Learn English for small talk with your boss or clients in this practical Business English lesson. You’ll practise 12 useful phrases, learn how to respond and follow two complete conversations you can adapt for work.
If you join a meeting early and your manager is already there, you could ask:
“Morning, Anna. How’s your week going?”
Her answer gives you something to ask about next. Below, we’ll look at how to choose that question, what to say about yourself and how to finish when the meeting starts.
Listen to the lesson
Listen to episode 605 of Speak Better English with Harry. Follow the examples below, then pause the recording and practise saying the phrases out loud.
Prefer Spotify? Search for Speak Better English with Harry, Episode 605, and listen while you’re travelling or practising your listening.
Choose a suitable small talk topic
Small talk is a short, informal conversation before a meeting, while you’re waiting or when you welcome a visitor. A question about the journey, the week or something the person has mentioned gives you somewhere to begin.
I once found myself sitting in the same row as my boss’s boss on a six-hour flight. That tested my small talk skills, and English is my first language. You don’t need to entertain the other person, but it helps to have a couple of questions ready.
Choose something that fits where you are and how well you know them. Let them decide how much to share.
- Salary and money
- Relationships and personal problems
- Politics and religion
How to start small talk with your boss or a client
1“How’s your week going?”
Use this when you’re part of the way through the working week and have a little time before the meeting starts.
ExampleMorning, Anna. How’s your week going?
You’re asking how the week is going so far. Anna can mention a project, say she’s been busy or simply tell you things are going well. She can decide what she wants to share.
If it’s first thing on Monday morning, a question about the weekend would fit better. Later in the day, you could also ask, How’s your day going?
Manager: Quite busy. I’ve been preparing for Friday’s presentation.
You: Is that the presentation for the new client?
Here, you already know a little about the presentation. If you don’t, you could ask, What’s the presentation about? Choose the question that fits what you actually know.
2“How was your journey?”
Use this when you’re welcoming a client who’s travelled to your office.
ExampleIt’s good to see you again, Maria. How was your journey?
Here, journey means the travel from one place to another. You don’t need to know whether Maria came by car, train or plane. Listen to her answer before choosing your response:
Maria: Fine, thanks. The train was on time.
You: Oh, good. Can I get you a coffee before we start?
If she tells you there was a long delay, acknowledge that instead: That sounds frustrating. Would you like a coffee before we start?
3“Did you have a good weekend?”
Use this when it’s the beginning of the working week. You can also ask, How was your weekend?
ExampleMorning, David. Did you have a good weekend?
Use something from his answer for your next question:
David: I went to the football on Saturday.
You: Did your team win?
Or
David: We tried that new Italian restaurant.
You: Oh, would you recommend it?
You don’t need to ask both questions. Follow the detail he’s chosen to share. But if he simply says he had a quiet weekend, you don’t need to ask him to describe everything he did. You could say, That sounds nice. It’s good to have some time to relax, isn’t it?
A short answer doesn’t automatically mean someone doesn’t want to talk. Perhaps they really did have a quiet weekend. Pay attention to what else they’re doing and whether the meeting is about to begin.
4“How did it go?”
Use this to ask about something the person has already told you about, such as a presentation, training session or client visit.
ExampleYou had your presentation on Friday, didn’t you? How did it go?
You’re asking how it turned out and whether the person was happy with it. They might tell you the audience asked lots of questions or that they needed more time.
Mention the event first if it isn’t already clear. How did it go? on its own can be confusing when the person has had several things happening that week.
5“Is there a good place nearby for lunch?”
Use this when you’re visiting a client’s office and don’t know the area.
ExampleI’ve got a bit of time after our meeting. Is there a good place nearby for lunch?
Nearby means close to where you are. You’re asking for a recommendation, so the client can suggest a café or restaurant they know.
You aren’t inviting them to lunch. There’s no invitation they need to accept or decline.
Related lesson: if the conversation turns to food or restaurants, try these small talk questions about food.
How to follow up and respond
6“What was it like?”
Use this when someone mentions an experience and you’d like them to describe it.
Client: I was at a conference in Berlin last week.
You: Oh, I haven’t been to that conference. What was it like?
Your client might describe the speakers, the subjects they covered or the people they met.
