Guides · 5 min read · Published 29 October 2026

How to start a great conversation with someone new

Simple openers, good questions and small habits that turn a random video call into a conversation both people enjoy.

The first few seconds of a random video call can feel awkward. Two people who know nothing about each other suddenly appear on each other's screens. The good news is that starting a conversation is a skill, and a few small habits make it much easier.

Start with a smile and a simple hello

People decide very quickly whether to stay on a call. A friendly face, good lighting and a relaxed "Hi, how's your day going?" do more than any clever line. Look at the camera rather than at your own preview; it feels like eye contact to the other person.

Use what you can see and hear

The easiest openers come from the moment itself:

"Is that a guitar behind you? Do you play?"
"What time is it where you are?"
"You look like you just got back from somewhere. Good day?"

Comments like these show you are paying attention and give the other person something easy to answer. Keep them friendly and never personal about someone's body or appearance.

Ask open questions

Questions that can be answered with "yes" or "no" end conversations. Open questions start them. Compare:

"Do you like music?" versus "What have you been listening to lately?"
"Are you a student?" versus "What are you into at the moment, study, work, anything else?"
"Did you have a good weekend?" versus "What was the best part of your weekend?"

A conversation is a back-and-forth. If you only ask questions it can feel like an interview; if you only talk about yourself it feels like a lecture. A good rhythm is to answer a question, add one small detail about yourself, then hand the conversation back: "I mostly listen to old Bollywood songs, my dad got me into them. What about you?"

Find a shared interest

Once you find something you both care about, a film, a sport, a city, cooking, a game, the conversation usually takes care of itself. Your MeAndYou profile can list your interests, which gives people you follow an easy starting point next time.

It is fine if it does not click

Not every call will turn into a great conversation, and that is normal. If it is not working after a minute or two, say something kind like "Nice talking to you, have a good one!" and tap Next. Ending politely leaves both of you feeling better than an awkward silence.

Keep in touch with the people you like

When a conversation goes well, follow the person. If they follow you back, you become friends on MeAndYou: you can message each other and make friend video calls. Anyone you talk to for more than 5 seconds is also saved in your History, so you can find them again later. Read more in from strangers to friends.

A few things to avoid

Asking for personal details such as a phone number or address
Pushing someone to move to another app
Comments about someone's body or anything sexual
Recording or screenshotting someone without asking

Good conversations come from curiosity and respect. Be the person you would like to be matched with.