Questions · Roommates

Questions to ask your roommate before the dishes pile up

Questions to ask a new roommate, a dorm floor or the housemates you share a fridge with. Learn the habits and routines early, talk about getting along before it’s a problem, and actually get to know each other.

  • 29 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.

Getting to know№ 10

How do you usually unwind after a long day?

Paano ka usually nagpapahinga pagkatapos ng mahabang araw?

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A note

Everyone has a different way of landing after a full day. It can be quiet, active, social, or very simple.

Iba-iba tayo ng paraan mag-settle after a long day. Puwedeng tahimik, active, may kasama, o simple lang.

Tap to returnkumustahan

The questions

29 questions to ask your roommate

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.

House rules, the fun way

9 questions

Habits and chores, asked as games instead of a contract.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. When you get home, what’s the first thing you usually do?

    Pag-uwi mo, ano yung unang bagay na usually mong ginagawa?

    Back of the card

    That first move can be funny, tired, quiet, or automatic. It can say something about how you settle in.

    Yung first move na iyon pwedeng nakakatawa, pagod, tahimik, o automatic. May sinasabi rin siya kung paano ka nagse-settle.

  4. At home, who usually notices the chores, mess, or little things first?

    Sa bahay ninyo, sino yung madalas unang nakakapansin ng chores, kalat, o maliliit na kailangan gawin?

    Back of the card

    Every home has someone who notices first. That kind of attention can be quiet, but it keeps many things moving.

    Sa bawat bahay, may taong unang nakakapansin. Tahimik minsan yung ganung attention, pero marami siyang napapaandar.

  5. Would you rather have someone cook or clean for you?

    Mas gusto mo bang may magluto o maglinis para sa'yo?

    Back of the card

    Picture doing something you enjoy while they handle the task.

    Isipin ang masayang gagawin mo habang sila ang bahala.

  6. Give one household chore the power to finish itself. Which chore disappears?

    Kung may isang gawaing-bahay na kusang matatapos, alin ang pipiliin mo?

    Back of the card

    The chore is already done. Finish: "Now I can..."

    Tapos na ang gawaing iyon. Ituloy: "Ngayon, puwede na akong..."

  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.

  8. Pick one small item you use often that makes life feel a little easier.

    Pumili ng isang small item na madalas mong gamitin at nagpapagaan ng life kahit konti.

    Back of the card

    Small useful things can feel quietly heroic. They make the day easier without asking for attention.

    May small useful things na quietly heroic. Pinapadali nila yung araw nang hindi nagpapapansin, kahit simple lang sila.

  9. With an unlimited budget, what extra room would you add to your home?

    Kung walang limit ang budget, anong dagdag na kuwarto ang gusto mo sa bahay?

    Back of the card

    If the new room had a sign on its door, what would it say?

    Kung may karatula sa pinto ng bagong kuwarto, ano ang nakasulat doon?

Routines and quirks

7 questions

How each of you runs a day, so nothing comes as a surprise.

  1. How do you usually unwind after a long day?

    Paano ka usually nagpapahinga pagkatapos ng mahabang araw?

    Back of the card

    Everyone has a different way of landing after a full day. It can be quiet, active, social, or very simple.

    Iba-iba tayo ng paraan mag-settle after a long day. Puwedeng tahimik, active, may kasama, o simple lang.

  2. Describe a tiny routine you do even if nobody notices.

    I-describe yung tiny routine mo kahit walang nakakapansin.

    Back of the card

    Tiny routines can be private proof that you have your own way of moving through the day.

    Yung tiny routines, private proof minsan na may sarili kang way gumalaw sa araw, sa sarili mong style.

  3. While waiting for food, a ride, or someone late, how do you pass the time?

    Habang naghihintay ng pagkain, sasakyan, o late na tao, paano mo pinapalipas yung oras?

    Back of the card

    Waiting brings out our tiny survival styles. Some people scroll, some observe, and some start making stories in their head.

    Lumilitaw yung tiny survival style natin kapag naghihintay. May nag-scroll, may nag-oobserve, may gumagawa na ng kwento sa isip.

