Making Small Talk
Use these phrases to smoothly navigate casual conversations at work or with acquaintances, from breaking the ice to politely excusing yourself.
Key Phrases
Beautiful day we're having, isn't it?
neutralA safe, standard way to start small talk about the weather.
Crazy weather today, huh?
casualAdding 'huh' at the end naturally invites agreement from the other person.
How are things going in your department?
politeAppropriate for colleagues or managers you don't know very well.
How's work treating you lately?
casualA friendly, common idiom for asking about someone's job stress.
Do you have any vacations planned for this year?
neutralUS - 'vacation' is the standard American term for time off work.
Got any holidays booked for the summer?
casualUK - 'holiday' is the standard British term for a trip away.
How was your weekend? Did you get much done?
neutralA standard, polite inquiry about someone's days off.
Do anything fun over the weekend?
casualDropping the grammatical 'Did you' at the start is very common in fast, casual speech.
Things have been somewhat hectic recently, to be honest.
neutralUse 'hectic' to convey that you are busy without sounding like you are complaining.
It's been kind of a crazy week, you know?
casual'Kind of' and 'you know' soften the statement so it doesn't sound overly negative.
Oh, really? That sounds absolutely fascinating.
politeA respectful response suited for formal networking events.
No way, that's awesome!
casualA very common, enthusiastic reaction among peers.
Anyway, I suppose we should probably get back to it.
neutralThe word 'anyway' smoothly signals that you are ready to end the chat.
Right, better get back to the grind, I guess.
casual'The grind' is a popular idiom for daily, repetitive work.
I won't keep you any longer, but it was lovely speaking with you.
politeA very respectful way to formally close a conversation.
I should get going, but it was great to see you.
neutralThe standard, positive phrase to politely walk away from a chat.