Do you ever feel awkward starting a conversation in English? You meet someone. There is silence. You don’t know what to say next.
If English isn’t your first language, small talk at work can be difficult even when you understand the main conversation. You may know the English you need for your job, but still hesitate when a colleague asks about your weekend, a client joins a call early or you meet someone at a conference.
In this lesson, you’ll learn 100 essential small talk phrases in English, with natural questions, short replies and follow-up questions. You’ll learn how to start a conversation, keep it going and end it politely in work and everyday situations.
The examples are especially useful for meetings, conferences, work trips and conversations with colleagues and clients.
Watch: small talk phrases in English
Prefer to learn by listening and watching? Watch the video first, then use the phrases below to practise.
- Small talk before a meeting
- Meeting someone for the first time
- Keeping a conversation going
- Safe small talk topics
- Talking about work
- Weather
- Weekends and holidays
- Food, hobbies, TV and sport
- Catching up with someone
- Conferences and networking
- Answering small talk questions
- Ending small talk
- Common mistakes
- Small talk conversations
- FAQ
How small talk works in English
Question, answer, one extra detail, question back
Question → answer → one extra detail → question back
A: How was your weekend?
B: Good, thanks. We went out for dinner on Saturday. How about yours?
A natural small-talk answer doesn’t need to be long. Give the person something they can respond to, then ask something back.
Small talk is normally uncountable, so it has no plural and takes no article.
We made some small talk before the meeting.
I’m not very good at making small talk.
We had a small talk before the meeting.
We made some small talk before the meeting.
Small talk before a meeting or video call
These are the phrases you’ll use most often, because this is where small talk happens at work: the two minutes before a meeting starts, or while everyone waits for the last person to join the call.
Use it when: you join a call or meet a colleague and want an easy, low-risk opening.
Natural reply: Busy, but good, thanks. We’ve had a lot on this week. How about you?
Follow up: Anything interesting on today?
Use it when: you work with the person regularly but haven’t spoken for a week or two. Your side is common on international calls between offices.
Natural reply: Not bad at all. We’re just finishing the quarterly report. And your side?
Follow up: How’s the new team settling in?
Use it when: it’s Monday or Tuesday for the first one, Thursday or Friday for the second.
Natural reply: Really good, thanks. We took the kids to the coast on Sunday. How about you?
Follow up: Did you get good weather?
Use it when: someone has travelled to your office, or arrives a few minutes late.
Natural reply: No, it was fine. The train was on time for once. Have you been in the office all week?
Follow up: How long does the journey take you?
Two colleagues joining a Teams meeting early
Anna: Hi Tomas. You’re early too.
Tomas: I am. My last call finished sooner than I expected. How’s your week going?
Anna: Busy, but good. We’re finishing the supplier review this week. How about you?
Tomas: Much the same. I was in Berlin on Tuesday, so I’m catching up now.
Anna: Oh, how was that?
Tomas: Really useful, actually. I’ll tell you about it afterwards — here’s Marek. Shall we start?
Notice how short this is. Two questions, two answers, one follow-up, and the meeting begins. Small talk before a meeting doesn’t need to fill five minutes.
PhrasesMeeting someone for the first time at work
You don’t need twenty questions here. Six or seven good ones will carry almost any first conversation.
- Is this your first time here?
- What brings you here?
- Where are you based?
- What do you do?
- Which team are you with?
- How did you get into that?
- How long have you been working in [industry]?
Where are you from? is still a normal question, and most people are happy to answer it.
One thing to be careful about: if someone has answered Where are you from?, leave it there. Following it with But where are you really from? or And your parents? can make the other person feel they’re being asked to explain themselves. Move on to the work, the event or the city instead.
A: Is this your first time at the London office?
B: It is, yes. I’m normally in Warsaw. Are you based here?
A: I am. I’m in the finance team. Which team are you with?
B: Product, mainly on the reporting side.
A: Oh, interesting. How did you get into that?
How to keep a small talk conversation going
Most learners can start a conversation. The difficult part is the second minute. Two things keep it going: follow-up questions and short reactions.
Useful follow-up questions
- Really? How was it?
- How did that go?
- What was that like?
- How long have you been doing that?
- Would you recommend it?
- Do you do that often?
- How did you get into that?
- What happened next?
Short reactions
- Really?
- That sounds good.
- That sounds interesting.
- Nice.
- I know what you mean.
- That must have been difficult.
Do not ask one question after another without reacting. That can make the conversation feel like an interview rather than a conversation.
- Where are you from?
- What do you do?
- How long have you worked there?
- Do you have children?
Four questions, no reaction. The other person is answering, not talking.
A: Where are you based?
B: Prague.
A: Oh, nice. I was there a few years ago. Have you always lived there?