  4. If you were too tired to think, what would you order?

    Kapag pagod ka nang mag-isip, ano yung o-orderin mo?

    Back of the card

    The no-thinking order is its own kind of comfort. It is the choice that carries you when your brain is done.

    May comfort din sa order na hindi mo na kailangang isipin. Siya yung choice kapag ubos na utak mo.

  5. Which small outside task do you secretly like doing, like buying something, picking something up, or dropping something off?

    Anong maliit na task sa labas ang secretly gusto mong gawin, like bumili, kumuha, o maghatid ng something?

    Back of the card

    A small task outside can feel strangely satisfying. It gives the day a tiny mission with a clear finish line.

    May small task sa labas na strangely satisfying. Parang may tiny mission yung araw, tapos malinaw kung kailan tapos.

  6. What helps you settle down after a full day?

    Ano ang nakakatulong sa'yo mag-settle after a full day?

    Back of the card

    The way you come down from a full day matters. Small rituals can help your mind know it is safe to rest.

    Mahalaga rin kung paano ka bumababa from a full day. Kahit maliit na ritual, puwedeng signal na safe nang magpahinga.

  7. Pick a mascot for your current mood: sleepy, dramatic, cheerful, chaotic, or something else.

    Pumili ng mascot para sa current mood mo: sleepy, dramatic, cheerful, chaotic, o iba pa.

    Back of the card

    Current mood is sometimes easier to explain through a mascot. It can be tired, dramatic, cheerful, or strangely accurate.

    Minsan mas madaling i-explain ang current mood gamit mascot. Puwedeng pagod, dramatic, cheerful, o weirdly accurate.

Getting along

8 questions

Small disagreements, plans that fall through and asking first.

  1. You and a friend want different snacks. What would you do?

    Magkaiba kayo ng friend mo ng gustong snack. Ano ang gagawin mo?

    Back of the card

    Same choice every time, or would it depend on the day?

    Pareho ba ang gagawin mo palagi, o depende sa araw?

  2. What small task would you happily ask a friend to help with?

    Sa anong simpleng gawain mo gustong magpatulong sa friend?

    Back of the card

    Would their help save time, make it more fun, or simply give you company?

    Makakatipid ba ng oras ang tulong nila, mas magiging masaya, o magkakaroon ka lang ng kasama?

  3. When a hangout plan goes wrong, what do you usually do first?

    Kapag pumalpak ang plano ng gala, ano ang una mong ginagawa?

    Back of the card

    You could tell this as the opening scene of a comedy.

    Puwede mong ikuwento ito na parang unang eksena ng comedy.

  4. When doing something with friends, which small job do you enjoy helping with?

    Kapag may ginagawa kayo ng friends, anong parte ang gusto mong akuin para makatulong?

    Back of the card

    Would you still enjoy that job with a much bigger group?

    Gusto mo pa rin ba ang gawaing iyon kung mas marami ang kasama?

  5. How would you like a friend to respond when you are too tired to join a plan?

    Kapag sobrang pagod ka para sumama, paano mo gustong mag-react ang friend sa pagtanggi mo?

    Back of the card

    Missing one plan does not mean you want to stop being invited.

    Hindi ibig sabihin na ayaw mo nang yayain kapag hindi ka nakasama minsan.

  6. What habit makes a small disagreement with a friend worse?

    Anong habit ang nagpapalala sa simpleng hindi pagkakasundo ninyo ng friend?

    Back of the card

    Talk about the habit, not which friend does it.

    Habit ang pag-usapan, hindi kung sinong friend ang gumagawa nito.

  7. What quick question could clear up a confusing message from a friend?

    Kapag malabo ang message ng friend, paano mo tatanungin kung ano ang ibig nilang sabihin?

    Back of the card

    “Did you mean...?” can leave the answer open. You can use an invented message.

    Puwedeng magsimula sa “Ang ibig mo bang sabihin...?” Gawa-gawang message lang kung gusto mo.

  8. What should friends ask your permission to do?

    Ano ang dapat munang ipagpaalam sa'yo ng friends?

    Back of the card

    Your permission can depend on the situation; closeness does not make every answer a yes.

