Conversations in English will help you learn new vocabulary from different areas, and by replaying the flow of conversation in different situations, you will be more confident in building a conversation in everyday life.
Tip: Conversations in English for beginners are especially necessary, but here the question arises: which topics to take and which areas to focus on first. Take simple topics that you might have conversations about every day.
Dialogue over the phone
Let's see what stable phrases you can use when composing a telephone conversation in English.
Secretary: Good afternoon, may I help you?
Mr Johnson: Could I speak to Mr Manson, please?
S: I'm sorry, but he is in the meeting right now. Would you like to leave a message for him?
J: No, thank you, I will call back in half an hour.
S: Good afternoon, Manson's company.
J: Hello, it's Mr Johnson again. Could you tell me please, is the meeting over?
S: Oh, yes, the meeting is over, I will put you through in a few minutes, the line is busy at the moment. Will you hold?
J: Yes, I will hold. Thank you.
Secretary: Good afternoon, can I help you?
Mr. Johnson: Can I speak to Mr. Manson, please?
S: Sorry, but he's in a meeting right now. Would you like to leave a message for him?
D: No thanks. I'll call you back in half an hour.
S: Good afternoon, Manson's company.
D: Hello, this is Mr. Johnson again. Can you tell me if the meeting is over?
S: Oh, yes, I'll connect you in a few minutes, the line is busy at the moment. Will you wait?
D: Yes, I'll wait, thanks.
Words from dialogue
- Meeting - meeting, meeting.
- To leave a message - leave a message.
- The line - line.
- Busy is busy.
- To hold - hold the phone.
- To call back - call back.
Weather and sports are very common topics of conversation, then you will see dialogues in English on these topics with translation.
Which is faster? - Which is faster?
Dialogue about sports
A common topic of conversation is about personal hobbies - let's compose a dialogue about sports in English.
Mike: Hello, Jack! Where are you going?
Jack: Hi, Mike. I'm heading to gym right now.
M: Really? Which one?
J: The new one. He was opened last week next to the Jasmine hairdressing saloon.
M: Oh ok, will you give me a call once you are back home? If you like this gym I will join you tomorrow.
J: I will go to the basketball game tomorrow. My team is ill-prepared and I need to support it.
M: Oh I will join you for sure for this one. Would you mind?
J: No, of course not. But I thought you are in a football team.
M: Yeah, but I like watching basketball.
Mike: Hi Jack. Where are you going?
Jack: Hi Mike. I'm heading to the gym right now.
M: Really? Which?
D: New. It opened last week next to Jasmine's barber shop.
M: Oh, okay, will you call me how will you get home? If you like the gym, I'll join you tomorrow.
D: Tomorrow I'm going to a basketball game. My team is poorly prepared and I want to support them.
M: Oh, this time I will definitely join you. You do not mind?
D: No, of course not. But I thought you were on the soccer team.
M: Yes, but I like watching basketball.
Vocabulary
- To head - to be directed.
- Hairdressing saloon - hairdressing salon.
- Gym is a gym.
- To be ill-prepared - to be ill-prepared.
- To support - to support.
- To join - join.
Talking about the weather
The weather dialogue in English will help you strike up a conversation with a stranger using small talk - an exchange of insignificant phrases and opinions with the help of which you can strike up an acquaintance or simply fill the silence and show a friendly attitude towards the interlocutor.
Rhonda: Hello! What's up?
L: I'm going to the beach tomorrow. Do you want to join me?
R: Sure, but you are not going to swim, are you? It is still quite cold for swimming.
L: I know, I just want to take some pictures of the sea and seagulls. The weather will be sunny and warm.
R: Oh, that's great. I'm already tired from the storm, rain and thunder. We can play badminton if it's not windy tomorrow.
L: Sounds great! There will be no strong wind according to the weather forecast.
R: Good, till tomorrow then!
L: Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow.
Leslie: Hi!
Rhonda: Hi, how are you?
L: I'm going to the beach tomorrow. Do you want to join me?
R: Of course, but you're not going to swim, are you? It is still quite cold for swimming.
L: I know, I just want to take pictures of the sea and seagulls. The weather will be sunny and warm.
R: Oh great! I am already tired of storm, rain and thunder. If there is no wind tomorrow, we can play badminton.
L: Great! According to the weather forecast, there will be no strong winds.
R: Ok, see you tomorrow then!
L: Yes, see you tomorrow!
Advice: even simple dialogues in English can be made very funny, do not rush to express your thoughts on paper - first imagine in your head whether the situation you have invented will be interesting.
Dialogue in a shop - dialogue in a shop
Food theme
Writing a dialogue in English about food, you will touch on a fairly common topic. Food discussions can take place in the restaurant, café, shop, or in the street. The following situation occurs in a restaurant.
Waiter: Good afternoon, sir. Can I take your order?
Customer: Yes, I would like soy cutlets.
W: Would you like rice or potatoes with your soy cutlets?
C: Do you have French fries?
W: Certainly sir. Would you like anything else?
C: What do you recommend?
W: We have a very tasty Greek salad. It includes tomato, cucumber, green pepper, red onion, black olives and feta cheese.
C: Sounds very tasty, I will take it.
W: Anything to drink, sir?
C: Ah, yes, bring me please a diet Coke.
W: Would you like anything for dessert?
C: Any suggestions?
W: You can choose a pie, an apple pie is my favorite.
C: Ok, I will take it then.
