Speaking English: How to Talk to Strangers

Sometimes you just have to talk to strangers, 

even if you’re an introvert and you hate  

talking to strangers. For example:

Hi, I think you’re in my seat. 

Today we’ll go over 6 mini conversations where you might need to approach a stranger, or a  

stranger might approach you,

to study appropriate phrases and responses in English.

I’m Rachel and I’ve been teaching English and the American accent

on YouTube for over 15 years. Check out RachelsEnglish.com/free to get my free course,  

The Top 3 Ways to Master the American Accent. It  

will change the way you speak and hear English.

First, let’s look at that awkward moment where  

you've gotten to the plane, you find your seat, and someone is in it: 

Hi, I think you’re in my seat. Oh, 30E? 

You’re in 31E. Oh I’m so sorry. 

It’s not a problem. I can just sit in 30E  since you’re already settled in and I’m  

travelling alone. Oh, are you sure? 

Yeah, it’s all the same to me. Okay, thank you. Sorry about that. 

Has this ever happened to you? One time I was in the wrong seat.

I was in 7D even though my seat was completely different, 

something like 32 F, because the gate was D7 and I got mixed up. 

In this conversation, I  started with the word ‘hi’. 

Hi. If you need to get someone’s attention,  

a great way to do that is with the phrase ‘excuse me’. Excuse me, I think you’re in my seat. Even  

if you know someone is in your seat, it’s still  polite to say ‘think’.  

I think you’re in my seat.

I think you’re in my seat. Notice I used the phrase ‘settled in’ 

It’s not a problem. I can  just sit in 30E since you’re  

already settled in and I’m travelling alone. I use that when traveling, when I get to a hotel,  

I settle in by unpacking some of my things. On a plane it means, this person already put all their  

things away. Maybe they have gotten out their book, maybe put on their headphones. They’ve  

settled in. If they were going to move it would take some time and be a little bit of a hassle  

to gather everything up and move up a row. It’s not a problem. I can just sit in 30E  

since you’re already settled  in and I’m travelling alone. 

Oh, are you sure? Yeah, it’s all the same to me. 

All the same to me is a phrase that means I  don’t care one way or another. I don’t care  

if I sit in 30E or 31E, there is no difference  in my experience, it’s all the same to me. 

Oh, are you sure? Yeah, it’s all the same to me. 

Okay, thank you. Sorry about that. Here’s another conversation you might have  

with a stranger, this time in an airport. Excuse me, hi, I missed the  

announcement. What did they say? They said the flight’s delayed. 

Oh really? Okay. Did they say how long? No, they said they need to get a couple  

more crew lined up, so they  don’t know how long it will take. 

Ugh! Okay. So we’re just  supposed to sit here at the gate? 

I guess. Okay, thanks! 

To get someone’s attention,  starting with excuse me and hi. 

Excuse me, hi, I missed the  announcement. What did they say? 

Notice the intonation of the questions.

If it’s a yes/no question, the intonation will almost  

always go up. That’s polite. Did they say how long? 

Long, going up. There’s a second example of this. 

Ugh! Okay. So we’re just  supposed to sit here at the gate? 

Gate, going up. If you make your intonation go down for yes/no questions, it sounds like you’re  

annoyed and could be considered a little rude. So we’re just supposed to stay here at the gate. 

So we’re just supposed to stay here at the gate? Intonation going up,  

a little bit more of a friendly attitude. Let’s look at another situation where you  

might have a conversation with a stranger. This happened to me recently on the subway in NYC. 

Excuse me, do you know where I  should get off for Nassau street? 

Um, no sorry I’m not very  familiar with Lower Manhattan,  

but I can look it up on my phone if you want.

All I know is that I’m looking for Nassau street. 

Okay, that looks like it runs north-south  just south of City Hall Park. So, I would  

get off at City Hall. And just walk south on  it until you find what you’re looking for. 

It looks like it just to the  east, at the bottom of the park. 

Okay. Do you know how many stops that is? Yeah, it’s in three stops. 

Thank you so much! You’re welcome! 

Directions. A common conversation you might have to have with a stranger, even in the days  

of smartphones. North, south, these directions can be tricky ending in the TH. Remember to let  

your tongue come through your teeth, just the tip. 

It might take some practice for that movement to  

become natural, so just practice a lot.

North, th, th, th, south, th, th, th. A little slow,  

repetitive practice with tricky words will  make them so much easier to pronounce. 

Have you ever been somewhere and seen a stranger with something you really liked or wanted? Like,  

on a hot day. They have the  best-looking ice cream cone. 

Excuse me! Where did you get that ice cream?  

Oh! Just down in the next block at Weckerly’s. 

There is a really long line though. Oh really? Like how long? 

It’s like 10 people long but there’s  only one person working and she’s new,  

so it’s king of slow. Oh, okay. How good is it? 

Is it worth it? Honestly, yeah! If you’ve got time to wait,  

it’s worth it. Okay, thanks! 

Is it worth it? Worth, just like north and south, ending with that TH which can be tricky so just  

practice it. Worth, th, th, th. We use worth with value. For example, my grandmother’s ring is worth  

2,000 dollars. But we also use it with time and effort. Is something worth the time and effort  

it will take to get it? Is this ice cream good  enough to wait in a long line for? Is it worth it? 

How good is it? Is it worth it? Honestly? Yeah. If you’ve  

got time to wait, it’s worth it. Now, let’s say you're somewhere, and you  

see someone get hurt. You really hate talking to strangers, but you can’t just ignore this. 

Oh my gosh, are you okay? Yeah, I think I’m alright. 

Honestly, I almost slipped there too, they’ve got to put some kind of better grip on this floor. 

Yeah, seriously. I didn’t even feel myself  slip, I was just on the ground before I knew it. 

Someone could really get hurt. Yeah, well I’m glad you weren’t. 

Thanks, have a good day! Are you okay? Are you alright?  

This is what you can ask when someone may have gotten hurt. In this conversation,  

luckily, the person was fine.  What happens if they’re not? 

Are you alright? Oh my God! No, I think I’m really hurt. My ankle. 

Let me help you to get a place to sit. Thank you! 

Do you want me to call an ambulance?  Or is there someone I can call for you? 

That’s okay, thank you. I can call my husband  

at home and he can come pick me up.

Okay, I’ll just wait with you until he gets here. 

Thank you, that’s so kind. Depending on the emergency, you’ll  

know what to do. Have you ever been in public and seen someone get hurt? How did you help them? 

One time I was running on a trail and  someone needed CPR, so I gave it to him.  

It was pretty scary and intense. What are other scenarios you can  

imagine when you might have to have a short conversation with a stranger in English? 

Let me know in the comments so I  can make another video for you. 

Don’t forget to visit RachelsEnglish.com/free 

for my free course on the American accent that  

will give you some real training to sound

more natural speaking American English. Keep your  

learning going now with this video and don’t 

forget to subscribe with notifications on,  

I love being your English teacher.

That’s it  and thanks so much for using Rachel’s English.