snacks?
- Dogs, cats or “please don’t make me choose”?
- Festival in a field or gig in a small venue?
- Planner or “we’ll see on the day”?
- Board games or video games?
- Text or voice note?
- Crisps or chocolate when the 3pm slump hits?
- Mountains or the sea?
- Spontaneous road trip or a carefully planned holiday?
- Would you rather always be ten minutes early or ten minutes late?
- Would you rather have a rewind button or a pause button for your life?
Make it land: answer one yourself first, with a reason that’s a bit silly. “Night owl, sadly, which is a problem because I keep signing up for morning runs.” It gives the other person permission to be playful too.
Harmless hypotheticals
Hypotheticals let people talk about what they love without having to talk directly about themselves, which is ideal if someone is shy. Keep them harmless: no “who would you save first” dilemmas or anything involving exes.
- If you could instantly master one skill, what would it be?
- If you had to teach a ten-minute class on anything, what would it be?
- If you could live in any fictional place, where would you move?
- If your life had a theme tune, what would play when you walk into a room?
- If you opened a small café, what would be on the menu?
- If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would be the most fun?
- If you won a free year off, what would you actually do with it?
- If animals could talk, which one would be the rudest?
- If you were famous for something completely ordinary, what would it be?
- If you could swap lives with anyone for a week, who would it be?
- If you could add one public holiday, what would we celebrate?
- If you had a warning label, what would it say?
- If you could bring back one discontinued snack or shop, what would it be?
- If you could only eat one cuisine for the rest of your life, which one?
The last two tend to start lively debates, especially among people from the same country. Expect strong feelings about long-gone sweets and shops that closed years ago.
Low-stakes hot takes
A hot take is a mildly controversial opinion about something that doesn’t matter. They are brilliant for groups because everyone has a view and nobody gets hurt. Steer well clear of politics, religion and anything that touches on people’s identity or money.
- Is a hot dog a sandwich?
- What’s your most controversial food opinion?
- Which popular film do you think is overrated?
- Pineapple on pizza: yes, no or “it depends”?
- Where do you stand on milk in first or tea in first?
- What’s a hill you’d happily die on?
- Which song should be banned from weddings?
- Is it ever OK to recline your seat on a plane?
- What’s the best crisp flavour, and why is everyone else wrong?
- Socks with sandals: crime or comfort?
- What’s a “life hack” that’s actually rubbish?
- Which chore would you happily do forever so you never had to do another one?
- What’s the most overrated holiday destination you’ve been to?
- What’s one thing everyone seems to love that you just don’t get?
Make it land: treat their answer as a debate, not a verdict. Mock-outrage (“You did NOT just say salt and vinegar is the worst”) is far more fun than agreeing politely.
Story prompts
Story prompts ask for a short anecdote. They take a little longer to answer, so use them once the first nerves have settled, usually after ten minutes or so. They often produce the moments people remember afterwards.
- What’s the best thing you’ve ever found or won?
- What’s the most useless talent you have?
- What’s the strangest job you’ve ever had (or applied for)?
- What’s a small thing that makes you unreasonably happy?
- What’s the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done?
- What’s the worst haircut you’ve ever had, and who’s to blame?
- What did you want to be when you were seven?
- What’s the best meal you’ve ever had on holiday?
- What’s a hobby you tried once and immediately quit?
- What’s the most “you” thing you’ve done this year?
- What’s the funniest thing that happened to you on public transport?
- What’s a compliment you received years ago and still remember?
- What’s your go-to karaoke song, even if you’d never actually sing it?
- What’s the last thing you got really excited about?
If someone gives a short answer, that’s fine. Share a story of your own on the same theme and the conversation usually opens up. Our guide on how to avoid awkward silence has more ways to rescue a moment that falls flat.
Two-minute mini games
Mini games turn a conversation starter into a shared activity. They work best with three to eight people, around a table or on a walk, and they are especially good when the group doesn’t know each other well. Keep each one short and stop while it’s still fun.
- Two truths and a lie. Each person says three things about themselves; everyone guesses the lie.
- Desert island picks. One book, one album and one luxury item each.
- Rate it out of ten. Someone names a thing (Mondays, airports, brunch) and everyone gives it a score with one sentence of justification.
- The menu game. Everyone picks a three-course “last supper” from a single cuisine.
- Unpopular opinions round. Go around the table; each person shares a harmless one.
- Snack personality. “If you were a snack, which would you be?” Others have to guess first.
- Fake film titles. Describe your week as a film title and genre.
- The connection game. Find three things everyone at the table has in common in under two minutes.
- Emoji summary. Describe your weekend in three emojis, out loud.
- Best and worst. Everyone shares the best and worst thing about their week so far.
For longer group formats with rules and timings, see our list of icebreaker games for adults that aren’t cringe, and for games that work around a table, our dinner party games for adults.
