To ease your English conversation skills, we’re breaking down small talk phrases to include neighborhood, living, languages, and mother tongue. With these handy small talk phrases, keep your simple and elegant English conversational skills growing by the day! Dive in and start practicing!
Note that this article is Part 5 in the 15-Part Series on 1000 Everyday Use Phrases. Click on the link to find a quick summary of what we offer in each of the articles in the series.
Small Talk Meaning
You probably heard of small talk before. But what is small talk in communication? Let’s find out!
Small talk refers to light, casual conversations about everyday topics like weather, hobbies, or daily activities. It’s often used to break the ice, start building the initial connection, or fill those awkward silences in social or professional settings. If you want to master the fine art of small talk, you must know these basics!
Why is Small Talk Important
Though seemingly simple, small talk plays an important role in building rapport and making interactions more comfortable. The ability to make small talk speaks highly of your social skills. Not knowing to have these conversations can make you feel socially awkward and out-of-place in a variety of settings. These can be simple exchanges that serve as the perfect small talk examples :
छोटी-छोटी बातें करना, जिसे हम “स्मॉल टॉक” कहते हैं, एक सामान्य और हल्की-फुल्की बातचीत होती है। यह अक्सर अजनबियों या नए परिचितों के साथ संबंध बनाने का जरिया होती है। उदाहरण:
By engaging in small talk, we show interest in others and create a friendly atmosphere, which can lead to deeper conversations later.
Find below some of the most common topics that feature in small talk! Also find the helpful Hindi translations to help you learn faster without needing any assistance if you stumble on unfamiliar words. Skip straight to the links in the order you wish to learn up!
Phrases About Neighborhood and Living with Hindi Translation
Exercise: Answer These Questions with a ‘Yes’: Making Positives
Check Your Answers Below
Discussing About Languages & Mother tongue
Phrases About Neighborhood and Living with Hindi Translation
One of the most basic conversations we make with new acquaintances is about where they stay, the conveniences of their locality, and how well-connected their area is to the main areas in the city. Here’s a nice compilation of helpful small talk phrases to navigate such talk with ease.
Small Talk Examples:
| 1. Question: Where do you live? आप कहाँ रहते हैं? |
| 2. Answer: I live in Lucknow. [city/town/village]. मैं लखनऊ में रहता हूं। [शहर/कस्बा/गांव] |
| 3. Answer: I live near the park. मैं पार्क के पास रहता हूँ। |
| 4. Question: What’s your neighborhood like? आपका पड़ोस कैसा है? |
| 5. Answer: It’s quiet and peaceful. यह शांत और शांतिपूर्ण है। |
| 6. Question: How long have you lived there? आप वहां कितने समय से रह रहे हैं? |
| 7. Answer: I’ve been living here for two years. मैं यहां दो साल से रह रहा हूं। |
| 8. Question: Do you like your neighborhood? क्या आपको अपना पड़ोस पसंद है? |
| 9. Answer: Yes, it’s a nice area. हाँ, यह एक अच्छा क्षेत्र है। |
| 10. Question: Is it far from the city center? क्या यह शहर के केंद्र से दूर है? |
| 11. Answer: No, it’s close to downtown. नहीं, यह शहर के नजदीक है। |
| 12. Question: Is it a safe area? क्या यह एक सुरक्षित क्षेत्र है? |
| 13. Answer: There are lots of shops and cafes nearby. आस-पास बहुत सारी दुकानें और कैफे हैं। |
| 14. Question: Do you live in a house or an apartment? क्या आप किसी घर या अपार्टमेंट में रहते हैं? |
| 15. Answer: I live in an apartment. मैं एक अपार्टमेंट में रहता हूँ। |
Try the exercises below to test your ability to respond correctly to questions
Exercise: Answer These Small Talk Questions with a ‘Yes’: Making Positives
In the small talk phrases above, you have seen a mix of positive, negative, and question sentences. Now, try to answer all these questions in the positive forms, i.e with a ‘yes’.
| 16. Question: Are the rents high? क्या किराया अधिक है? |
| 17. Question: Is it easy to find fresh vegetables and fruits? क्या ताज़ी सब्जियाँ और फल पाना आसान है? |
| 18. Question: Do you have any Xerox and stationary shops? क्या आप जीरोक्स और स्टेशनरी की दुकानें चलाते हैं? |
| 19. Question: Do you have many power cuts? क्या आपके पास कई पावरकट हैं? |
| 20. Question: Are the streets clean? क्या सड़कें साफ़ हैं? |
| 21. Question: Are people friendly? क्या लोग मिलनसार हैं? |
| 22. Question: Is it difficult to find parking space? क्या पार्किंग की जगह ढूंढना मुश्किल है? |
| 23. Question: Is it easy to catch a bus or an auto? क्या बस या ऑटो पकड़ना आसान है? |
| 24. Question: Are the roads well-maintained? क्या सड़कों का रखरखाव अच्छी तरह से किया गया है? |
| 25. Question: Does that supermarket do home-deliveries? क्या वह सुपरमार्केट होम-डिलीवरी करता है? |
Check Your Answers Below to Small Talk Exercises
Check the answers below to see if you got them right! We hope you did! Notice the pattern of how the position of ‘am’, ‘are’, ‘is’, and ‘do’ change in the answers!