One question, a reaction, something of your own, then the next question.
The pattern is simple: react first, then ask. A four-word reaction is enough to turn an interview back into a conversation.
Listen to the lesson
Prefer listening? Hear Harry explain more small talk phrases and examples in this episode of Speak Better English with Harry.
Listening and reading together makes the phrases much easier to remember.
Safe small talk topics at work
Some topics work with almost anyone. Others depend on how well you know the person. And a few are better left alone until you know them much better.
- Work in general
- The meeting or event
- Travel
- Weather
- Weekend
- Food and restaurants
- Hobbies
- Family
- Holidays
- Where someone lives
- Personal plans
- Health
- Children
- Salary
- Age
- Politics
- Religion
- Relationship status
- Very personal questions
In international workplaces, people have different ideas about what is personal. When you don’t know someone well, start with something you both share: the meeting, the event, the journey, work, the city, the weekend or the weather.
PhrasesTalking about work without making it sound like an interview
Work is the one thing you and the other person definitely have in common, so it’s a reliable topic. The trick is to ask about the interesting part of someone’s job rather than the facts of it.
- Are you working on anything interesting at the moment?
- What do you enjoy most about your job?
- How did you get started in [industry]?
- How long have you been in your current role?
- Which team are you with?
- Are you based here or in another office?
After a presentation
- I really enjoyed your presentation.
- I thought the point about [topic] was really interesting.
- How did you get involved in that project?
- Is that something your team is working on now?
If you don’t mind my saying so, I really enjoyed your presentation.
I really enjoyed your presentation.
Do you use English at work?
The free quiz uses real workplace situations — a colleague asking a question, a client joining early, a discussion you need to join — and checks how naturally you would respond in English.
Test Your English at Work →Weather small talk in English
The weather is the easiest opening in English, and it works with anyone.
- Lovely day, isn’t it?
- Can you believe this weather?
- Have you seen the forecast?
- Is it always this hot/cold here?
- It’s supposed to rain later, isn’t it?
A: It’s beautiful today.
B: Yes, much better than yesterday. Are you here for the whole week?
The important point: the weather often starts the conversation, but it does not have to remain the topic. Use it to open, then move to the person, the event or the work.
PhrasesWeekend and holiday small talk
- How was your weekend?
- Did you have a good weekend?
- Any plans for the weekend?
- Have you been away recently?
- Did you manage to get away for a holiday?
- What have you been up to lately?
Give a better answer than “Fine”
Fine.
Good, thanks. We went hiking on Sunday. How about you?
Food, restaurants, hobbies, TV and sport
These are your second-line topics. Use them once the conversation is already going.
Food
- Have you tried any good restaurants lately?
- Is there anywhere around here you’d recommend?
- What kind of food do you like?
TV and films
- Have you watched anything good recently?
- Have you seen [film/programme]?
Hobbies
- What do you like doing outside work?
- Do you get much time for [activity]?
Sport
- Did you catch the game last night?
- Are you into football/tennis/rugby?
Sport works best when you already know the other person has some interest in it. If they don’t, the conversation stops immediately — so listen for it before you ask, or ask something more open such as What do you like doing outside work?
PhrasesCatching up with someone you already know
- How have you been?
- It’s been ages. How are things?
- What have you been up to lately?
- How’s everything going?
- The last time we spoke, you were changing jobs. How did that go?
- How are things at work?
That fifth phrase is the strongest one here. Remembering something from your last conversation shows you were listening, and it gives the other person an easy, specific thing to talk about.
Ask about someone’s family only when you already know them and know their family — for example How are the children getting on? if you have met them. If you don’t, stay with work, travel and the weekend.
PhrasesSmall talk at conferences, networking events and client visits
This is where small talk matters most, because you are meeting people you don’t know and the conversation has to start from nothing. The good news is that you always have something in common: you are both there.
The situations you’ll need this for:
- Before the conference starts
- During a coffee break
- After somebody gives a presentation
- Meeting a visiting client
- Business travel
- Dinner after a meeting
- Is this your first time at this event?
- What did you think of the last session?
- How was your journey?
- Have you been to [city] before?
- How long are you here for?
- Which sessions are you planning to attend?
- How do you know [person/company]?
- What kind of work are you involved in?
A complete conference conversation
Elena: Is this your first time at this conference?
Daniel: It is, yes. I’ve been meaning to come for a couple of years. How about you?
Elena: My third. It’s worth coming back. What did you think of the last session?
Daniel: Better than I expected, actually. The part about reporting was useful. We’re changing our whole system at the moment.
Elena: Oh, how’s that going?
Daniel: Slowly. But we’ll get there. What kind of work are you involved in?