Fun openers by setting
The same question can feel charming in one place and odd in another. Here is how to match the format to the moment.
| Setting | Best format | Try this |
|---|---|---|
| First coffee with someone new | This-or-that, then a story prompt | “Flat white or tea? And what’s the best café you’ve ever found?” |
| Group table at a meetup | Hot takes and mini games | “Quick poll: is a hot dog a sandwich?” |
| Party or work do | Something you can both see, with a twist | “Be honest, are you here for the people or the sausage rolls?” |
| Walk or hike | Hypotheticals | “If you could live anywhere along this route, which house?” |
| Quiz or game night | Playful rivalry | “What’s your specialist subject, so I know who to blame?” |
| Texting before a meetup | One easy this-or-that | “Important question before Saturday: sweet or savoury brunch?” |
Four fun openers for the first five minutes
- “What’s been the highlight of your week so far? Low bar accepted.”
- “Did you find this place OK, or did your map app send you on a tour too?”
- “What are you drinking? I always panic and order the same thing.”
- “Are you a regular at things like this, or is this a first for you too?”
Four fun openers for a group that’s gone quiet
- “Right, important question for the table: best biscuit for dunking?”
- “Everyone has to name one thing they’re weirdly good at.”
- “What’s the best thing anyone has watched recently? I need recommendations.”
- “Who here has the most chaotic holiday story?”
How to make fun conversation starters land
The list is the easy part. These habits are what turn a question into a good conversation.
- Go first. Offering your own answer before or straight after asking takes the pressure off. It feels like a game you’re both playing rather than a test.
- Keep your tone light. Smile, slow down and deliver it as an aside rather than an announcement. “Random question…” is a perfectly good opener.
- Follow the energy. If they light up, ask “Why?” or “What happened next?” If they shrug, share a quick answer of your own and move on. No opener is worth forcing.
- Use what’s around you. The best fun openers are often about the room: the odd art on the wall, the playlist, the menu. They feel spontaneous because they are.
- Don’t stack questions. One at a time. Three questions in a row feels like a quiz, not a chat.
- Read the room. At a quiet coffee, a gentle this-or-that works better than a loud group game. At a lively table, a hot take gets everyone involved.
- Know when to go deeper. Once you’re both laughing, a slightly more personal question (“What are you most looking forward to this year?”) usually feels natural. Our list of questions to ask when meeting someone new is sorted by exactly that kind of moment.
What to avoid when you’re trying to be fun
Fun should feel safe for everyone. Skip jokes about anyone’s appearance, weight, accent or job; avoid money, religion and politics until you know each other well; and never use a “gotcha” question that makes someone look silly in front of a group. If you’re with people from different countries, check that a reference makes sense before you build a joke on it. And if someone isn’t in a chatty mood, that’s not a puzzle to solve. A friendly “Fair enough” and a change of subject is the kind thing to do.
Turning a fun chat into a plan
Playful openers often reveal something you have in common: a love of terrible karaoke, a strong view on the best pub quiz in town, a shared hobby you both quit after one class. That’s your cue to suggest doing something together. “We have to settle the crisp debate properly; there’s a tasting night next month” is a much easier invitation than “Do you want to hang out sometime?” Our first date ideas that aren’t drinks work just as well for new friends.
Full disclosure: MeetNow is our own app. It is built for small plans like that: a host posts a plan at a real public place with a date, time and number of seats, says who pays (host pays, split, pay your own or free), and people ask to join with a short note. The host sees the requests and picks who comes, and accepted guests get a group chat to sort the details.
Want to turn this into an actual plan? Open MeetNow and see the plans in Malta: it is live on the web now, starting in Malta.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What is a fun conversation starter?
A fun conversation starter is a light, playful opener that invites a quick opinion, a choice or a short story rather than a fact. Questions like “What’s a hill you’d happily die on?” or “Which snack would you be?” get people laughing and talking without putting anyone on the spot.
What are good fun questions to break the ice?
This-or-that choices (beach or city break?), harmless hypotheticals (if you could instantly master one skill, what would it be?) and low-stakes hot takes (is a hot dog a sandwich?) are the easiest. They need no personal information and everyone can answer in seconds.
How do you start a fun conversation with a stranger?
Start with something you can both see, add a playful twist and ask for their opinion. For example, at a quiz night: “Be honest, are you here for the questions or the chips?” Then share your own answer so it feels like a chat, not an interview.
Are fun conversation starters good for first dates?
Yes, as long as you mix them with real follow-up questions. One or two playful openers ease the nerves; after that, pick up on whatever they say and ask why, how or what happened next.
What topics should you avoid when trying to be fun?
Avoid jokes about someone’s appearance, money, religion or politics, and avoid “gotcha” questions that make people feel judged. Fun should feel safe for everyone at the table.
How many conversation starters do I need?
Three to five is plenty for a first meetup. Good conversations grow from follow-up questions, so memorise a handful and spend the rest of your energy listening.