Waiter: Good afternoon sir. May I take your order?
Client: Yes, I would like soy burgers.
A: Would you like rice or potatoes with soy cutlets?
K: Do you have fries?
A: Of course, sir. Would you like to take something else?
A: We have delicious Greek salad. It includes tomatoes, cucumber, green peppers, red onions, olives and feta cheese.
K: Sounds delicious, I'll take it.
A: Any drinks, sir?
K: Oh, yes, please bring me a Diet Coke.
A: Will you have something for dessert?
Q: Your suggestions?
A: You can choose a pie, my favorite is an apple one.
K: Okay, then I'll take it.
Tip: when composing dialogues in English, make them more expressive, enter simpler expressions if the conversation takes place in everyday life.
Words and expressions
- To take an order - take an order.
- Soy - soy.
- Rice - fig.
- Potato is a potato.
- French fries - fried potatoes.
- To recommend - to recommend.
- Salad is a salad.
- Pepper - pepper.
- Tomato - tomatoes.
- Cucumber is a cucumber.
- Onion is a bow.
- Suggestion - a proposal.
- Pie is a pie.
- Apple is an apple.
Talk about work
The following conversation about work, written in English, takes place between two co-workers (colleagues).
Lisa: Good afternoon, Jason, how is your day going?
Jason: I'm finishing the report. And what about you?
L: And I have to finish the project, today is the deadline. But I'm going to take a short break soon and drop in the canteen.
J: Great, I didn’t have a lunch today. Can I join you?
J: Listen, are you working with Ellen on this project of yours?
L: Aha, how do you know?
J: Well, I saw her today doing nothing and thought that she is with someone responsible in the team. Why don’t you give her any tasks?
L: My gosh, don’t ask. Believe me, it is the last time I’m doing the project with her. I work twice faster when she is no around.
J: I understand you, she is something! I think she will be transferred to another department soon. The manager knows everything.
L: Good for her, the job here is too difficult for Ellen.
J: Ok, then I'll see you in 10 minutes?
L: Sure, I'll wait you in the canteen.
Fox: Good afternoon, how are you?
Jason: I'm finishing my talk. And how are you?
L: And I need to finish the project, today is the deadline. But I'm going to take a short break soon and pop into the dining room.
D: Great, I didn't have lunch today. Can I join you?
L: Of course.
D: Listen, are you working on this project of yours with Ellen?
L: Yes, how do you know?
D: Well, I saw her hanging around today and thought she was in a team with someone in charge. Why don't you give her some task?
L: God, don't ask. Trust me, this is the last time I do a project with her. I work twice as fast when she's not around.
D: I understand you, she is something! I think that she will soon be transferred to another department. The manager knows everything.
L: Better for her, the job is too hard for Ellen.
D: Okay, then see you in 10 minutes?
L: Of course, I'll be waiting for you in the dining room.
The words
- Responsible is responsible.
- Report - report.
- Lunch - lunch.
- Team is a team.
- Fast - fast.
- Canteen is a dining room.
- To transfer - to transfer.
What did they do? - What they were doing?
Family conversation
This dialogue about a family in English takes place when two children are looking at a photo album.
David: This is the family picture when I was 7.
Henry: I can recognize your parents next to you. And who is this old lady?
D: This is my grandma, don 'you see?
H: I see now. And this is your grandpa next to the tall man. They look alike, by the way. Are they related?
D: You guessed it right. This tall man is my uncle Tom and this is my auntie Sophia.
H: And where is your sister?
D: Alexis is next to my dad.
H: She is so little, how old is she here?
David: This is a family photo when I was 7 years old.
Henry: I can tell your parents apart from you. And who is this old lady?
D: This is my grandmother, can't you see?
H: Now I see, and this is your grandfather next to a tall man. By the way, they are similar. They are relatives
D: You guessed right. This tall man is my Uncle Tom, and this is my Aunt Sophia.
H: Where is your sister?
D: Alexis next to dad.
K: She's so small, how old is she here?
Words from dialogue
- To recognize - to recognize.
- Tall - tall.
- Alike is similar.
- To relate - to be related.
- To guess - guess.
Phrases from the video will also help to compose a dialogue in English:
The ability to conduct a conversation is a talent, and the ability to conduct a conversation in English is a talent even more unique and much needed. In this article, we'll show you how to greet and say goodbye to your interlocutor, express agreement and disagreement in English, interrupt the interlocutor and deal with rudeness. We will also provide a list of recommended and forbidden topics of conversation.
We've written a simple travel phrasebook that contains dialogues, phrases and vocabulary on 25 essential topics. Go on a journey with the main character and improve your English. You can download the book for free at.
Greetings in English
Any conversation begins with a greeting. We offer you two lists of expressions: formal and informal greetings in English. Use the former when communicating in a business environment or when meeting a person, and the latter when talking with friends. However, you do not need to learn all the phrases in a row. To get started, you can learn just a couple of greetings, use them, and gradually learn the rest.