Elena: I’m on the operations side, mainly logistics. Are you here for the whole two days?
Daniel: Just today, unfortunately. I’m flying back this evening.
Elena: Well, I’m going to grab a coffee before the next session. It was good meeting you.
Daniel: You too. Enjoy the rest of the conference.
Nobody in that conversation says anything complicated. Every line is a short answer, one detail and a question back — and the exit at the end is a single sentence.
The main skillWhat to say when someone asks YOU a small talk question
Starting the conversation is only half of it. Most of the time, someone will ask you first — and this is where a one-word answer ends the conversation before it begins.
Use the same three steps every time
Answer + one detail + question back
You do not need a long or interesting story. One detail is enough to give the other person something to respond to, and the question back keeps the conversation moving.
Pretty busy at the moment. We’re launching a new product next month, so there’s a lot going on. How are things with you?
Good, thanks. We had some friends over on Saturday. How about yours?
I work in finance for a manufacturing company. I mainly deal with reporting and budgeting. What about you?
Yes, once, a few years ago. I didn’t get much time to see the city though. Do you come here often?
I’m from Poland originally, but I’ve been living in Munich for about six years now. Are you from around here?
Fine, thanks. A bit long — I was up at five for the flight. Did you have far to come?
Nothing much. We might get out of the city if the weather holds. What about you?
We’re moving everything onto a new system, so most of my week is testing. It’s not exciting, but it needs doing. What about your team?
What if you do not want to answer?
You do not have to give personal information just because somebody has asked a question. These replies close the topic politely and move the conversation on.
- Nothing exciting, really. How about you?
- I haven’t made any plans yet. What about you?
- I tend to keep that fairly private, to be honest.
- Long story. I’ll tell you another time.
Each of these does the same two things: it answers without giving details, and it hands the conversation back. That’s what makes them sound friendly rather than closed.
PhrasesHow to end small talk naturally
Knowing how to leave a conversation is as useful as knowing how to start one. Say what you are going to do next, then close.
At work
- I’d better get back to it.
- I’ll let you get back to your day.
- Anyway, I’d better get on. Nice talking to you.
- I’d better get going. I’ve got another meeting in a few minutes.
At a conference
- I’m going to grab a coffee before the next session. Nice talking to you.
- It was good meeting you. Maybe I’ll see you later.
- I’d better head back in. Good talking to you.
With someone you already know
- Good catching up with you.
- Let’s catch up again soon.
- I’ll let you get on. Speak soon.
Use I’d better get going, not I better get going. You will hear I better in very casual speech, but I’d better (from I had better) is the standard form and the one to learn.
Common small talk mistakes in English
These are the eight things that most often make small talk difficult for non-native speakers.
- Asking too many questions without reacting. Add a short reaction before the next question: Oh, nice. Really?
- Giving only one-word replies. A one-word Fine gives the other person nothing to work with.
- Choosing a question that is too personal. Salary, age and relationship status are not first-conversation topics.
- Trying to use complicated English when simple English sounds more natural. Ask How was your weekend? rather than something longer.
- Forgetting to ask something back. Finish with How about you? or What about you?
- Talking too long because you are worried about silence. A short pause is normal. Let the other person speak.
- Asking work questions that sound like an interview. Ask what someone enjoys, not just what they do.
- Not knowing how to leave the conversation. Say what you’re doing next: I’d better get back to it.
What is your profession?
What do you do?
Three complete small talk conversations at work
1. Before an online meeting
Petra: Morning, Sam. We’re a bit early.
Sam: We are. How was your weekend?
Petra: Good, thanks. Quiet, mostly. We finally sorted out the garden. How about yours?
Sam: Busy. My sister was over from Ireland, so we were out most of Saturday.
Petra: Oh, nice. Does she come over often?
Sam: Two or three times a year. Right — that’s everyone. Shall we make a start?
Notice: Petra answers the question, adds one detail and then asks something back. She does not need a long answer.
2. At a conference
Magda: Hi — I’m Magda. Is this your first time at this event?
Chris: Chris. Nice to meet you. It is, yes. What did you think of the opening session?
Magda: Really interesting, actually. The part about remote teams was useful for us. What kind of work are you involved in?
Chris: I’m in HR, mainly recruitment. So that session was very relevant.
Magda: I can imagine. We’ve had the same problem hiring this year.
Chris: Everybody has. Anyway, I’d better head back in. Good talking to you.
Magda: You too. Enjoy the rest of it.
Notice: Magda reacts to what Chris says (I can imagine) before adding something of her own. That reaction is what stops it sounding like an interview.
3. Monday morning with a colleague
Ivan: Morning. How was your weekend?
Lucy: Long, honestly. We drove up to see my parents and sat in traffic for three hours. How about yours?
