Questions · Someone you just met

Questions to ask someone you just met, no small talk script needed

Questions to ask someone you just met: quick this-or-thats, harmless what-ifs and easy questions about their day. For orientation, a new office, a seatmate or a friend of a friend.

  • 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.

Icebreakers№ 51

What helped you feel welcome in a new place?

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

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A note

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.

Tap to returnkumustahan

The questions

29 questions to ask someone you just met

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.

Pick one

8 questions

Five-second choices. The reason they give is where it starts.

  1. Pick one view for a quiet morning: a beach sunrise or city lights before dawn.

    Sa tahimik na umaga, alin ang gusto mong tanawin: pagsikat ng araw sa beach o city lights bago sumikat ang araw?

    Back of the card

    Picture the view. Which detail would you want to remember?

    Isipin ang tanawin. Anong detalye ang gusto mong maalala?

  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. Would you rather know the exact weather or the exact traffic before leaving home?

    Bago umalis, alin ang gusto mong siguradong alam: lagay ng panahon o lagay ng traffic?

    Back of the card

    Imagine you check before a day out. What would you pack differently?

    Isipin na nag-check ka bago ang lakad. Ano ang iibahin mo sa mga dadalhin mo?

  4. 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.

  5. Pick your ideal weather: a warm rainy afternoon or a cool sunny morning.

    Pumili ng gusto mong panahon: maulan pero mainit na hapon o maaraw pero malamig na umaga.

    Back of the card

    Choose a sound to go with your weather.

    Pumili ng tunog na bagay sa pinili mong panahon.

  6. For one month, you can have music or movies, but not both. Which do you keep?

    Kung isa lang ang puwede mong ma-enjoy sa loob ng isang buwan, music o movies ang pipiliin mo?

    Back of the card

    Name the first song or movie you would return to when the month ends.

    Anong kanta o movie ang una mong babalikan pagkatapos ng buwan?

  7. Which button would you rather have: pause a busy hour or replay a favorite hour?

    Kung may time button, alin ang pipiliin mo: i-pause ang isang abalang oras o ulitin ang paborito mong oras?

    Back of the card

    Your button needs a label. What would you write on it?

    Kailangan ng label ang button mo. Ano ang isusulat mo rito?

  8. Imagine a place to stay: tiny with a great view or huge but far from everything. Which do you choose?

    Isipin ang titirhan mo: maliit pero maganda ang view o malaki pero malayo sa lahat. Alin ang pipiliin mo?

    Back of the card

    Put one favorite thing in your new place. What belongs there?

    Maglagay ng isang paborito mong bagay sa bagong titirhan mo. Ano iyon?

Imagine if

9 questions

Harmless what-ifs that work for a whole group of strangers.

  1. 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?

  2. If you could understand one kind of animal, which would you choose?

    Kung maiintindihan mo ang isang klase ng hayop, ano ang pipiliin mo?

    Back of the card

    Imagine the animal gets to ask you something too. What might it ask?

    Isipin na may tanong din sa'yo ang hayop. Ano kaya iyon?

  3. 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.

  4. What flavor of ice cream would you invent?

    Anong lasa ng ice cream ang iimbentuhin mo?

    Back of the card

    Give your invented ice cream a name if you like.

    Kung gusto mo, bigyan mo ng pangalan ang ice cream na inimbento mo.

  5. If you could pause time, when would you use it?

    Kung kaya mong i-pause ang oras, kailan mo ito gagamitin?

    Back of the card

    During the pause, would you rush to do something or enjoy the quiet?

    Habang naka-pause, may mamadaliin ka bang gawin o mae-enjoy mo ang katahimikan?

  6. You wake up on a peaceful island with food and shelter ready. What do you do first?

    Nagising ka sa tahimik na isla na may pagkain at matutuluyan na. Ano ang una mong gagawin?

    Back of the card

    Imagine you find a path across the island. Would you follow it or stay where you are?

    May nakita kang daan sa isla. Susundan mo ba ito o mananatili ka muna sa kinaroroonan mo?

  7. 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?

  8. Pick a tiny superpower that would make things easier.

    Pick one tiny superpower na magpapadali ng ginagawa mo.

    Back of the card

    Tiny superpowers are best when they solve tiny annoyances. Not every power needs a cape; some just need shorter lines.

    Best ang tiny superpowers kapag tiny annoyances ang sinosolve. Hindi lahat kailangan ng cape; minsan shorter lines lang.

  9. If you could remove one tiny daily inconvenience forever, what would you remove?

    Kung kaya mong tanggalin forever ang isang tiny daily inconvenience, ano ang tatanggalin mo?

    Back of the card

    Tiny inconveniences can be louder than they deserve. Removing one forever would feel like a quiet luxury.

    Minsan ang ingay ng tiny inconveniences. Kapag natanggal forever yung isa, quiet luxury na agad.

A little about them

7 questions

Everyday habits, still nothing personal.

  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. When you enter a classroom, meeting room, or café, where do you usually choose to sit?