Formal greetings in English are appropriate when communicating with colleagues, business partners, and people you meet for the first time. In the latter case, you will also need to find out the name of the person, in return say your own and say that you are pleased to meet him. Here is a set of phrases for a formal greeting:
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| Hello! | Hello! |
| Good morning / afternoon / evening! | Good morning / afternoon / evening! |
| I am glad to see you. / I am happy to see you. / I am pleased to see you. | I'm glad to see you. |
| Good to see you again. / Nice to see you again. | Nice to see you again. |
| How have you been? | How are you? |
| You met a person for the first time | |
| What is your name? | What is your name? |
| My name is (name). Nice to meet you! | |
| My name is (name). It is a pleasure to meet you! | My name is (name). Nice to meet you! |
Possible responses to the greeting:
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| Fine thanks, and you? | Fine, thank you, and how are you? |
| Okay, thanks, how are you? | |
| Very well, thanks. | Very good thanks. |
| Pretty good, thanks. | Pretty good, thanks. |
| How do you do? | - reply to greeting How do you do? (obsolete) |
How do you do? - outdated greeting. It is sometimes used as the phrase “Nice to meet you,” but this is only said when they see a person for the first time. The correct answer to How do you do? - this is How do you do ?, that is, you do not need to talk about your affairs.
If you don't hear the person say something to you, ask them to repeat it by saying Sorry ?, Pardon? or Could you repeat, please?
Informal English greetings that you can use when meeting friends:
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| Hi! | Hey! |
| Hello there! / Hey there! | Hey! |
| Look who’s here! Long time no see! | Look who I see! Haven't seen each other for a hundred years! (when you're happy to see someone you haven't seen in a long time) |
| Morning! | An informal alternative to good morning. |
| How's life? | What's up? |
| How are you? | How do you? |
| How are things? | How are you? |
| What's up? (Sup!) / How are you getting on? / How is it going? | How are you? |
| What's new? | What's new? |
| What have you been up to? | What have you been doing all this time? |
| Nice to see you! / Good to see you! | Good to see you! |
| Long time no see! / It is been a while! | Haven't seen each other for a hundred years! / Long time no see! |
The answer to an informal greeting might sound like this:
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| Great, thanks! | Excellent thank you! |
| Fine thanks, and you? | Okay, thanks, what about you? |
| Fine thanks, what about yourself? | I am fine, thanks. And how are you? |
| Not bad! | Not bad! |
| Can't complain. | I can’t complain. (in a good way) |
| I am doing pretty well. | I'm doing pretty well. |
| I have been better. | There have been better ones. |
| Nothing much. | Nothing special. |
How to start a conversation in English
After you have greeted the person, you need to somehow continue your conversation. If you are talking with a friend, then, of course, you will quickly find a topic for communication. However, if you have just met a person at a friend's place or at an official event, then you need to "break the ice", that is, to establish contact between you and your new acquaintance. There is a good article on the blog of our teachers "Breaking the ice: how to start a conversation in English", read this material and use it in practice. In this article, we will provide you with a small selection of phrases that will help you start a conversation with your interlocutor.
If you are at a formal event, you can use the following common English phrases to start a conversation:
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| I’ve heard so much about you. | I've heard a lot about you. |
| I’ve heard so much about you from Mr. Smith. | I've heard a lot about you from Mr. Smith. |
| How do you like the conference / workshop? | How do you like the conference / training? |
| Is it your first time at the conference / workshop? | Is this your first time at a conference / training? |
| So, you work in IT, right? | You work in IT, right? |
| Have you always been in IT? | Have you always worked in IT? |
| How long have you been a member of ABC organization? | How long have you been a member of the ABC organization? |
| How long have you been working for this firm? | How long have you been working for this company? |
| I am from Moscow / Russia. And you? | I am from Moscow / Russia. And you? |
| How do you like it here? | Do you like it here? / What are your impressions? |
| How long have you been here? | How long have you been here? |
| How long have you been living here? | How long have you lived here? |
| This is my first visit to London. What do you recommend to visit while I am here? | This is my first visit to London. What would you recommend me to watch while I'm here? |
| This place is really nice. Do you come here a lot? | This place is really wonderful. Do you come here often? |
Need to start a conversation in English in an informal setting? At a party, the following phrases will be appropriate:
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| That is a lovely name. Are you named after someone? | It's a great name. Were you named after someone? |
| Who are you here with? | Who did you come here with? |
| How do you know Jane? | How do you know Jane? |
| So, you are friends with Jane, right? | You and Jane are friends, right? |
| I think we’ve met somewhere. | I think we have already met somewhere. |
| I love your hat / dress / blouse. It really suits you. | I like your hat / dress / blouse. It really suits you. |
| So, you like football. | So you love football. |
| Where will you spend Easter? | Where will you spend Easter? (any holiday) |
| The food looks great! Have you tried the cake / dessert / wine? | The food looks great! Have you tried cake / dessert / wine? |
| These decorations are wonderful. I love the flowers! | These decorations are wonderful. I love these flowers! |
How to express your opinion on any issue
So, your mission was crowned with success: you attracted the interlocutor's attention and he answered the question. Now it is important to keep his attention and continue the conversation. Most likely, your new acquaintance will ask a question similar to yours or ask for an opinion on a topic. To answer him confidently, you need to know how to express your opinion in English. Of course, you can immediately express your point of view, but we invite you to study special phrases that will make your speech more beautiful and convincing. You can use them in both formal and informal settings. At a formal event, try to formulate your thoughts more gently, with less emotion than when communicating with friends.
