Conversation starters for video chat: what to talk about with strangers

Start with something easy to answer

The best opener is a question the other person can answer in one line without thinking hard. It should not feel like an interview, and it should leave room for them to ask you the same thing back.

• Hi, where are you calling from today?
• What are you up to right now? Studying, working, just bored?
• What's the best thing you ate this week?
• Which city or town do you call home, and what is it known for?
• Are you a morning person or a night owl?
• What's playing in your headphones lately?

Light and funny questions

Humour lowers the pressure quickly. Silly hypotheticals work well because there is no wrong answer, and they show you how the other person thinks.

• Would you rather always be ten minutes late or twenty minutes early?
• What is the most useless talent you have?
• If you could only eat one street food for a year, which one?
• What is a movie dialogue you can quote from memory?
• What would your autobiography be called?
• Which app do you open the most, and are you embarrassed by it?

Questions for college and work life

Many people on video chat are students or early in their jobs, so shared experiences come easily. Keep it friendly and skip anything that sounds like judging their marks or salary.

• What are you studying, and would you pick it again?
• What is the strangest rule at your college or office?
• What is a small thing that made your week better?
• If you could skip one subject or task forever, what would it be?
• What is your comfort show when exams or deadlines hit?

Going a little deeper

Once the call feels relaxed, a thoughtful question can turn a five-minute chat into a real conversation. Ask them only if the mood is right, and be ready to answer them yourself.

• What is something you started recently that you are proud of?
• Which place would you move to if money was not a problem?
• What is one thing you wish people asked you about more?
• Who taught you the most about how to treat people?
• What is something you changed your mind about in the last few years?

When the chat goes quiet

Silence is normal, and it does not mean the call is going badly. Ask a follow-up about something they already said, since people enjoy being listened to. If you both run dry, use a shared activity instead: kynq has conversation prompts and quick games such as would-you-rather, this-or-that and guess the word, which give you something to do together.

Avoid questions that ask for personal details like a phone number, home address or workplace. A good stranger chat does not need them.

Questions

What should I say first on a random video chat?

A short friendly greeting and one easy question, such as where they are calling from. Smile, wait for their answer, then follow up on it.

What if the other person will not talk?

Try one more easy question. If they still do not respond, it is fine to move on. On kynq you can tap Next person at any time.

What topics should I avoid with strangers?

Skip personal contact details, money, and anything that pressures the other person. Stay away from heated arguments about religion or politics unless both of you clearly enjoy them.