    Pagpasok mo sa classroom, meeting room, o café, saan ka usually pumipili umupo?

    Back of the card

    Seat choices can reveal comfort, strategy, or pure habit. Somehow we all have a spot our body chooses first.

    May sinasabi rin yung seat choice: comfort, strategy, o habit lang talaga. Minsan katawan na ang pumipili.

  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. On a free day, what activity do you enjoy even if nothing gets done?

    Sa free day, anong activity ang enjoy gawin kahit wala kang natatapos?

    Back of the card

    Not every good thing needs to be useful. Some activities are good because they give the day room to breathe.

    Hindi lahat ng magandang gawin kailangang useful. May mga bagay na okay dahil binibigyan lang nila ng luwag yung araw.

  5. Pick one small mood upgrade, like a drink, song, scent, snack, or clean space.

    Pumili ng isang small mood upgrade, like drink, song, scent, snack, o malinis na space.

    Back of the card

    A mood upgrade does not need to be big. Sometimes one small detail is enough to change the angle of the day.

    Hindi kailangang malaki ang mood upgrade. Minsan isang small detail lang, nag-iiba na yung angle ng araw.

  6. Tell us about one simple thing that can make your day better.

    Ikuwento mo yung simpleng bagay na nakakapagpaganda ng araw mo.

    Back of the card

    Small things count because real days are mostly made of small things. Even a tiny lift can matter.

    May bigat din ang simpleng bagay, kasi karamihan ng araw natin puro maliliit na moments. Kahit konting gaan, may halaga.

  7. What event would you choose if the ticket were free?

    Kung may libre kang ticket sa isang event, ano ang pipiliin mo?

    Back of the card

    Imagine the event is about to begin. What are you most excited to see?

    Magsisimula na ang event. Ano ang pinaka-gusto mong makita?

Once the ice is broken

5 questions

Small stories, for when you’re both laughing.

  1. 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.

  2. What made you laugh when you least expected it?

    Ano ang nagpatawa sa'yo noong hindi mo inaasahan?

    Back of the card

    Give the scene a caption if you like.

    Kung gusto mo, bigyan ng caption ang eksenang iyon.

  3. What is a recent act of kindness that caught you by surprise?

    Anong magandang ginawa sa'yo lately ang hindi mo inaasahan?

    Back of the card

    Keep names private if you like. Picture the instant you realized what they had done for you.

    Puwedeng itago ang mga pangalan. Balikan ang sandaling naisip mo kung ano ang ginawa nila para sa'yo.

  4. Recall a harmless mistake that became a good story later.

    Anong pagkakamali ang nakakatawa nang balikan ngayon, na wala namang nasaktan?

    Back of the card

    What would the title of this story be?

    Ano ang magiging pamagat ng kuwentong ito?

  5. What are you looking forward to over the next few weeks?

    Ano ang inaabangan mo sa susunod na mga linggo?

    Back of the card

    Finish if you like: "The part I cannot wait for is..."

    Kung gusto mo, ituloy: "Ang pinaka-inaabangan ko ay..."

How to use them

Before you ask

With someone you just met, the usual opener is “what do you do,” and the conversation ends with the answer. Good conversation starters with strangers are easier than that. A this-or-that choice, a silly what-if or a question about their weekend gives them something to pick, not something to explain.

Start with the quick choices; they take five seconds and usually come with a reason. The what-ifs work in groups too: orientation, a new lifegroup, a friend’s handaan where you only know the host. Once people are laughing, the last set asks a little about them, still nothing personal.

Avoid anything that sounds like a background check: age, salary, relationship status, where exactly they live. Let people pass. Some warm up after two cards and some after ten, and both are normal. For a whole room of new people, the Icebreakers deck has more.

Good for

  • First day at school, work or a new org
  • Friends of friends at a party or handaan
  • Seatmates on a long bus or plane ride
  • Newcomers at lifegroup or youth group
  • Team lunches with new people

Tips

  1. Lead with a choice, not an open question. It’s easier to answer.
  2. Give your own answer quickly, so it’s clear the stakes are low.
  3. Ask “why?” after the choice. That’s where the person shows up.
  4. Remember their name and one answer, and bring it up later.
  5. End while it’s still easy. A good first chat is short.

Decks for this

Someone you just met

Frequently asked questions

What are good questions to ask someone you just met?

Easy choices and light what-ifs: window seat or legroom, rain or sun, which animal you’d be for a day. They take seconds, nobody gets them wrong, and the reasons people give are where the real conversation starts.

How do you start a conversation with a stranger?

Say something about the situation you share, then ask an easy question with a choice in it, and answer it yourself too. A choice is easier to answer than an open question.

What should you avoid asking someone you just met?

Age, salary, relationship status, religion, politics and where exactly they live. Keep it to choices, habits and harmless what-ifs until they bring up more themselves.

Are these conversation starters in Tagalog?

Yes. They are cards from the free Kumustahan app, and every one has an English and a Filipino/Tagalog version, handy when the group mixes both.

Bring a better question to the table.

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