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| In my opinion ... | In my opinion... |
| The way I see it ... | From my point of view... |
| In my experience ... | In my experience... |
| As far as I'm concerned ... | As far as I understand... |
| To tell the truth ... / Frankly speaking ... | Honestly... |
| According to Mr. Smith ... | As Mr Smith says ... |
| If you ask me ... | Personally, I think ... |
| Personally, I think ... | Personally, I think ... |
| Speaking for myself ... | To my mind... |
| I'd say that ... | I would say that ... |
| I'd suggest that ... | I would suggest that ... |
| I'd like to point out that ... | I would like to mention that ... |
| I believe that ... | I believe that ... / I believe that ... |
| What I mean is ... | I mean that... |
| To my mind ... | In my opinion... |
| From my point of view ... | From my point of view... |
| My opinion is that ... | My opinion is that ... |
| I hold the opinion that ... | I am of the opinion that ... |
| I guess that ... | I think that... |
| It goes without saying that ... | It goes without saying that ... |
| It seems to me that ... | I think that... |
If you are not completely confident in your words or want to more accurately present your point of view at an official event, then you can express your opinion in English using the following phrases:
How to maintain a dialogue: phrases of consent and disagreement in English
So, you have successfully started a dialogue with your interlocutor, discuss a topic, exchange opinions with him. To avoid awkward pauses, after the exchange of views, continue the discussion: express your agreement or disagreement with the interlocutor's point of view.
First, let's look at how you can express consent in English. All of the phrases listed below are appropriate in both formal and informal settings. They are neutral, so if you are at a social event, just say them in a calm tone, and at a party with friends, you can pronounce them more emotionally. Please note: the pronoun you in English means both "you" and "you", so you can't go wrong using these phrases in any setting.
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| I agree with you one hundred percent. | I agree with you / you one hundred percent. |
| I couldn’t agree with you more. | I completely agree with you / you. |
| You’re absolutely right. | You are absolutely right. |
| Absolutely. | Absolutely right. |
| Exactly. | Exactly. |
| No doubt about it. | Undoubtedly. |
| I suppose so. / I guess so. | I guess so. (there is a small amount of uncertainty) |
| I was just going to say that. | I was just about to say it. |
| That is exactly what I think. | This is exactly what I think about this. / I think so. |
| I agree with you entirely. / I totally agree with you. | I totally agree with you / you. |
| I am of the same opinion. | I am of the same opinion. |
And now we will give a few more emotional and informal phrases that are appropriate to use when communicating with friends:
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| Tell me about it! | Still would! / I shouldn't know! |
| That is exactly how I feel. | This is exactly how I feel. |
| Quite so! | Quite right! / That's it! / Undoubtedly! |
| Fair enough! | I agree! / All clear! / Fair! / Logical! |
With disagreement, things are a little more complicated. When you want to express disagreement in English, you need to be extremely polite so as not to offend the person, especially if you just met the other person or are at a formal event. We recommend using the following polite disagreement phrases:
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| I'm afraid I disagree. | I'm afraid I disagree. |
| I beg to differ. | I beg to differ. |
| Not necessarily. | Not necessary. |
| No, I am not so sure about that. | No, I'm not so sure about that. |
| That’s not really how I see it, I’m afraid. | I'm afraid I see it a little differently. |
| I'm afraid I have to disagree. | I'm afraid I have to disagree. |
| No, I disagree. What about ... | No I do not agree. But what about ... |
| On the contrary ... | On the other side... |
| I'm sorry to disagree with you but ... | I'm sorry that I disagree with you, but ... |
| Yes, but don’t you think ... | Yes, but don't you think ... |
| The problem is that ... | The problem is... |
| I doubt whether ... | I doubt... |
| With all due respect ... | With all due respect... |
| I am of a different opinion because ... | I have a different opinion because ... |
| On the whole I agree with you but ... | In general, I agree with you, but ... |
| Yes, OK, but perhaps ... | Yes, good, but maybe ... |
| I see what you mean but have you thought about ... | I understand what you mean, but you didn't think that ... |
| I hear what you are saying but ... | I can hear what you are saying, but ... |
| I accept what you are saying but ... | I understand what you are saying, but ... |
| I see your point but ... | I understand what you mean, but ... |
| I agree to some extent but ... | To some extent, I agree, but ... |
| True enough but ... | You're right, but ... |
If you are talking with an old acquaintance, you can also express more severe disagreement with his opinion. However, in the midst of an argument, we still recommend that you think what is more dear to you: friend or truth. To soften the severity of the following phrases a little, you can start your speech with I am afraid ... (I'm afraid ...).
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| I can’t agree. I really think ... | I cannot agree. I really think ... |
| No way. I completely disagree with you. | In no case. I totally disagree with you. |
| I can't share this view. | I cannot share your point of view. |
| I can’t agree with this idea. | I cannot agree with this idea. |
| That’s not always true. / That’s not always the case. | This is not always true. |
| I don’t think so. | I do not think so. |
| I have my own thoughts about that. | I have my own thoughts on this. |
| No way. | In no case. |
| I totally disagree. | I strongly disagree. |
| I'd say the exact opposite. | I would say exactly the opposite. |
How to interrupt someone politely
Interrupting the interlocutor so that he does not take offense at you is a whole skill. Of course, it is best not to interrupt the person talking to you, but to be patient until the end of his speech and only then speak out. However, sometimes there are situations when you just need to urgently intervene in the conversation and end it when you are at an official event, or "insert your five kopecks" in a conversation with a friend. If so, try to pause your speech and say one of the following phrases. And to make everything sound as polite as possible, do not forget to say Excuse me ... first.
