Questions · Family reunion

Family reunion questions for relatives who barely know each other

Icebreaker-style questions for the big clan reunion, where half the cousins only know each other from Facebook. Easy for lolo, easy for the youngest, and a good way to learn something about the tito you only see every other Christmas.

  • 26 questions
  • EN + TL on every card
  • Free in the app
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Kumustahan is a bilingual conversation card app: 1,200 questions in English and Filipino across 7 decks, with a short reflection on the back of every card.

Icebreakers№ 46

Share the first time you did something on your own and felt more capable afterward.

Ikuwento ang unang beses mong gumawa ng isang bagay mag-isa at naisip mong, "Kaya ko pala."

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A note

Finish if you like: "That was when I realized I could..."

Kung gusto mo, ituloy: "Doon ko naisip na kaya ko palang..."

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The questions

26 questions for your family reunion

Every question in English and Filipino/Tagalog, word for word from the Kumustahan decks. Open “Back of the card” for the reflection printed on the other side.

Name-tag round for the cousins

6 questions

Quick picks for relatives meeting properly for the first time.

  1. Choose a memory power: remember every name or remember every route you have taken.

    Pumili ng memory power: tandaan lahat ng pangalan o lahat ng daang nadaanan mo.

    Back of the card

    Give your memory power a name. It can sound heroic or completely ordinary.

    Bigyan ng pangalan ang memory power mo. Puwedeng pang-hero o ordinaryo lang.

  2. On a plane, would you choose a window seat or more room for your legs?

    Sa eroplano, mas gusto mo ba ng upuan sa tabi ng bintana o mas maluwag para sa mga paa mo?

    Back of the card

    For this flight, would you rather chat, nap, or watch the view?

    Sa biyaheng ito, mas gusto mo bang makipagkuwentuhan, umidlip, o tumingin sa tanawin?

  3. If you could spend a day as any animal, which would you choose?

    Kung puwede kang maging hayop nang isang araw, anong hayop ang pipiliin mo?

    Back of the card

    Imagine your first meal as that animal. Where would you look for it?

    Isipin ang unang pagkain mo bilang hayop na iyon. Saan mo ito hahanapin?

  4. Which language would you learn instantly if you woke up fluent tomorrow?

    Kung paggising mo bukas ay marunong ka na ng isang bagong language, ano ang pipiliin mo?

    Back of the card

    Choose the first person you would like to talk to in that language.

    Piliin ang unang taong gusto mong makausap gamit ang wikang iyon.

  5. If your old phone could save only one, would you keep the photos or the messages?

    Kung isa lang ang mase-save sa lumang phone mo, photos o messages ang ititira mo?

    Back of the card

    Imagine giving the saved memories a title. No need to show any photos or messages.

    Isipin na bibigyan mo ng pamagat ang natirang mga alaala. Hindi kailangang magpakita ng photos o messages.

  6. In a group, which role feels most natural to you: listener, storyteller, organizer, or side-comment person?

    Sa group, anong role yung natural sa'yo: listener, taga-kuwento, organizer, o taga-side comment?

    Back of the card

    Group roles can shift, but most of us have a default. It is one way people learn how to read us.

    Nagbabago minsan ang role sa group, pero madalas may default tayo. Doon din tayo minsan nababasa ng mga tao.

Every age can answer

7 questions

Everyday habits and harmless opinions, from lola to the seven-year-old.

  1. Name one pambahay item you always reach for, like a shirt, shorts, slippers, blanket, or mug.

    Magbanggit ng isang pambahay item na lagi mong ginagamit, like shirt, shorts, tsinelas, kumot, o mug.

    Back of the card

    The best pambahay items are not trying to impress anyone. They just show up, stay comfortable, and do their job.

    Yung best pambahay items, hindi kailangan magpa-impress. Comfortable lang, reliable, at laging ready sa bahay.

  2. Describe your ideal electric fan or aircon setting.

    I-describe yung ideal electric fan o aircon setting mo.

    Back of the card

    Temperature preferences can become a whole personality. Comfort has settings, and everyone defends theirs a little.

    Yung temperature preference, minsan personality na rin. May settings ang comfort, at may kanya-kanya tayong ipinaglalaban.

  3. Before leaving the house, what do you always check?

    Bago umalis ng bahay, ano yung lagi mong chine-check?

    Back of the card

    Small checks are tiny protection from future hassle. Everyone has one thing they refuse to leave up to memory.

