When you want to try to start a conversation or make some “small talk” with another person, this is a common question to use.
This gives the other person maximum freedom about what to say (for example: where they are from, where they live, if they have a partner or children), but sometimes these phrases also feel too pushy - as if you’re trying to conduct an interview instead of make small talk. Some native speakers also say something more general like “ What’s your story?” or “ Tell me about yourself”. So a better question to ask may be, “What do you do for fun?” or “How do you spend your weekends?” In this case, you should respond with some information about your hobbies or interests: I like to surf / I’m in to photography / I’m writing a book about the secret lives of cats. Small talk should be easy and interesting, not an interview or interrogation. Alternative phrases:įor people with boring or complicated jobs (or studies), this question may not be fun to talk about. If you spend your time differently, you can talk about that instead: I study chemistry at the university / I’m a stay-at-home father / I make videos for YouTube / I’m writing a book about the secret lives of cats. If you have a job, you can say where you work (I work in a school), or the name of your profession (I’m a teacher), or the title of your position (I’m the Director of English Experts Inc.). Native speakers tend to feel uncomfortable when they have to respond negatively. Native speakers prefer this question to “What’s your job?” or “Are you a student?” because its avoids the awkward situation of giving a negative answer ( “Actually, I’m out of work at the moment,” or “No, I’m not a student”). This is the most common question to ask when you meet a new person and want to learn more about them.
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