Getting to know you conversation questions

These are really general ELT icebreaker conversation questions. Unlike many of our other conversation questions they are pretty basic.

Personal details

 * Tell me something about yourself.
 * What is your name?
 * How old are you?
 * What time is it right now in your country?

Where are you from?

 * What city/town/village did you live in?
 * What part of the city do you live in?
 * Do you like living there?
 * Were you born here?
 * What city were you born in?
 * What was it like to grow up there?
 * What other cities have you lived in?

Family

 * Main article: Family conversation questions


 * Are you married? Do you have a girlfriend/boyfriend?
 * How long have you been with your significant other?
 * Do you have any children? How old are they?
 * What school do they go to?
 * Do you have a big family?
 * How many brothers and sisters do you have?
 * Are they older or younger than you?
 * What do they do?

Pets

 * Main article: Pets conversation questions


 * Do you have any pets?
 * Why do you have/don't not have a pet?
 * What is your pet's name?
 * How old is it?

Work

 * Main article: Employment conversation questions


 * Where do you work?
 * What do you do?
 * How long have you been working there?
 * Do you like your job?
 * How do you get to work?
 * Do you have a car or do you usually take public transportation?
 * How long does it take?
 * Could you describe your job in more detail?
 * What other jobs have you done?

Living arrangement

 * Do you live in a house or an apartment?
 * Apartment - Do you live in a tall building?
 * Do you live alone or with other people?
 * Do you live with a roommate?
 * What is he or she like?
 * Do you get along with each other?


 * What are your neighbours like?
 * Do you talk to them?
 * Do you like your neighbourhood?
 * Which part of town do you live in?
 * What is the best thing about where you live?
 * What is the worst thing about where you live?

Higher education

 * Where do you study?
 * What are you studying?
 * Why did you choose that subject?
 * How do you get to school/college/university?
 * How long does it take?
 * Do you plan on ever going back to school? (if not studying)
 * How do you get to school?

Secondary and primary school

 * When you were young, what was your favorite subject?
 * Do you still remember your friends from school?
 * How were you back in school? Were you quiet? Studious? Troublemaker?

Travel

 * Main article: Travel conversation questions


 * Have you ever traveled around (your country)?
 * Have you ever been to another country?
 * Have you ever lived in another country?
 * What countries or cities have you visited?
 * What country or cities do you want to go to next?
 * What is your favorite country?
 * Do you like travelling?
 * How often do you travel abroad (for pleasure)?
 * Would you travel more if you could?
 * When you travel, do you like to do it by car? by train? by airplane?
 * Of all the places you have been, which is your favorite place?
 * Do you prefer the beach or the mountains?

Languages

 * Main article: Languages conversation questions


 * How long have you been learning English?
 * Why do you want to learn English?
 * Why did you decide to take this course?
 * What do you want to practise most? Grammar, reading, listening, speaking?
 * Do you watch T.V or listen to music in English?
 * Do you have time to do English homework?
 * Do you speak any other languages besides English and your native language?
 * What language would you like to speak?
 * What language do you think would be the easiest to learn?
 * What language do you think would be the most difficult to learn?

Hobbies/interests

 * What kind of things are you interested in?
 * What do you like to watch on television?
 * How much TV do you watch a day?
 * How often do you go out?
 * When was the last day you went to the movies? Name of movie.
 * When was the last time you went shopping?
 * What kind of music do you listen to?
 * What is the radio station you listen to?
 * If you could be somebody who would you like to be?
 * What do you like to read?
 * How many books do you read a year?
 * Not many (one or two)
 * Three or four
 * More than half a dozen
 * Do you do any sports?
 * How often do you do sport or exercise?
 * Which of the following do you know how to play? How often do you play them?
 * Chess
 * Other board games, such as ludo/Monopoly/Scrabble
 * Dominoes
 * Card games
 * Darts
 * Billiards/pool/snooker

Goals

 * What is your goal in life?
 * What do you think you will be doing five years from now?
 * Where do you think you'll be living five years from now?
 * Who do you respect the most?
 * Who has had the most influence in your life?
 * Would you like to be famous?
 * Will learning English help you achieve your goals?