    Maliit lang yung check, pero nakakaiwas sa future hassle. Lahat tayo may isang bagay na hindi pwedeng memory lang.

  4. Name one item you always seem to lose, like keys, earphones, a pen, a charger, or your wallet.

    Magbanggit ng isang item na parang lagi mong nawawala, like susi, earphones, pen, charger, o wallet.

    Back of the card

    Some items have a talent for vanishing at the worst time. At some point, it starts to feel like a relationship issue.

    May items na ang galing mawala sa worst time. Dumadating sa point na parang relationship issue na siya.

  5. Rate your normal-day clumsiness from 1 to 5, then share one example.

    I-rate from 1 to 5 kung gaano ka ka-clumsy on a normal day, tapos mag-share ng isang example.

    Back of the card

    Clumsiness has a range, and honesty makes the rating better. One good example can turn any score into evidence.

    May range ang clumsiness, at mas funny kapag honest. Isang good example lang, kahit anong score may ebidensya.

  6. Name one harmless opinion you take seriously, like food, movies, habits, or small preferences.

    Magbanggit ng isang harmless opinion na seryoso ka, like food, movies, habits, o small preferences.

    Back of the card

    Harmless opinions are a safe place to be dramatic. The stakes are low, but the conviction can still be strong.

    Safe maging dramatic sa harmless opinions. Low stakes lang, pero pwedeng strong pa rin ang conviction.

  7. Name the small thing you always bring, even for a quick errand.

    Sabihin yung small thing na lagi mong dala kahit quick errand lang.

    Back of the card

    The thing you always bring has earned its place. It may be small, but it clearly passed the trust test.

    Yung lagi mong dala, may reason yan. Maliit lang siya, pero clearly pasado sa trust test.

Getting to know the relatives

7 questions

What people do with their time, now that you’re all grown up.

  1. When you enter a new place, what’s one small thing you notice right away?

    Kapag nasa bagong lugar ka, ano yung isang maliit na bagay na una mong napapansin?

    Back of the card

    What you notice first can hint at what makes a place feel interesting, calm, or welcoming to you.

    Minsan clue yung una mong napapansin kung ano ang nakaka-curious, nakakapagpakalma, o nagpapagaan ng pakiramdam mo.

  2. If your afternoon suddenly became free, how would you spend it?

    Kung biglang naging free ang hapon mo, paano mo ito gagamitin?

    Back of the card

    Free time shows what you reach for when nobody is asking for anything. It can be rest, fun, errands, or nothing at all.

    Makikita sa free time kung saan ka kusang pupunta kapag walang kailangan sa'yo. Puwedeng pahinga, saya, errands, o wala lang.

  3. Which kind of task makes you lose track of time?

    Anong klaseng task yung nakakalimutan mong oras kapag ginagawa mo?

    Back of the card

    The tasks that make time move fast can reveal what absorbs you, energizes you, or quietly fits how your mind works.

    Yung tasks na nagpapabilis ng oras pwedeng clue kung ano ang kumukuha ng focus mo, nagpapagana sa'yo, o bagay sa utak mo.

  4. If someone worked or studied with you for one week, what would they notice about your style?

    Kung may makakasama ka sa work o school for one week, ano kaya ang mapapansin nila sa style mo?

    Back of the card

    Your style may show in pace, focus, questions, breaks, or how you handle pressure. People notice more than we think.

    Pwedeng lumabas ang style mo sa pace, focus, tanong, breaks, o paano ka humarap sa pressure. Marami palang napapansin ang tao.

  5. If you could open a tiny shop just for fun, what would it sell?

    Kung magbubukas ka ng maliit na tindahan for fun, ano ang ibebenta mo?

    Back of the card

    What would you call your shop?

    Ano ang ipapangalan mo sa tindahan?

  6. In an adventure story, would you be the guide, cook, builder, storyteller, or someone else?

    Sa adventure story, anong role ang pipiliin mo: guide, cook, builder, storyteller, o iba pa?

    Back of the card

    Your character has one familiar object in their bag. What is it?

    May isang pamilyar na gamit sa bag ng tauhan mo. Ano iyon?

  7. Name one small, specific thing you enjoy more than people expect.

    Magbanggit ng isang maliit at specific na bagay na mas enjoy mo kaysa ina-expect ng iba.

    Back of the card

    Specific joys can be tiny clues about a person. They do not need to make sense to everyone to be real.

    Yung specific joys, maliit na clue tungkol sa tao. Hindi kailangan gets ng lahat para maging real.

