When was the last time you got together with a few friends?
What did you guys talk about?
What about when you meet someone new, maybe at a party?
What do you talk about?
Would you like to be able to start English conversations in a natural way?
This is important to be able to do if you want to build connections in English.
What is the key to being good at starting conversations in English?
You’ll find out today so that you can build more connections with native speakers.
Hi girls, how are you?
First that all, your job is amazing, thanks a lot for all your support and advises. I’ve learned a huge with you.
I’m from Costa Rica, we like to talk a lot with other people. When we want to meet someone, we try to create the correct “environment”, we chose any interesting topic (such as Soccer) and we start a conversation, I’ve noted that the people from the US, CAN are more silent that us (Latinos) and sometimes is more complicated to start a conversation with them.
What advice could you give us for creating new friends in the US? What topics do people prefer to talk? See you later girls, you’re welcome to my country when you want to come.
-Falcón
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Be informed:
One key to being good at conversation is being informed.
Read the paper, watch movies, know what’s going on.
Listen to music.
A big part of being good at conversation is just being engaged in your world.
Shared situation strategy:
But today we want you to come away with one key strategy.
When I meet people for the first time I like to use the “shared situation strategy.”
What does that mean?
You don’t need to pull in random, scripted conversation topics.
Instead just use the situation that you both share in that moment.
- You’re at a meetup- Hey is this your first meetup? How long have you been a part of this meetup? What other meetups are you a part of?
- Waiting for the bus- Seems like the bus is taking a while huh? Is the bus usually this slow?
- At a reception after a lecture- Hey what’d you think of the lecture? How’d you like the lecture?
- You’re at a party- so who do you know here? So how do you know (the host)?
The key is just to say something.
Get the conversation started.
It doesn’t have to be an amazing comment.
Always smile.
Make the person want to continue talking to you.
Show interest in them then you should be able to get it rolling and keep the conversation going.
What questions do you have from today’s episode?
Let us know in the comments below.
