I used to meet the same folks at the bus stop every day on my way to work. I did not look forward to this because I was not good at small talk. I was worried about my English and I didn’t always understand what they were saying. They spoke too fast! I decided to improve my conversation skills so I could participate and connect with my neighbours.

What is small talk and why is it important?

Small talk is chatting with people about every day things. Greetings usually start the conversation. They say “How are you?”

It is also a way of showing respect. You are connecting with another person.

Knowing how to make small talk is a skill. You will need it to socialize and build your network. It can show that you are interesting and open.

What do people talk about?

1. The weather

   Canadians like to talk about the weather (read: Is it really colder than Mars? The truth about Manitoba weather). It is always in people’s minds because the weather can change quickly.

   Some examples to start a conversation: “Nice weather we’re having today” or “Would you believe all this snow we’ve been having lately?”

 
Newcomer tip:

• Don’t complain harder when Canadians complain about winter.
• Canadians are proud that they can survive extreme cold.
• Don’t compare the weather in Canada with your home country’s weather. (For example: “The weather in my home country is better than this”). This is impolite.

2. Work or profession

   People like talking about their work. This is normal because work takes up most of our time. Talking about work can also lead to networking. You can start the conversation by saying: “How was your day? “Did anything interesting happen at work today?”

 
Newcomer tip:

• Don’t be too aggressive even when you are networking.
• Say that you are looking for work in a particular field. Or that you are an experienced ___ professional.
• People will give you information or offer help without being asked.

3. Current events and sports

   News is a good topic for small talk but avoid talking about politics. Watch or listen to CBC or CTV to know the latest news. You can also read newspapers. Sports is also a good topic. Hockey is popular in Canada. Watch sports news or a live game so you can participate in conversations.

 
Newcomer tip:

• Don’t pretend to know something you don’t.
• For example, it’s ok to say that you don’t fully understand hockey. Many people will be happy to explain the sport to you.

4. Arts and entertainment

   Hobbies and pastimes are good topics. You can talk about latest movies, TV shows, popular restaurants and books.

 
Newcomer tip:

• Respect other people’s likes and dislikes.
• Be polite. Everyone has the right to choose what they like.

5. They ask questions

   Listening is just as important as speaking. Don’t worry about what you need to say. Just show interest in other people’s views. A good way to show this is to ask questions. Questions that start with “how” and “why” will encourage people to say more than a few words. For example: “How was your weekend?” Then ask for more details. For example, if you said “How are you?” and the person answers “I’m good, I just came back from vacation.” You can say “That’s great! Where or How did you spend your vacation?”

 
Newcomer tip:

• Don’t ask questions that are too personal. Don’t ask about religion, politics, age, sex, health, and money.
• Don’t ask personal questions if you are not close with the person.
• Examples of what not to ask: “How much do you make?” “How old are you?” or “Who did you vote for in the last election?”

Ending the conversation

A polite way to end a conversation is to say: “It was nice talking to you. Have a good day.” or “That was an interesting talk. It was nice catching up with you.”

Small talk can be learned. It just takes practice. Good luck!
 
Article updated January 18, 2023.