Stories only the titos and titas know

6 questions

For when the elders get going and the cousins finally sit still.

  1. Think of someone in your circle who can turn anything into a funny story.

    Isipin yung tao sa circle niyo na kayang gawing funny story kahit simpleng bagay lang.

    Back of the card

    Every circle has someone who makes ordinary stories funnier than expected. Naming them is also a tiny thank-you.

    May tao talagang nagpapasaya ng simpleng kwento. Kapag naalala mo siya, parang small thank-you na rin.

  2. Share one time your timing was really off and it became funny later.

    Mag-share ng time na sobrang sablay ng timing mo at naging funny later.

    Back of the card

    Bad timing can be annoying in the moment and hilarious later. It has a way of turning itself into comedy.

    Yung bad timing, nakakainis sa moment pero funny later. Parang kusa siyang nagiging comedy pag binalikan.

  3. Share the first time you did something on your own and felt more capable afterward.

    Ikuwento ang unang beses mong gumawa ng isang bagay mag-isa at naisip mong, "Kaya ko pala."

    Back of the card

    Finish if you like: "That was when I realized I could..."

    Kung gusto mo, ituloy: "Doon ko naisip na kaya ko palang..."

  4. Who taught you a work or school habit you still use, and what was it?

    Sino yung nagturo sa'yo ng work o school habit na gamit mo pa rin, at ano yun?

    Back of the card

    Some habits come from people who modeled them first. Their way of doing things can quietly become part of yours.

    May habits na galing sa taong nauna lang magpakita. Tahimik mong nadadala yung style nila hanggang maging part na rin ng style mo.

  5. What helped you feel welcome in a new place?

    Ano ang nakatulong para maramdaman mong welcome ka sa isang bagong lugar?

    Back of the card

    Would you do something similar for someone new? You can also leave it as a good memory.

    Gagawin mo rin ba iyon para sa bagong dating? Puwede ring magandang alaala na lang muna ito.

  6. Name a small thing people close to you know you always do.

    Sabihin yung small thing na alam ng close sa'yo na lagi mong ginagawa.

    Back of the card

    Being known often lives in tiny details. The little things people remember can feel surprisingly sweet.

    Minsan nasa tiny details yung feeling na kilala ka. Sweet din kapag naaalala ng tao yung small things mo.

How to use them

Before you ask

A family reunion is a strange crowd: closely related, barely acquainted. Cousins who played together as kids now live in different cities or countries, the titos only know each other’s children by height, and the balikbayan side is trying to keep up with the Tagalog. Reunion questions need to work like icebreakers, but with family in them.

Start with the quick picks right after the group photo, when people are still clustered by household. Mix the tables on purpose: one card, and everyone at the table answers, not just the ones they came with. The everyday questions are good for mixed ages, because a seven-year-old and a lola can both rank their electric fan settings.

Save the story questions for later in the afternoon, after the lechon and before the karaoke takes over. Ask a tito about a funny moment or the first thing he did on his own, then let the cousins ask follow-ups. That’s usually how people find out who they’re actually related to.

Good for

  • Clan reunions and big family gatherings
  • Christmas and New Year reunions in the province
  • Balikbayan relatives home for the holidays
  • Mixed-age tables, from lolo to the toddlers
  • Cousins meeting properly for the first time

Tips

  1. Seat people across households, then deal one card per table.
  2. Have each person say their name and whose child they are before answering.
  3. Pair a cousin from abroad with a cousin from home for a round.
  4. Skip comparisons between branches of the family: no grades, jobs or who is married.
  5. Use the Tagalog side for the elders and the English side for the balikbayan kids.
  6. For smaller family dinners, try the questions for family instead.

Decks for this

Family reunion

Frequently asked questions

What are good questions to ask at a family reunion?

Easy questions every age can answer, like everyday habits, harmless opinions and quick this-or-that picks, followed by story questions for the elders. They help relatives who barely know each other find something in common.

What games can you play at a family reunion?

A simple question round works for every age: seat people across households, read one card per table, and have everyone answer in a sentence. Funny prompts and would-you-rather questions keep the kids in it.

How do you get cousins who don’t know each other to talk?

Mix them across tables and start with quick, low-stakes questions about habits and preferences. Once they’re laughing, ask the titos and titas for stories and let the cousins ask follow-ups.

Do these reunion questions work for relatives who speak Tagalog?

Yes. Every question has an English and a Filipino/Tagalog version, so the elders and the balikbayan cousins can each read the one they’re comfortable with.

Bring a better question to the table.

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