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| Can I add / say something here? | Can I add something on this issue? |
| Is it ok if I jump in for a second? | Can I put in a word or two? |
| If I might add something ... | If I can add something ... |
| Can I throw my two cents in? | Can I put in my five cents? |
| Sorry to interrupt, but ... | Sorry to interrupt you, but ... |
| Can I just mention something? | Can I mention something? |
| Do you mind if I come in here? | Can I join the conversation? |
| Before you move on I'd like to say something. | Before you move on to the next topic, I would like to say something. |
| Excuse me for interrupting but ... | Sorry to interrupt, but ... |
| Excuse me for butting in but ... | Sorry to interfere, but ... |
| Just a moment, I'd like to ... | Wait a second, I would like ... |
| I apologize for interrupting ... | I apologize for interrupting ... |
We would like to dwell on the polite wording, but sometimes it becomes necessary to interrupt the interlocutor sharply. For example, if a person touches on a topic that is painful for you or tries to humiliate someone around you, you need to act more decisively. Use the following phrases only as a last resort, they are harsh and rude, after such a statement, the interlocutor may be offended.
If you interrupted the person politely, expressed your opinion, then you need to give him the floor again. Use one of the following phrases:
Desirable and unwanted conversation topics in English
So, we have given you some good phrases to help you start and maintain a conversation in English. It remains only to understand what to communicate about: which topics of conversation are welcomed by English speakers, and which ones are best avoided.
- Events in the host city
A good topic of conversation is recent events in the city. The only condition is that the events must be good, evoke positive emotions, for example: a city day, the opening of a new ice rink, etc. You should not discuss news about a maniac or a recent accident, very few people are pleased.
- Funny case
Laughter brings people closer together, helps them to loosen up and relax - exactly what you need when talking. Remember a funny incident from your life and tell it to your interlocutor, this will help you find a common topic of conversation and feel more free.
- Travels
Almost all people like travel and stories about distant (and not so) countries, so this is a fertile topic for conversation. Tell us about your trip or just ask the other person if he likes to travel and where he has already been.
- Work
An ideal topic of conversation, especially if you are chatting with a person at a formal event. At the same time, the rules of politeness require that the conversation takes place in a positive manner. That is, you may be interested in how long a person has been working in his industry and in a particular company, what attracts him to work. Avoid questions about salary and attitude towards management, in this case it is inappropriate.
- Hobby
Well, who refuses to talk about their favorite pastimes ?! Ask the person what he likes to do in his free time, how long has he been fond of his hobby, etc. With such an unobtrusive conversation, a real strong friendship sometimes begins.
- Music, books, movies
The simplest and most obvious thing is to start a conversation by finding out the musical and other tastes of the interlocutor. Try discussing the latest in the world of music or cinema, as well as book bestsellers, this will help you quickly establish contact with the interlocutor.
- Holidays
Think about the next holiday and ask the person how he usually celebrates it, where he recommends you to go and how to have fun.
- Food
Theme from the category of universal. If you are at a banquet, then it would be quite logical to say an unobtrusive phrase that the dishes are excellent, or ask the interlocutor if he knows what those cute canapes are made of.
- Weather
The topic is quite banal, but unobtrusive, it will come to the rescue if you do not know where to start a conversation in English.
- Sport
A harmless and quite interesting topic, especially if you are going to start a conversation with a man. However, keep in mind that you yourself must be interested in any kind of sport, otherwise you simply will not be able to maintain a conversation on this topic.
- Entertainment facilities (local bars, cafes, clubs, etc.)
Ask your new friend which places to visit and which ones to stay away from. And if he himself recently arrived in the city, you can offer to go together to some interesting place.
Want to find more interesting conversation topics in English? We recommend that you take a look at the page where you will find 250 interesting questions to help you start a conversation.
Prohibited topics for conversation in English (and any other) language:
- Personal life. If you are not talking to an old friend, this topic is forbidden - you can inadvertently hurt the feelings of your interlocutor.
- Complaints about work, salary, boss and in general on any topic.
- Gossip.
- Discussion of age, weight, or appearance.
- Criticism of someone or something.
- Bad habits.
- Indecent topics.
- Disease and death.
- Bad news (discussions of crime news, disasters, etc.).
- Religion.
- Politics.
- Finance.
- Specialized topics that are understandable and interesting only to a narrow circle of people.
What if you are rude?
Unpleasant interlocutors from time to time come across to everyone. What if you are rude? If you respond to a person with similar insults, then you will drop yourself in the eyes of others, so we recommend that you do it differently. Sometimes it happens that a person “breaks down” on you, and then asks for forgiveness, if you managed to cool his ardor. In any case, we advise you to adopt the following phrases, which will help you resolutely and at the same time politely deal with rudeness.
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| Whatever you say. | As you say. |
| Well, I think we’ve reached the end of this conversation. | Well, I think we're done. |
| You don’t really expect me to answer that, do you? | You don't really expect me to answer that, do you? |
| Ouch! Did you mean to be that rude? | Ouch! Did you intentionally / deliberately be rude to me? |
| I think that was a bit rude. | I think it was a little rough. |
| You just offended me. | You hurted me. |
| I’m sure you didn’t mean to be rude, but that’s how you sounded. | I'm sure you didn't mean to be rude, but it sounded like that. |
| I don’t really know how to answer that. | I don't even know what to answer you. |
| I feel hurt by what you are saying. | It hurts me to hear what you say. |
These are the phrases you can answer to a rude person. We do not recommend getting into a skirmish with him: you should not waste time and nerves on such people, especially since you can almost forget English from stress and still will not give weighty arguments, so your words will not be convincing.
