We’ve all been hit with the “Heyyyy,” and “What’s up?” texts before. They’re fine, to the point, and, well, generic. It sounds like a bored, uncreative person reaching out to someone who just happened to be on their contact list. If you’re looking for better, more engaging ways to get someone talking to you, we’ve got 10 good conversation starter texts ready for you today. Let’s see which one is best for your situation.
1. “You won’t believe what just happened.”
This is an instant curiosity sparker. What could it be? Is it something bad? Something shocking? Something amazing? If this person cares about you even 1%, they’ll be curious enough to quickly respond and ask you for the details. The key is that you have to have something interesting to say. Don’t use this line if the only thing you did recently was eat a bologna sandwich. Some great things you could mention here are accomplishments, weird encounters, or receiving shocking news. Once I saw two guys get into a fistfight on the street because one cut the other in the coffee cart line, so I used this starter text as an icebreaker with my crush to tell him about the fight. Voila, conversation started.
Check out: 10 Easy conversation starters that always work
2. “Guess what I’m doing right now.”
Another good line to open up the convo is to add a little intrigue to the mix. Use this text starter when you’re about to do something awesome or adrenaline-packed or when you’re doing something the other person would either love or hate. I have a few firsthand examples of this. One of my friends is absolutely obsessed with the Bengals football team. I’m not the biggest football fan, but I found myself at a sports bar with friends one day and it happened to be a spot playing a big game with the Bengals. We got roped into cheering for the team with a packed restaurant and the vibes were so fun and exciting, so I just had to tell my friend about it. I could’ve done the same thing if I had a friend who absolutely hated football or the Bengals because any extreme reaction is sure to keep the conversation spicy and ongoing.
3. “It’s been too long! Catch me up on your life.”
For those of us who may not see our loved ones often or who have friends with whom you only catch up with now and again, this starter text is great for reconnection. You’re opening up the door to hear about what’s been going on in that other person’s mind, whether it’s good, bad, or anything in between. Be sure you have some follow-up questions too to show that you’re interested and invested in their answers. For example, if they’ve been swamped at work, ask them about what projects they’ve been working on or if they’re planning anything fun once the busy season subsides. If they’re a normal communicator and generally educated enough, they’ll also follow up by asking what’s new with you as the conversation progresses. By the way, it’s been too long since I’ve seen a thumbs-up from you… consider liking and subscribing if you’re down! Thanks a bundle, as always.
4. “I can’t stop thinking about you.”
Oh yeah, this is for the romantics in the room. If you’re trying to get out of the friend zone or to get to know this person dating-wise, shoot them this text to show your interest and that they’re at the forefront of your thoughts. By the way, we also have a video on “How to Bust Out of the Friend Zone.” If they’re at all interested in you, they’ll be flattered by this conversation starter and ask you for more details. If they’re not interested, they’ll still be flattered! Either way, be sure you have some reasons prepared as to why you can’t get this guy or gal out of your mind to begin with – and it should be about more than just their looks. You may say you’ve been thinking of the last time you two hung out or reminiscing on how funny, fun, or awesome this person is for XYZ reason. If the conversation goes well, you may even be able to use some of the ideas from our other video, “10 Questions to Get to Know Someone Deep.”
5. “I’d love to see you again soon! Let’s make some plans?”
If you’ve never hung out one-on-one with this person, just remove the word “again” from this text and send it out. This is a great one if you’re not a big phone person and just prefer face-to-face meetings with your pals. Adding in the second sentence puts the ball in the other person’s court so they can take the planning reigns and suggest whatever they want to do. If they just answer “yes,” use it as your cue to throw out a couple of suggestions. These should be concrete, like saying, “How about lunch on Tuesday or Thursday after 1:00 pm?” or something of the like. You want to be flexible but also not too vague so that the plans never end up being made. If you’re a girl, we want to avoid scenarios like meeting other cool girls in the bathroom and saying we need to hang out. You know what I’m talking about. If you’re a guy, ask one of your female friends to explain.
6. “I thought of you the other day.”
Simple, yet effective; that is what this conversation starter text is. You can add emojis to make it more personal or leave it as a simple statement that gets the other person’s mind spinning. Why did you think of them? Did you see their doppelganger? Do you like them? Miss them? Hate them? The possibilities are endless! I’ve been on the receiving end of this text and it always gets a response out of me. Nine times out of ten it’s going to be answered with a question that asks you for more details. Be sure you know what you’re going to say if and when the other person responds, “Oh yeah? Why?”
By the way, I’ve been thinking about you for some time. I’d love to feel the reciprocation through your likes and subscriptions! Only if you want but, if you do, you’re awesome!
7. “Have you seen the news?!”
There is always something crazy on the news. It’s why most people watch it and why other people avoid it. Unfortunately, negative news makes the numbers, so many times it’s something shocking in a sad or bad way, but there are tidbits of positive news out there too. Pop on the news or check out the news highlights on your phone or computer and choose something that would be interesting not only to you but to the person you plan to text. Then, use this starter and get the conversation going.
8. “You looked so nice today.”
If you had the chance to see this person, even in passing, shoot them a simple and sincere compliment with this conversation starter. Anyone should appreciate the comment, and if they are receptive to conversation, they will do more than just say thank you. Even if all they do is shoot you a thanks, you can always follow it up by asking them what they’re up to or if they had any special plans that day that made them dress the part.
9. “I’m bored. Want to do something spontaneous?”
If it’s a weekend or weekday afternoon and you think this person may be free, shoot your friendly or loving shot by asking them to have an adventure with you. You guys could go to a park or beach, have a picnic, see a movie, grab food or drinks, or even check out sites like Groupon or your county’s events calendar to do a new and spontaneous event or try an out-of-the-norm activity.
10. “What did you think about (blank)?”
To connect through common ground, bring up something that both of you witnessed or something that affects you both. For example, if you both work at the same office but in different departments, you may not see each other much but still be impacted by a new HR rule. Bring it up and get their two cents on it. You could also discuss a world, national, or local event, or something that a friend in common said or is doing. This keeps things external instead of personal and provides a comfortable opener for casual yet connecting conversation.
Check out: How to start a conversation with your crush
These ten conversation starter texts provide an excellent foundation for sparking engaging conversations and connecting with others. Whether you’re breaking the ice or deepening existing relationships, there are a variety of topics to explore. No matter what you do, remember to be yourself and to go with the flow.