| 16. Are the rents high? Answer: Yes, the rents are high |
| 17. Is it easy to find fresh vegetables and fruits? Answer: Yes, it is easy to find fresh vegetables and fruits. |
| 18. Do you have any photocopying or Xerox and stationary shops? Answer: Yes, we have Xerox and stationary shops. Note: For questions with “Do you..?” the response is either “Yes, I…” or “Yes, we…”. |
| 19. Do you have many power cuts? Answer: Yes, we have many power cuts. |
| 20. Are the streets clean? Answer: Yes, the streets are clean. |
| 21. Are people friendly? Answer: Yes, people are friendly. |
| 22. Is it difficult to find parking space? Answer: Yes, it is difficult to find parking space. |
| 23. Is it easy to catch a bus or an auto? Answer: Yes, it is easy to catch a bus or an auto quickly. |
| 24. Are the roads well-maintained? Answer: Yes, the roads are good. |
| 25. Does that supermarket do home-deliveries? Answer: Yes, that supermarket does home-deliveries |
Time to move on to discussing about languages.
Discussing About Languages & Mother tongue
Don’t we always people about what languages they know, speak well, and what their language at home is? That’s a routine part of making small talk, so let’s learn a few phrases and sentences to do this well.
These are also a perfect fit for small talk topics for students and office-workers!
| 1. Question: What languages do you speak? आप कौन सी भाषाएँ बोलते हैं? |
| 2. Answer: I speak 3 languages- Hindi, Oriya, Kannada. मैं 3 भाषाएं] बोलता हूं- हिंदी, उड़िया, कन्नड़. |
| 3. Question: What’s your mother tongue? आपकी मातृभाषा कौन सी है? |
| 4. Answer: My mother tongue is [language]. मेरी मातृभाषा [भाषा] है। |
| 5. Question: Do you speak [language]? क्या आप [भाषा] बोलते हैं? |
| 6. Answer: I’m learning [language]. मैं [भाषा] सीख रहा हूं। |
| 7. Question: How do you say [word/phrase] in [language]? आप [शब्द/वाक्यांश] को [भाषा] में कैसे कहते हैं? |
| 8. Question: Can you teach me a few words in [language]? क्या आप मुझे [भाषा] में कुछ शब्द सिखा सकते हैं? |
| 9. Answer: I can understand [language], but I’m not fluent. मैं [भाषा] समझ सकता हूं, लेकिन मैं पारंगत नहीं हूं। |
| 10. Question: What’s the most common language in your region? आपके क्षेत्र में सबसे आम भाषा कौन सी है? |
| 11. Question: How many languages do you know? आप कितनी भाषाएँ जानते हैं? |
| 12. Which language do you use at home? आप घर पर कौन सी भाषा का प्रयोग करते हैं? |
| 13. Question: Is [language] difficult to learn? क्या [भाषा] सीखना कठिन है? |
| 14. Question: Do you prefer speaking [language] or [another language]? क्या आप [भाषा] या [दूसरी भाषा] बोलना पसंद करते हैं? |
| 15. Answer: I grew up speaking [language] at home. मैं घर पर [भाषा] बोलते हुए बड़ा हुआ हूं। |
Social Manners: Which Topics Should You Avoid During Small Talk?
Since small talk mostly involves people you only know as acquaintances or people you don’t know too well, be careful about not asking anything too personal that can be perceived as crossing the boundary. Maintain the right etiquette by knowing what not to discuss during small talk.
Do not make any conversation seeking information about, say, a person’s income, religion, or other personal matters. Read on to know more.
- Politics – Can spark arguments due to differing opinions.
- Religion – A deeply personal and sensitive subject for many.
- Personal Finances – Asking about salary, debt, or expenses can be intrusive.
- Health Problems – Avoid discussing serious illnesses or medical issues.
- Controversial Issues – Topics like gender, race, or social movements can lead to tension.
- Gossip – Speaking negatively about others reflects poorly on you
- Personal Relationships – Avoid prying into someone’s private life or love affairs.
- Appearances – Comments on someone’s weight, looks, or attire may offend.
- Tragedies or Death – These can make the conversation overly somber.
- Overly Technical Topics – Avoid niche topics that others may not understand or find interesting.
By avoiding such sensitive topics, you would save yourself the embarrassment of offending someone, even if it were unintentional! Always remember to keep the small talk conversation light, friendly, and inclusive!
Want to learn vocabulary related to small talk? Check this source from Cambridge Dictionary!
Ready for more phrases? Well, you should be! Click on another article from this series and stay committed to learning English the right way!
- Part 1 140 Imperative Meaning in Hindi: Examples, Responses
- Part 2 140 Common Negative Imperative Examples in Hindi and English
- Part 3 Casual English Greetings: Phrases and Responses with Hindi Translations
- Part 4 Daily Routine Phrases with Hindi Translations
- Part 6: Hobbies and Interests Phrases for Interviews and Casual Talk