There’s a useful difference between What was it like? and How did it go?:
| Question | What you’re asking | Example situation |
|---|---|---|
| “How did it go?” | How something turned out, often whether it went well. | Your manager gave a presentation. |
| “What was it like?” | What the experience was like, inviting a description. | Your client attended a conference you haven’t been to. |
Both questions can sometimes fit the same event. Choose according to what you want to hear about: how it went or what the experience was like.
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7“That sounds interesting.”
You don’t have to follow every answer with another question. You can make a comment and add something of your own.
Client: One of the speakers explained how their company introduced a four-day working week.
You: That sounds interesting. We’re discussing a four-day week at our company, too.
We use sounds because we’re reacting to what someone has told us. Choose an adjective that fits their experience. If their train was cancelled and they spent three hours at the station, That sounds frustrating would be more appropriate.
For a disappointment, you could say Oh, that’s a shame.
Manager: We were going to have lunch outside, but it started raining.
You: Oh, that’s a shame.
Match your response to what happened. A cancelled lunch plan needs a different reaction from an interesting conference.
How to answer small talk questions
Your manager or client might be the person who starts the conversation. Practise your own answers as well as the questions.
8“Quite busy, but it’s going well. How about you?”
Use this to answer a question such as How’s your week going?
ExampleQuite busy, but it’s going well. I’ve just finished the monthly report. How about you?
You’ve answered, added one detail and asked about the other person. Mentioning the report gives them something to respond to without turning your answer into a full work update. How about you? returns the same question without repeating it in full.
Make sure your answer is true. If you’re having a difficult week, you can say:
An honest answerIt’s been a difficult week, actually. There’s a delay with the report that I’d like to discuss in the meeting.
That gives an honest answer. You can explain the problem properly when you discuss the report.
9“Nothing special, really. I had a quiet weekend.”
You don’t need an exciting story when someone asks about your weekend.
ExampleNothing special, really. I had a quiet weekend. I did a bit of cooking and watched a film.
A quiet weekend usually means a relaxed weekend without much activity. It doesn’t mean you didn’t speak to anybody.
Adding a small detail, such as cooking or watching a film, gives the other person something to ask about if they want to. You can share as much or as little as you’re comfortable with.
10“Hopefully it’ll last until the weekend.”
Use this when someone comments on good weather and you hope it will continue.
Manager: It’s lovely out today, isn’t it?
You: Yes, it makes a nice change. Hopefully it’ll last until the weekend.
It makes a nice change means you’re pleased that something is different. In this example, the sun has come out after several days of rain. Last means continue — you’re hoping the good weather will still be there when you have some time off.
Your manager might mention a walk or a day out they’re planning. Or they might simply agree. Either response is fine; you don’t have to keep adding questions.
How to finish small talk politely
11“Shall we get started?”
Use this when you’re leading the meeting and everyone is ready to begin.
ExampleWell, everyone’s here now. Shall we get started? The first thing we need to discuss is the delivery date.
You’ve explained why you’re finishing the chat and introduced the first topic. That makes the change easy to follow.
If your manager is leading the meeting, you’ll usually leave the decision to them. When they suggest starting, finish the small talk and turn your attention to the agenda.
Related lesson: if you’re leading the meeting, learn how to introduce the purpose, agenda and first discussion point in How to Start a Business Meeting in English.
12“I’ll let you get back to it.”
Use this to finish a brief chat when the other person has work to do.
ExampleWell, I’ll let you get back to it. See you at the meeting later.
Perhaps your manager has mentioned a report she needs to finish. Get back to it means return to what she was doing, in this case, writing the report. You’re acknowledging that she’s busy and giving the conversation a friendly ending. You don’t need a long explanation for leaving.
If you’re the person who needs to leave, explain that instead:
If you’re leavingI’d better get to my next meeting. See you later.
This makes the reason clear. You aren’t suggesting that the other person needs to stop talking and get back to work.
Prepare for the discussion as well
Once the meeting begins, you may need to join the discussion, ask for time to think or disagree with a suggestion. Speak Up in Meetings gives you practical English phrases for these situations, with examples and guidance on tone.
Choose the phrases that fit your next meeting and practise them beforehand.
See what’s inside Speak Up in Meetings →Two complete small talk conversations
Let’s put some of the phrases together. Notice how each reply connects to what the other person has just said.
Before an online meeting with your manager
You: Morning, Anna. How’s your week going?
Anna: Quite busy, but good. I gave that presentation yesterday.
You: Oh, yes, the one for the new client. How did it go?
