40 conversation topics for a video call with someone you don't know
· Callumbra
The first seconds of a video call with a stranger are usually the hardest: both of you are waiting for the other to say something. The good news is you don't need to be witty, just have a couple of open questions ready and actually listen to the answer. Here are 40, ordered from lighter to more personal, for any video chat.
To break the ice (first minutes)
- Where are you calling from? What time is it there?
- What were you doing before you connected?
- Is this your first time on a video chat?
- How has your day been, from 1 to 10?
- What can you see from your window right now?
- Coffee, tea, or neither?
- Are you a morning person or a night owl?
- What's the first thing you'd do if you had tomorrow off?
To get to know each other a bit more
- What do you do, and what do you like most about it?
- What are you learning lately, even something small?
- What's the last series or movie that hooked you?
- What music do you listen to most?
- What food from your country would you recommend to a visitor?
- What place in your city would you show a tourist?
- Do you have a pet? What's its name?
- What sport or activity do you enjoy, even just watching?
- What app do you use most, apart from messaging?
- What makes you laugh easily?
To keep the conversation flowing
The best questions ask for a story, not a yes or no. If the answer is short, ask «how did that happen?» or «why?»: it almost always opens things up.
- What's the best trip you've ever taken, even somewhere close?
- What's something everyone loves that doesn't convince you?
- What skill would you like to have without practicing?
- What advice would you give yourself five years ago?
- What food could you eat all week?
- If you could live in another country for a year, which would you choose?
- What's the weirdest thing you've ever eaten?
- What tradition from your family or country do you really like?
- What would you like to learn this year?
- Is there a book, channel or podcast you always recommend?
Once there's some trust
- What's making you happy these days?
- What small thing makes your day?
- What was hard for you and now makes you proud?
- What would your ideal weekend look like?
- What do you value most in a friendship?
- What would you like people to know about you when they meet you?
- What dream are you still chasing?
- What would you like to change about your routine?
- When was the last time you thought «what a great day»?
- What would you like to talk about next time?
What to avoid
- Asking for personal details (address, exact workplace, phone number) in the first few minutes.
- Turning the chat into an interrogation: share something of yours after each answer.
- Topics that make strangers uncomfortable (money, politics, religion) unless the other person brings them up.
- Insisting when someone doesn't want to answer: just change the subject.
Where to put it into practice
On Callumbra you can practice with real people on video from your browser: pick up to 5 interests and we connect you first with someone who shares one, which already gives you something to talk about. Icebreaker ideas also show up during the call if you go blank.
Frequently asked questions
How do I start a video call with someone I don't know?
Keep it simple and open: say hi, say where you're calling from and ask the same. A light question like «what were you doing before you connected?» usually works better than a clever one.
What do I do if there's an awkward silence?
Pick up something the other person said earlier («I was thinking about what you said about…») or use a question from the list. A short silence is normal; you don't need to fill it with anything.