Learn English about small talk in English at social gatherings - Conversation Starters

Okay let's go to our next one this is one that  I think you will all be interested in, which is  

small talk at social events. So, this could be  a party, or maybe you go to lunch with a friend,  

and they bring two people who you don't know  right, or something like this. Any social event,  

a work party or a social gathering, anything like  this where it's social right. Casual and you're  

talking to people that you do not know yet. Okay,  so let's look at some small talk at social events.  

A great starter for small talk is, “what  brings you here? Well what brings you here?”  

Let's say there's a big party that my friend is  having, and they have, they know so many people.  

“Oh what brings you here? Oh I’m friends  with so and so and they invited me.” Right,  

so basically what, “why are you here?” “What made  you come to this social event?” Another great  

small talk conversation starter is asking how that  person knows the host of the event. So, let's say  

my friend, my friend Molly is hosting a social  event, she's having a party. She has a big house,  

and many people are there, but it's her party.  So, when I see someone there, maybe I’m just  

hanging out right, someone is next to me, “oh  hey so how do you know Molly? Oh, I met her  

dadda.” And then we can start our conversation.  Just by sharing how we know the host of the party. 

Another great small talk conversation  starter is giving someone a compliment.  

So, a compliment is saying something nice about  that person. Maybe it's about their appearance.  

Maybe it's about what they're wearing. Right so  usually when we give a compliment to someone we  

don't know, we might comment or compliment them  on something they're wearing. So, I might say  

something like, “wow I love your shirt. Can I  ask where you got it? So maybe I see someone  

wearing a shirt and it has my favorite singer on  it, my favorite band, “wow I love your shirt. Can  

I ask where you got it? Oh, thanks yeah. Do you  like this band too? I got this shirt at…” Right  

so a great way to start the conversation  is just by giving someone a compliment. 

Another um we have two more. The next one for a  social event is, “how are you liking this social  

event?” So, we don't say uh (social event) this  is in what we call these parentheses. Why? Because  

we would replace this with a word like “party,”  or let's say there is a “fundraiser.” So that  

a fundraiser, when people have some big dinner  or party to help raise money for some purpose.  

So, how are you liking this party?” “How  are you liking this fundraiser?” Right,  

just a casual small talk conversation starter.  “Oh it's really great, or oh man I’m so bored.” Or  

anything that they respond with.  We can continue our conversation.  

And last, so here we have a statement we can  use, maybe I see someone who looks like they're  

uh really not having fun at this social event. I  might say something like, “it looks like you could  

use another drink.” So, just a funny way oh uh  maybe they are drinking wine, but it looks like oh  

this is not fun. “Looks like you could  use another drink.” So here are some  

small talk conversation  starters for social events.