Hey guys, I just came to the US but I've been having trouble initiating conversations with the people here. It seems like Americans really like small talks, however I'm really weak at this because I don't usually speak unless I have something to say.
Can you give me some examples of how people usually start the conversation?
Also what are the topics that they like to talk about?
(I looked this up, but I still want to hear your opinions)
It is easy to start to chat with people.I can give you some examples here.But the best way is to practice regularly with a native speaker.For example we will usually begin"Hi,how are you today?" or "Hi how are you doing?" Then we may continue to ask about how you are settling in,in the US,or how you like the place you live,something like that.You can discuss the weather or what you like to do in your spare time.These are common small talk topics (not SMALL TALKS - no plural).
If you want to start a conversation with a stranger who you've never talked to before, start with an introduction: "Hi, I'm Tasha. What's your name?" After that, be prepared to ask something or make a comment that's relevant to the situation you're in. For example, in line at the DMV you could say, "The line's crazy today, huh?" To which the person might respond, "DMV lines always are."
I'd like to point out that not all Americans like small talk. I personally hate it. So if you try to talk to someone and they don't make any effort to keep the conversation going - for example, if they only give 1 or 2 word answers to your questions and don't ask any of their own - you should probably just leave them alone.
Great, thank you Amy!
My bad, I mean 'some' Americans like small talk. The ones I met so far were very chatty, so I assumed that it's part of the culture. I was really surprised because back home I don't really see this kind of thing happening. Thanks for your advice!
Thank you! I'll keep that in mind :)