How to say goodbye in English
After the conversation, you need to say goodbye to your interlocutor. Of course, standard Goodbye will do just about any purpose. However, you can say goodbye in a more interesting way. We offer you a list of goodbye phrases in English:
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| Have a good / nice day. | Have a good day. |
| I look forward to our next meeting. | I am looking forward to our next meeting. |
| I've got to go. | I have to go. (when you are in the company of people and you have to say goodbye to everyone) |
| It was nice to see you again. / It was nice seeing you. | It was nice to see you again. |
You can use the preceding phrases in both formal and informal settings. And for communication with close friends, we will present you with a few more slang farewell phrases in English:
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| Catch you later. | See you later. |
| I am off. | I went. |
| See you later. | See you later. |
| See you soon. | See you soon. |
| Take care. | Till! / Come on! / Be healthy! |
| Talk to you soon. | Until next time! / Call us! |
| See you next time. | See you! |
| Bye. | Till. |
Now you know how to conduct a conversation in English at a formal event and with friends. We highly recommend that you learn the phrases presented by heart, because they will be useful to you more than once in communication. And if you find it difficult to speak English with a stranger, we invite you to our school at. Our amazing teachers will help you overcome the language barrier. We wish you only pleasant conversations and interesting interlocutors!
Complete list of phrases to download
We have compiled a document for you that will make it easier for you to conduct a dialogue with your interlocutor. You can download it from the link below.
You can practice leading and maintaining a conversation in English for - one lesson costs 300 rubles.
Hello everyone on my blog!
Today I would like to discuss such an ambiguous issue in the study of foreign languages as the use of dialogues. Many teachers and students believe thatdialogues in englishindispensable for those who want to master this language perfectly, but there are also many opponents of this technique.
Dialogue and naturalness of speech
Learning a language by studying grammar rules and familiarizing yourself with outstanding literary works in a foreign language is a great way to learn a language so that later you will not be able to apply it in practice. Correct speech from the point of view of grammar does not always sound nice and adequate from the point of view of a native speaker. And beautiful literary turns and complex vocabulary will not help in everyday communication. between friends.
Many teachers, including university teachers, often force their students to memorize large chunks of complex texts and recite them by heart. Thus, they hope to instill in students a linguistic instinct, the very inner voice that, in difficult times, says whether a certain phrase sounds good in a foreign language or not. In addition, they hope to expand vocabulary and improve intonation.
This approach makes sense. really expands the vocabulary, and the recitation improves the pronunciation skills of sounds and intonations alien to the Russian ear.
However, it is much more effective, especiallyfor beginners and for children, learn simple and short dialogues. There are many dialogues these days with translation and audio can be found and downloaded in the Internet. In particular, a large number of materials on various topics for download can be found on my blog:
(audio versions of the dialogues will be uploaded during the fall-winter 2018-19)
Actively listening to audio or watching video dialogues, which are also freely available on Youtube, you can quickly learn how to communicate in different situations of everyday life and make your speech natural.
The enormous benefits of dialogues can be illustrated by the following example. In English-speaking culture, the ability to maintain small conversations about nothing, the so-called small talk much appreciated. Any stranger on the street, for example, at a bus stop, can greet you and talk a little about the weather. Or the cashier at the supermarket might ask how long you've been to America and wish you a good day.
This is alien to Russian culture, and many are lost in such situations. For example, we are not used to smiling at strangers on the street and freely talking to them about anything. But a successfully supported spontaneous conversation can significantly motivate you in learning a foreign language and make you believe in yourself. Conversational modern phrases for everyday communication can be found just in dialogues.
Dialogue 1
- Hi there!
- Hi! What's your name?
- My name is Ann. And yours?
- My name is Kate. Nice to meet you!
- Nice to meet you too.
- Hey!
- Hey! What is your name?
- My name is Ann. And you?
- My name is Kate. Nice to meet you.
- And me.
The first dialogue is devoted to the topic of dating. With its help, you can learn to say hello, introduce yourself and ask the interlocutor aboutwhat is his name and also say, "Nice to meet you." These are useful and necessary phrases every day that are rarely found in the literature.
Dialogue 2
- Excuse me, Sir! Do you live here?
- Yes.
- Could you tell me, please, where Old Gloucester Street is?
- Sure. It's not far from here. Go straight ahead, then turn to the right and cross the square, and then turn to the right again.
- Thanks a lot!
- You’re welcome.
- Sorry, sir! Are you local?
- Yes.
“Can you tell me where Old Gloucester Street is?”
- Certainly. She's not far from here. Go straight, then turn right and cross the square, then turn right again.
- Many thanks!
- You are welcome.
Orientation dialogues will be very helpful for those who are going to travel abroad or who live in a city where there are many tourists. With its help, you can learn to give instructions on how to find a particular place, as well as how to contact a passer-by if necessary.
The perfect way to work with this look training texts - listen to phrases for dialogue repeatedly. Read translate it to make sure all words and phrases are clear. Then you can try to repeat each line after the announcer, also several times, trying to imitate his articulation and intonation as much as possible. Finally, say or read the dialogue out loud yourself. You can memorize it, then foreign words will be better remembered. But thisan optional point, since the main words and phrases will remain in memory after repeated repetition in different ways.