    Puwedeng depende sa sitwasyon ang pahintulot mo; kahit close kayo, hindi laging oo ang sagot.

Once you actually know each other

5 questions

For when you’re roommates who are also friends.

  1. What fun activity would you like to introduce your friends to?

    Anong masayang activity ang gusto mong ipakilala sa friends?

    Back of the card

    Imagine their first try going wrong in a harmless, funny way.

    Isipin na may simpleng sablay sa unang pagsubok nila na puwede ninyong pagtawanan.

  2. Choose a nearby place you would like to explore with a friend.

    Pumili ng malapit na lugar na gusto mong puntahan kasama ang friend.

    Back of the card

    Imagine finding an unexpected favorite corner there.

    Isipin na may makikita kang sulok doon na magiging paborito mo.

  3. What small things make a room feel welcoming to you?

    Anong maliliit na bagay ang nagpaparamdam sa'yo na welcome ka sa isang room?

    Back of the card

    Welcome can come from tone, space, food, faces, or small signals that say you do not have to prove yourself.

    Puwedeng galing sa tono, space, pagkain, mukha ng tao, o maliliit na sign na hindi mo kailangang patunayan ang sarili mo.

  4. What would you like to make more time for this month?

    Ano ang gusto mong bigyan ng mas maraming oras ngayong buwan?

    Back of the card

    Imagine an extra afternoon opens up. Would you spend it all on this or leave some time free?

    Isipin na nabakante ang isang hapon. Ilalaan mo ba lahat ng oras dito o magtitira ka pa ng libreng oras?

  5. Plan a hangout that a friend could bring a new friend to.

    Kung magsasama ng bagong friend ang kaibigan mo, anong bonding ang ipa-plano mo?

    Back of the card

    Imagine the newcomer knows none of your old jokes. Your activity can still work.

    Isipin na hindi alam ng bagong kasama ang dating mga biro ninyo. Puwede pa ring maging masaya ang activity.

How to use them

Before you ask

Most roommate problems are small things nobody mentioned: the fan setting, the item that keeps going missing, how each of you unwinds after a long day. Questions to ask your roommate bring those up early, while they’re still funny instead of annoying. A light question about who notices the mess first says more than a chore chart, and it starts a laugh instead of a standoff.

Ask a few on move-in day or the first week, over takeout on the floor between boxes. In a dorm, use them as icebreakers for the whole floor: one card each, around the circle. The getting-along questions, like what makes a small disagreement worse, are easier to answer before you’ve had one.

These come from the Just for fun, Icebreakers, Getting to know and Barkada decks. The friendship cards say “a friend”, and that’s the point: the roommates who last usually become one. Every card also has a Tagalog version, and anyone can pass a card.

Good for

  • Move-in day and the first week
  • Dorm floor icebreakers and RA meetings
  • New housemates in a shared flat
  • Students living away from home for the first time
  • Roommate dinners and house meetings

Tips

  1. Ask the house-habit questions in week one, before anyone is annoyed.
  2. Keep it light; save real rules for a separate, calm house meeting.
  3. Answer each question yourself so it’s an exchange, not a screening.
  4. Pick one shared ritual from the answers, like a weekly dinner.
  5. Anyone can pass a card, including the quiet roommate.

Decks for this

Roommates

Frequently asked questions

What questions should you ask a new roommate?

Ask about daily routines and habits (what they do first when they get home, how they unwind), small house things (the fan or aircon setting, chores they don’t mind) and how they like to handle a disagreement.

What are good dorm icebreaker questions?

Light, quick ones anyone can answer: a chore they would make disappear, the extra room they’d add with an unlimited budget, their default snack. Go around the circle with one card each.

How do you get to know your roommate?

Share small routines first, then ask a few questions over a meal in the first week. Plan one easy thing to do together, like exploring a nearby place, and let the friendship grow from there.

Is there a game for getting to know roommates?

Kumustahan is a free conversation card app with Icebreakers, Just for fun and Getting to know decks. Pass one phone around; it works offline, in English or Tagalog.

Bring a better question to the table.

Free on iPhone and Android. 420 cards free, no account, works offline.

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