Talking to Strangers

There are many opportunities to talk with strangers. If you are waiting for a bus, or if you are
waiting in line, strangers start talking to each other. Another opportunity is if you are on a ferry
or in the park sitting on a bench. Basically, opportunities can come everywhere. You should
practice this section if you want to talk with different people. Talking to strangers require a lot of
small talk. You can study more about small talk in the English Lesson section. For now, we will
cover things like talking about where you came from.

If you look like a tourist, some people will ask where you are from. This is just a way to get to
know strangers. It's quite common to talk with strangers here. Here are some questions you
might here.

"Are you visiting from somewhere?"

"Yes. I'm visiting from Korea."

"Are you on vacation here?"

"Yes. I'm taking a vacation from Korea."

It's very common for strangers to talk to each other if you are at a tourist location. For example,
if you are at Disney Land and you are sitting down, someone next to you might ask some
questions assuming you are visiting from somewhere.

"How are you enjoying your vacation?"

"I'm having a great time. How about you?"

"It's pretty fun here. Are you having a good time?"

"This is a great place. I'm having a lot of fun. Are you having fun?"

"Are you here with your family?"

"I'm here with my wife and 2 kids. They are so excited to be here."

"My kids love this place. This is our third time here. Have you been here before?"
"This is my first time here. I always wanted to come and I'm having a great time."

Starting a Conversation
The best time to start a conversation is when you are next to someone who is not moving. You
can't start talking to someone walking away from you. Then you are bothering them by making
them stop. But if you are sitting down on a bench and someone is next to you, or you are at a
beach and someone is close by, you can start a conversation by saying something generic. Here
are some conversation starting sentences. But after you make your first sentence, you should see
by their reaction if they want to continue the conversation or not. If they appear a little rude, then
stop talking to them. You don't have to say anything to stop talking. They don't expect you to.
They expect you to not say another word. But if they ask a question back, and they seem
friendly, then you can continue with the conversation.
"The weather is so nice today. Are you from around here?"
"How is your day going so far?"
"There are a lot of people out here today. Is this normal?"

An easy way to start talking is when you notice something such as their kids, family, or a dog
they might be with.

"Are you here with your family?"

"Are you on vacation?"

"Are those your kids? They're so cute?"

"What kind of dog is that?"

It's much easier if they start the conversation. If they make a comment or ask a question, then
you know that they would like to talk.

Finally, it's common for these types of conversation to last only a couple of minutes. So don't
feel bad or feel pressured to keep the conversation alive.

There isn't that much more to tell you about speaking with strangers. The best way to understand
what types of things are said in a stranger to stranger conversation is to hear a couple of
examples. I will give a couple examples to help you understand more.

Talking to Strangers - Interactive Practice

Click on Listen All and follow along. After becoming comfortable with the entire conversation,
become Person A by clicking on the Person A button. You will hear only Person B through the
audio file. There will be a silence for you to repeat the sentences of Person A. Do the same for
Person B. The speed of the conversation is native speed. Use the pause button if the pause
between each sentence is too fast for you. After practicing several times, you will be able to
speak as fast as a native.

1
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "It's a nice day."
B: "Yes. It is a beautiful day."
A: "Do you live around here or are you visiting?"
B: "I am on vacation from Korea."
A: "That's cool. Are you having a good time?"
B: "Yes. There are many things to see and I'm taking a lot of pictures. Do live in this city?"
A: "Yeah. I'm just here with my kids. They wanted to come to the park today."
B: "What's a good place to visit in this city?"
A: "Where have you been so far?"
B: "This was my first stop. I was going to look at my maps."
A: "I recommend going to the water front in downtown. They have a ferry you can ride, some
good restaurants, and a good beach for a walk."
B: "How do I get there from here?"
A: "You see Jackson street over there? Go straight for 10 blocks. When you see 5th Avenue, turn
left. Follow the street for about 3 miles and you should see it."
B: "Thanks. I'll go check it out. It was nice talking to you."
A: "It was nice meeting you. Have a good time."

2
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Are there so many people here all the time?"
B: "I'm not sure. This is my first time here."
A: "Me too. I think this is a great place."
B: "Yeah. I think so too."
A: "Where are you from?"
B: "I'm visiting from Cleveland, Ohio. How about you?"
A: "I'm from Seoul, Korea."
B: "How long are you visiting for?"
A: "For 2 weeks. I went to San Francisco and Los Angeles. I want to see the Grand Canyon
before I go. I'll probably visit Grand Canyon on Monday."
B: "Ah, looks like you are having a great time."
A: "Yes I am. How long are you visiting for?"
B: "I am only here for the three days. My kids have been wanting to come to Disneyland for a
long time."
A: "That's great."
B: "Oh. My family is waiting for me. I hope you enjoy your stay in America."
A: "Thank you. It was nice meeting you."

3
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "That's such a cute dog. What kind is it?"
B: "He's a cocker spaniel."
A: "I have a terrier at home. What's his name?"
B: "His name is Buffy."
A: "Hi Buffy. You're so cute. Do you come here for a walk often?"
B: "About 3 times a week. It's a good walk and Buffy likes it too."
A: "It's a great place for a walk. I wish I had a trail like this at home."
B: "Where are you from?"
A: "I'm visiting from Korea. I live in the city so there aren't many places like this."
B: "I guess that's one thing good about suburban life."
A: "I wouldn't mind the slower pace of life. I am always in a hurry. That's why I wanted to come
and relax."
B: "That's good. How long are you staying for?"
A: "I'm here for about three weeks. Oh, it looks like Buffy wants to go."
B: "Yeah. Well, it was nice meeting you. I hope you have a good time here."
A: "Thanks. It was nice talking to you."