On this I say goodbye. I really hope that reading this article was not only beneficial, but also enjoyable. Until next time on my blog!
Knowing English is very good. But it is not enough to know individual words in order to compose phrases with them, you need to connect your speech in such a way that a high-quality dialogue can be obtained from it. Agree, every day we compose dialogues, whether we want it or not. In a store, at work, in transport, on the street ... Communication is needed everywhere. And it will be strange if people communicate chaotically, that is, answer questions with words that they know, and not which are appropriate in this situation. If you are a beginner and are just starting to learn English, then we bring to your attention dialogues in English for beginners, which will help you easily communicate with people even with a minimum vocabulary.
On a note! We do not want you to learn dialogues automatically. The student studying the material must understand what is being taught. Therefore, we have led the translation to each dialogue to make your learning process easy.
Popular English Conversations for Beginners
Conversations in English vary. The higher your level of English, the more colorful and meaningful the dialogue. But, if you are just starting out, we recommend that you learn the basic basics of communication, which will serve as the foundation for building a more extensive conversation in the future. So, let's start with those that you can easily learn with a small vocabulary. But how can you learn a dialogue in English so that it doesn't fly out of your head the very next day? First you need to pay attention to the most common topics. The most popular: about the weather, in a store (grocery, with clothes), in a cafe / restaurant, about plans for a vacation or weekend, etc. Let's start with these. When you are fluent in the above topics, you can begin to conquer new heights.
Where do we start? From an acquaintance! It would be ridiculous if this is the first time you see a person and do not know where to start a conversation with him. Therefore, we offer a simple dialogue so that the person's first impression of you is positive =>
- Hello! How are you?
- Hi! I am fine, thanks! And how are you?
- Fine! I am Yulia. What is your name?
- I am Lily, nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you too.
- Are you from Barcelona?
- No, I am from London. And you?
- I am from Russia. Nice to meet you in Spain!
- Hey! How are you?
- Hey! OK, thanks! And how are you?
- Fine! I am Yulia. And what is your name?
- My name is Lily, nice to meet you.
- I am also pleased to meet you.
- Are you from Barcelona?
- No, I'm from London. And you?
- I'm from Russia. Nice to meet you in Spain!
The first step has been taken - you have met the person. What's next? If you do not know the interlocutor at all, then how to continue the conversation? The ideal way out of the situation is talk about the weather... This topic is always relevant and has not let anyone down yet. Consider a dialogue that will help you in further communication =>
- Hello, Maria! You look great today!
- Hi, Jane! Thank you! It’s very warm today, isn’t it? So I have decided to put on my new dress.
- Yes, the weather is lovely, as well as your new dress. But have you heard about the rain this afternoon?
- Yes, I’ve heard about that. But that is okey. I have an umbrella.
- Oh, you are lucky, but I have no umbrella. I need to go back home to take it.
- Yes, be quick. Look, the sky is already full of clouds.
- I run. Bye, see you later.
- Hello, Maria! You look very good today!
- Hi Jane! Thanks! It's warm today, isn't it? So I decided to put on my new dress.
- Yes, the weather is great, and so is your new dress. But did you hear about the rain this afternoon?
- Yes, I've heard about it. But all is well. I have an umbrella.
- Oh, you're lucky, and I don't have an umbrella. I need to go home and get him.
- Yes, come on faster. Look, the sky is already overcast.
- I'm runing. Bye, see you later.
- Till!
Next, we propose to learn English dialogue, dedicated to cafes and restaurants... At lunch we hold business meetings (and English ones too), communicate with friends and colleagues, many people drink morning coffee in public places too, and in general, we spend a lot of time in cafes and restaurants. On weekends, on vacation, after work, before an important meeting ... We go to lunch with friends and colleagues, to dinner with family and business partners. Knowing what to say is extremely important in order to get the impression of an educated, cultured, and literate person.
Consider a dialogue in a restaurant:
- L: Are you ready to order?
- Q: Yes, I'll have the fillet steak.
- L: How would you like your steak?
- Q: Rare, please. And I'd like a glass of red wine, and some mineral water.
- L: Still or sparkling?
- Q: Sparkling.
- A: Fine.
Note! In everyday conversations, aphorisms may be present, for example, I am hungry as a hunter which means I'm hungry like a wolf... Color your dialogue with bright phrases with these expressions!
And one more thing: you can use quotes from famous people in a conversation or with a grain of irony. But ... if you are not sure, we recommend that you abandon this idea. When you say an aphorism or a quote, you must be 100% sure the meaning is accurate.
- Are you ready to order?
- Yes, I would like a steak.
- What roast?
- Blood, please. As well as a glass of red wine and mineral water.
- Gas or not?
- With gas.
- Okay.
To memorize simple dialogues, we recommend that you mentally pronounce them every time, for example, when you go to a cafe or restaurant. When you order something, say it in English. This will be great practice. If you don't know a word, write it down in a notebook and be sure to look at the translation at home. Order different meals each time to learn more! And expand your vocabulary every time.
Here are a couple more dialogues related to everyday life:
We are going to the cinema.
- L: So ... what’s on at the cinema?
- B: There’s a film on called "Mission Impossible".
- L: What kind of movie is it?
- B: It's an action film. It's about an agent of the IMf and his mission to uncover a plot. It has good reviews.
