Q&A for How to Start a Conversation When You Have Nothing to Talk About

Start small, and don't overload them with questions. Try to find common ground.

Have Confidence. Be the person you enjoy being. Act the way you want to act. If your friends don't like who you are then they should not be your friends. Also make sure you are being happy and optimistic around them and they may lighten their mood around you.

First, be honest with them. Tell them that you are quite shy, and find it difficult to start conversations. You'll witness a miracle afterwards: they're the ones who will start a conversation with you. Warm up to them, and just be yourself.

If your head is completely blank, ask the person you are talking to about something that's been going on with them. That way, you can learn more about the other person, and at the same time, save yourself from having to say something awkward.

Start to listen to what other people say when they talk and go from there. Don't be rude, but be yourself and make small conversation. Don't rush otherwise it'll be really weird and won't work. Eventually people will grow on you.

Usually those people are either introverts, shy, or just like to keep things private. Approach them first, starting with a simple greeting, such as "Hi!" If they do not respond, it can mean two things: they ignored you, or they didn't know you were talking to them. When approaching a stranger keep in mind that they don't know you yet, so it's best to not pry into their personal business. If they have a bad attitude, however, you should slowly retreat from the conversation so that they don't have a negative view about you.

This happens to everyone at one time or another. Just say something like: "I'm sorry, I've forgotten my trail of thought!". The other person may prompt you if they were listening well or you can just segue into a new topic altogether.

Do you like her? If so you're just nervous and don't want to make a fool of yourself. Start slow and ask her something like what was the homework (even if you already know). Then just make friendly conversation and try to use comedy if you want.

Don't let the conversation end abruptly! Ask your friends questions about whatever you guys are talking about, or just about how their day is going. If it gets quiet and you have something to say, speak up, even if it has nothing to do with the previous conversation. Just use a segue like, "Hey, I meant to tell you guys," and then carry on talking.

Pay extra close attention to what the other person is saying. When you're talking to someone, maintain eye contact and listen. Don't look around at other things, don't play with your phone, etc. Show an interest in the other person and ask them questions.

The same way you would with anyone else. Talk about what's been going on in school lately, or how bad the food is at lunch. Ask him what's been going on with him.

Some people are judgmental, but certainly not everyone. People judge other when they aren't happy with themselves.

Don't try too hard, let the conversation happen naturally. Most people don't need to be entertained, and it's actually a good sign if you can have comfortable silence with someone.

It's fine to just say "I don't know," "I'm not sure," "That's a tough question," etc. You can ask them "What about you?" or something like that to keep the conversation going.

You can still talk about each others' interests, even if you think you don't have much in common. You never know, you might end up finding out you like something you never would have expected. You can also just talk about events in each others' lives. Start with, "How's your day going," and take it from there.

If you heard about or know something they like, use that. For example, my friend loves skating so I bring it up to start a conversation. Don't overuse it, though.

Ask them questions about themselves to learn more and find common ground.

Introduce yourself. There is a chance that they will want to know more about you. If they don't, go do something else, or do the same thing with a different group of people,

You could talk about the issue, but some people don't like that. You could write a letter, sometimes it's easier to write something to someone than say it face to face. Start slowly and don't rush it. If you guys were best friends you'll come back together.

If she speaks a different language, such as Italian, try to learn a bit of her mother tongue and start a conversation in that. Try to ask her a question, such as whether or not she enjoys the class or what her hobbies are. Be friendly and show interest in her, too.

Introduce yourself, ask how their day went, ask what they do in their free time or what kind of music they listen to. Try to find things that you have in common.

Just say, "cool" and then either tell them about your weekend plans, or just walk away. It sounds like this person is either pretty impolite, or just not interested in having a conversation.

By keeping your mouth shut. You physically join them; stand with them, smile and stay quiet. Don't jump in with your own words and thoughts as soon as you pass them by - it's hugely annoying. If they're in a group, chatting, you walk by, stop, maybe say hi quickly, and position yourself in the group. They will look over as a sort of acknowledgement of your presence. After some time has passed, that's when you can start talking, too.

Don't try to force a conversation. Try to find a topic you both like. If that doesn't work, tell a story, but it is ok to slightly embarrass yourself. People tend to open up when others are embarrassed.

Shyness is a personality trait, anxiety is a medical condition. It really depends on how drastically your feelings are impacting your daily life, but it's worth talking to your doctor and getting their opinion.

Read How to Be Confident for some help with this need.

Make the first move to talk to her. Find out from her friends if there is anything she is passionate about and talk to her about it.

Sympathize with her. Don't swoop in right away. Get a good relationship going as friends and then you can start trying to date her, or whatever your goal is. Remember, don't come on too strong. She is probably upset, so don't start anything too soon. Just give her time.

It depends on the person whom you are talking with. In general, as long as you make sure to fully listen to the other person's answers, you can ask as many questions as that person is comfortable with.

You might find it helpful to read How to Get On Your Teacher's Good Side . There will be some useful suggestions in that article.