Ivan: Oh no. Ours was quiet — I finally finished that course I started in January.
Lucy: Nice. Was it worth doing?
Ivan: Definitely. I’ll show you some of it later. Did you see Marek’s email about Thursday, by the way?
Lucy: I did, yes. I was going to ask you about that.
Notice how Ivan moves into work: by the way. Small talk doesn’t have to be closed off before the real conversation starts — one linking phrase is enough.
Small talk gets the conversation started. The meeting itself can be harder.
You may need to join the discussion, explain your point, ask for clarification, disagree carefully or answer a question without much time to prepare.
Speak Up in Meetings gives you practical phrases for these situations, with examples and guidance on what sounds natural with colleagues, managers and clients.
See Speak Up in Meetings →Practise your small talk
Four everyday work situations. What could you say?
1. You join a Teams call two minutes early with one colleague.
Show one possible answer
Hi Anna. We’re early. How’s your week going?
Any of the “before a meeting” questions works here. How’s your week going? is safe with anyone and easy to answer.
2. You meet a client during a conference coffee break.
Show one possible answer
Is this your first time at this event? What did you think of the last session?
Start with what you both share — the event you are standing in. It needs no background knowledge on either side.
3. A colleague asks, “How was your weekend?”
Show one possible answer
Good, thanks. We went to my brother’s on Sunday. How about yours?
Answer, one detail, question back. Not Fine, which leaves the other person with nothing to say.
4. You need to leave because your next meeting is starting.
Show one possible answer
I’d better get going — I’ve got another meeting in a few minutes. Nice talking to you.
Give the reason, then close. That way leaving sounds normal rather than abrupt.
Small talk phrases in English: quick reference
The phrases worth having ready, in five groups.
Start
- How’s your day going?
- How was your weekend?
- Is this your first time here?
- How was your journey?
Respond
- Pretty good, thanks.
- Busy, but good.
- Not bad at all.
- Yes, it was really interesting.
Follow up
- Really? How was it?
- How did that go?
- What was that like?
- How did you get into that?
Change the subject
- Anyway, how are things at work?
- By the way, how did [project/event] go?
- Speaking of work, are you still working on [project]?
Finish
- I’d better get back to it.
- Good talking to you.
- I’ll let you get on.
- I’d better head back in.
Small talk in English: FAQ
What is small talk in English?
Small talk is a short, informal conversation about light topics — the weather, the weekend, the journey, the event you are both at. It usually happens before or around the main purpose of a meeting or interaction, rather than being the reason for it.
How do I start small talk at work?
Start with something you both share: the meeting, the journey, the weekend, the event, the weather or work in general. You don’t need an interesting opening — you need an easy one.
What are good small talk questions in English?
- How’s your week going?
- How was your weekend?
- Is this your first time here?
- Are you working on anything interesting at the moment?
- What do you like doing outside work?
What are safe small talk topics at work?
Work in general, travel, the weather, the weekend, food and restaurants, hobbies, and the meeting or event you are both attending. These work with almost anyone, whatever their background.
How can I keep a small talk conversation going?
Answer the question, add one small detail and ask something back. React before you ask your next question — a short Really? or That sounds interesting stops the conversation feeling like an interview.
How do I end small talk politely?
Say what you are going to do next, then close.
I’d better get back to it.
I’m going to grab a coffee before the next session. Nice talking to you.
Good catching up with you.
Where to start
You do not need to remember 100 phrases before your next conversation. Start with five.
- One phrase for meeting someone
- One question for a colleague
- Two follow-up questions
- One phrase for ending the conversation
Use those several times until they start to come naturally. Then add more.
How would you respond in a real meeting?
You have practised the English you can use before a meeting and during small talk. Now test what you would say when the discussion starts.
The free Test Your Meeting English quiz gives you 8 common work situations, including joining a discussion, asking for clarification, disagreeing politely and responding when you need a moment to think.
Take the free quiz →Related lessons
More lessons to help you start and continue conversations in English at work.
- How to Make Small Talk in English More examples of how to start a conversation, talk about everyday topics, catch up with someone and finish the conversation naturally.
- Small Talk Questions About Food Food is an easy topic when you are meeting someone for the first time. Natural questions about restaurants, cooking, meals and food preferences.
- How to Talk About Your Weekend in English How to answer one of the most common workplace small-talk questions, “How was your weekend?”, and give more natural answers than simply “Good” or “Fine”.
- How to Start a Business Meeting in English Small talk often happens just before the real meeting begins. How to welcome people, introduce the purpose of the meeting and start the discussion clearly.
- Key Business English Phrases for the Workplace Useful English phrases for everyday communication with colleagues, managers and clients when you need more than small talk.