- A: OK. Who's in it?
- B: It stars Tom Cruise.
- A: I like Tom Cruise - he’s a good actor. And where’s it on?
- B: The Karo cinema.
- A: OK. Let’s go and see it.
- B: Great!
- What is being shown in the cinema now?
- Now showing the film - Mission: Impossible.
- What genre is it?
- It's an action movie. A film about an agent of a secret organization and his mission to uncover a conspiracy. It has good reviews.
- Okay, who's playing?
- Starring Tom Cruise.
- I love Tom Cruise, he is a good actor. Where is the film shown?
- At the Karo cinema.
- Okay. Let's see it.
- Fine!
Now let's talk about stores... Everyone needs clothes. And you will communicate not only with the seller, but also with your girlfriends, whom you will take as faithful advisers. But! It is extremely important to know the basic phrases that will help you clearly explain to the seller what exactly you need and what color. If you have not yet studied the color scheme, then we recommend that you study a few basic colors. Let's leave the subtleties of studying numerous shades for later.
Consider a dialogue where a buyer communicates with a seller =>
- Good afternoon! Can I help you?
- Yes, I need your help. I need short dress, jeans and several blouses. Will you please be so kind to help me to match the colors. I want create several images from things I will buy.
- I will be glad to help you. My first advice - choose little black, red or white dress.
- The reason is - I don’t like dark and too bright colors.
- Then your choice - the dress of beige color.
- Perfect! And what about jeans?
- I will strongly recommend you to choose the light blue one. They are very popular now.
- Okey, show me some examples.
- And please be so kind to look at these blouses of pastel colors. They are very tender, feminine and stylish.
- Great! I need three blouses.
- I will make you a discount for you to buy more.
- Thank you! You helped me very much!
- Good day! Can i help you?
- Yes, I need your help. I need a short dress, jeans and some blouses. Could you be so kind as to help me choose the colors. I want to create some looks from the things that I buy.
- I will be happy to help you. My first tip is to choose a little black, red or white dress.
- The reason is that I do not like dark and too bright colors.
- In this case, your choice is a beige dress.
- Fine! What about jeans?
- I highly recommend that you opt for light blue jeans. They are very popular now.
- Ok, show me some examples.
- And please take a look at these pastel blouses. They are very delicate, feminine and stylish.
- Fine! I need three blouses.
- I will give you a discount so you can buy more.
- Thanks! You helped me a lot!
We buy drinks:
- B: Can I help you?
- A: Can I have tea and two colas, please?
- B: Anything else?
- A: No, thanks. How much is that?
- B: That’s $ 3. A: Here you are.
- Can I help?
- Can I have some tea and two colas, please?
- Anything else?
- No thanks. How much is it?
- Only $ 3.
- Please / Hold.
Dialogue in a cafe:
- A: Yes, please? or What would you like?
- B: I'd like a ham sandwich on brown bread, please, and two chicken sandwiches on white bread.
- A: Eat here or take away?
- B: Take away, please.
- A: OK. Anything else?
- B: No, thanks.
- A: OK. The food will be in a couple of minutes. Have a seat.
- Order / What is for you?
- I'd like a ham sandwich on black bread and two chicken on white, please.
- Here or with you.
- With you, please.
- Okay. Anything else?
- No thanks.
- The food will be ready in a few minutes. Have a seat.
Repeat dialogs as often as possible. At the same time, change words in phrases to increase the number of words learned. For example, instead of dress put skirt, etc. Change colors, styles, images ... You can make several from one dialogue! Turn on your imagination and go!
- Imagine real situations
You can think of anything and wait for it to come true. You need to practice every day! Imagine walking into a clothing store. What do you say to the seller? What color of skirt do you need? What kind of jeans do you want? Come up with a real look, from those things that you wear for every day. If nothing works, start small. First, learn individual words (wardrobe items), then write phrases with them, then sentences. Remember, dialogue is two-way communication. You need to be prepared for the fact that you will be asked questions, and you need to know the answers to them. By imagining a real environment, you can easily learn the necessary vocabulary.
- Start by composing small dialogues
Don't think that little is ineffective. For beginners, the opposite is true. Once you learn the small questions and answers, you can expand them over time by adding adjectives, nouns, and verbs. The main thing is to learn, figuratively speaking, the skeleton of the structure. It is worth remembering that it is easier to combine tenses in short sentences. If the sentences are long, then you may not construct a thought grammatically correctly. Start small! When you have your first successes, the knowledge base will grow very quickly.
- Practice every day!
The last, but not the least -> The last, but not the least, as the English say. This is very wise advice. He will tell you how to quickly learn English dialogue so that there is a result. The fact is that by studying every day, we develop a regime in ourselves, our will grows, we become more organized. One or two days of rest - and you have to start over. Work on your English every day! You don't need to repeat a couple of phrases to yourself as you walk past the store. Or imagine yourself in an English restaurant, sitting at the table at home. It's simple. The main thing is to overcome laziness. It is she who is the culprit of our failures. Pull yourself together and English will obey you!
Summing up
How to learn English dialogue? Simply and easily! Do it every day, make up real situations, choose synonyms for words and try to enlist the support of loved ones. Let them talk to you in English at home (if they know it, of course). And listen to audio and video recordings! This is necessary for correct pronunciation. And if it is lame with you, then transcription will come to the rescue. Learning English is easier than you think!
Good luck and new achievements!
Views: 380