Anna: Well, thanks. They asked lots of questions about the delivery dates. How’s your week been?
You: Quite busy, too. I’ve just finished the monthly report.
Anna: Good to hear. Well, everyone’s here now. Shall we get started?
You: Yes, of course.
Why this works: you ask about something Anna mentions, then give a short answer when she asks about you. When she starts the meeting, you let the chat finish. You don’t need to add another question.
For help once the call begins, read Must-Have English Phrases for Online Meetings. It covers joining a call, connection problems and checking what someone said.
Welcoming a client to your office
You: It’s good to see you again, Maria. How was your journey?
Maria: A bit tiring, actually. My train was cancelled, so I had to wait an hour for the next one.
You: That sounds frustrating. Was it very busy when it finally arrived?
Maria: Yes, but luckily I managed to get a seat.
You: Oh, good. Would you like a coffee before we start?
Maria: Yes, please. A coffee would be lovely.
You: Of course. Let’s go through to the meeting room.
Why this works: you acknowledge the difficult journey and ask one relevant question. Then you offer something useful. You don’t need to keep asking about the delay.
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Practise small talk in situations from work
Think about the following situations. Choose one or two that you’re likely to experience in your own working day.
- You join an online meeting a few minutes early. Your manager is already there, but you don’t know them particularly well and you’re waiting for the rest of the team.
- A client you’ve only spoken to by email arrives at your office. You meet them at reception and walk together to the meeting room.
- You see a senior manager at a company event. You’ve met once before, but you’re not sure they’ll remember you.
- Your manager asks about your weekend. You’re happy to chat, but you’d prefer to keep some details to yourself.
- You’re visiting a client’s office and have a few minutes together after the meeting. You don’t know the area and have some time before your train home.
- You’re having an interesting conversation with a colleague, but you need to leave for another meeting.
For each situation you choose, think about what you could say, which topics would fit and how much time you’d have. What could you share about yourself? How might the other person respond, and how would that affect what you say next? Think about how you’d bring the conversation to an end as well.
Then practise a short conversation out loud. Use details from your own work where you can. Try it again with a different response from the other person, so you practise adapting rather than repeating the same conversation.
Common questionsQuestions about small talk at work
What if I don’t understand something during small talk?
Ask about the part you missed. If you didn’t catch the name of a place, you could say, Sorry, where did you say you went? If you heard the words but don’t know an expression, ask, What does that mean?
You can ask for clarification during an informal conversation just as you would during a meeting.
How can I answer a personal question without sharing too much?
Give a brief answer that you’re comfortable with. If someone asks about your weekend, you can mention a film, a meal or some time at home without describing everything you did. You could then ask about their weekend.
If they ask directly about something you’d rather keep private, it’s okay to say, I’d rather not go into that, if you don’t mind.
What if the conversation goes quiet?
You don’t need to fill every pause. If you’re both waiting for a meeting to start, a short exchange may be enough.
If there’s time and the other person seems interested, you could return to something they mentioned or share a related experience. If they’re checking their notes or preparing to begin, let the conversation finish.
Before your next meeting
Pick a couple of phrases that fit a conversation you’re likely to have. If a client is coming to the office, practise asking about their journey. If your manager mentioned a presentation, practise asking how it went.
Practise your own answer as well. Think about your week or weekend, choose one detail you’re happy to share and say a couple of sentences out loud. You don’t need to learn a speech, but it helps to have said the words before somebody asks you.
When you have the conversation, give the other person time to answer. There may be something you can ask about or an experience you can share. And if they’re getting ready to begin the meeting, let the small talk finish.
Practise the English you’ll need during the meeting
If you’d also like help with joining the discussion, asking for clarification or checking what was decided, take a look at Speak Up in Meetings.
It includes practical phrases and meeting examples, so you can choose the situations you need and practise them beforehand.
Explore Speak Up in Meetings →Related English lessons
If this lesson was useful, these will help you build more natural, useful English at work.
- Small Talk Questions About Food Use this when a conversation turns to restaurants, favourite dishes or where to eat. Practise questions you can ask when you’re chatting before a meeting or over lunch.
- How to Start a Business Meeting in English Use this when you’re leading the meeting and need to finish the small talk, explain the purpose and introduce the agenda.
- Must-Have English Phrases for Online Meetings Use this when you need to join a call, deal with connection problems or check what someone said during an online meeting.