Questions · Virtual icebreakers
Virtual icebreaker questions that get people off mute
Icebreakers built for video calls: answer-in-the-chat picks, something to hold up to the camera, one-minute stories, and prompts for breakout rooms of two or three.
- 17 questions
- EN + TL on every card
- Free in the app
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.
Recall a harmless mistake that became a good story later.
Anong pagkakamali ang nakakatawa nang balikan ngayon, na wala namang nasaktan?
What would the title of this story be?
Ano ang magiging pamagat ng kuwentong ito?
The questions
17 virtual icebreaker questions
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.
Answer in the chat
6 questions
Short picks everyone can type at the same time.
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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.
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Would you rather have one long vacation or several short ones?
Mas gusto mo ba ng isang mahabang bakasyon o ilang maiikli?
Back of the card
Give your break a title, as if it were a movie.
Bigyan ng pamagat ang break mo, na parang movie.
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Choose a safe tour: outer space or the bottom of the ocean.
Pumili ng ligtas na tour: outer space o ilalim ng dagat.
Back of the card
Choose one sight from the tour you would want as your phone wallpaper.
Pumili ng tanawin sa tour na gusto mong gawing wallpaper sa phone.
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Pick one comic-book power: fly anywhere or appear instantly in another place.
Pumili ng comic-book power: lumipad kahit saan o makarating agad sa ibang lugar.
Back of the card
You have an afternoon to try your power. Choose your first stop.
May isang hapon ka para subukan ang power mo. Piliin ang unang pupuntahan mo.
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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.
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Make one harmless rule that the whole world follows for a day.
Kung may isang rule na susundin ng buong mundo nang isang araw, ano iyon? Dapat walang masasaktan.
Back of the card
Imagine everyone following it at once. What small scene would be funny or helpful to watch?
Isipin na sabay-sabay itong ginagawa ng lahat. Ano ang nakakatawa o helpful na makikita mo?
Hold it up to the camera
4 questions
Show-and-tell gets people moving and laughing.
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Group photo starts. What is your automatic move?
May group photo na. Ano ang automatic move mo?
Back of the card
Group photos bring out instant instincts. Some people arrange everyone, some disappear behind others, and some are ready before the camera is.
May automatic instinct kapag group photo na. May taga-ayos, may nagtatago sa likod, may ready bago pa yung camera.
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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.
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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.
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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.
One-minute stories
4 questions
Pick two volunteers and keep a timer.
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Share a small mistake or awkward moment that feels funny now.
Mag-share ng small mistake o awkward moment na funny na ngayon.
Back of the card
A small fail gets lighter once it becomes a story. Sometimes the best part is realizing everyone survives awkward little moments.
Gumagaan yung small fail kapag naging kuwento na. Minsan best part yung ma-realize na nakakalusot naman tayo sa awkward moments.
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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?
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Share a funny public moment when something embarrassing happened, but you tried to stay normal.
Mag-share ng funny public moment na may embarrassing na nangyari, pero sinubukan mong umaktong normal.
Back of the card
The public poker face deserves credit. Sometimes looking calm is just excellent acting with a normal facial expression.
May credit dapat ang public poker face. Minsan mukhang calm ka lang, pero acting na pala yun.
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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.
For breakout rooms
3 questions
Small rooms need a question that can fill a few minutes.
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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.
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What day from the past would you like to watch?
Anong araw sa nakaraan ang gusto mong mapanood?
Back of the card
Pause on one scene from that day. Which detail would you want to look at longer?
Huminto muna sa isang eksena ng araw na iyon. Anong detalye ang gusto mong tingnan nang mas matagal?
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For one afternoon, would you explore a peaceful village, a future city, or a jungle with a guide?
Saan mo gustong magpalipas ng hapon: tahimik na village, siyudad sa future, o gubat na may guide?
Back of the card
Bring home an imaginary souvenir from your visit. What is it?
Mag-uwi ng souvenir mula sa pagbisitang iniisip mo. Ano iyon?
How to use them
Before you ask
A virtual icebreaker works when everyone can answer at once, not one by one. Going around a 20-person call takes 15 minutes and loses people by the sixth answer. The chat box, the camera and the breakout room are your tools; pick questions that suit each.
On a big call, ask a pick-one question, let people type their answers into the chat at the same moment, then read three out loud. For energy, ask everyone to grab an object and hold it up; it’s the only icebreaker that gets bodies moving on video. Stories work with two volunteers and a one-minute limit. In breakout rooms of two or three, use a question with room to wander.
Whatever you choose, answer it first and keep it under five minutes in a working meeting. A quick, fun start makes people more willing to unmute when the real agenda begins.
Good for
Tips
- Paste the question in the chat as well as saying it; half the call missed it while unmuting.
- Answer first so people see how short an answer can be.
- For show-and-tell, give a 30-second countdown to grab the object.
- In breakout rooms, name who goes first (say, the first name alphabetically) so nobody waits.
- Keep it optional. Typing “pass” should be fine.
Decks for this
Match the format to the call
The same question can drag in one format and fly in another. A rough guide:
| Call | Format | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Large meeting (15+) | Answers in the chat, read three aloud | 2–3 minutes |
| Team call (5–12) | Show-and-tell or two one-minute stories | About 5 minutes |
| Workshop or training | Breakout rooms of 2–3 | 8–10 minutes |
| Mixed time zones | Post in the channel before the call | Async |
Virtual icebreakers
Frequently asked questions
What are good virtual icebreaker questions?
Quick pick-one questions people can answer in the chat at the same time, show-and-tell prompts they can hold up to the camera, and short story questions for two volunteers. Choose one that fits the size of the call.
How long should a virtual icebreaker take?
Two to five minutes in a working meeting, longer in a workshop or social call. On large calls, use the chat so everyone answers at once instead of going around.
How do you run an icebreaker on Zoom?
Say the question and paste it in the chat, give a minute for answers, then read two or three aloud and ask one follow-up. For deeper questions, open breakout rooms of two or three for a few minutes.
Can I pull these questions up on my phone?
Yes. They’re cards from Kumustahan, a free conversation card app. Open the Icebreakers or Just for fun deck and read the card aloud or share your screen.
Bring a better question to the table.
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