Questions to Get to Know Someone
A good question breaks the ice far better than a forced “so, what's new?”. These questions help you truly get to know someone new – whether you're chatting in person or online.
Easy icebreakers
- What's something you could talk about enthusiastically for hours?
- How was your day in a single sentence?
- Coffee, tea, or something else entirely in the morning?
- What's a place you'd definitely go back to?
Never run out of questions
The Cards by Guessy app has hundreds of icebreaker and conversation questions – perfect for a first date, friends' nights or online chats. Try it free.
For really getting to know them
- What have you changed most about yourself in recent years?
- What are you most proud of lately?
- Who do you truly admire, and why?
- What decision led you to the life you have now?
Fun questions to get to know someone
- What's the strangest food you've ever tried and would eat again?
- Which movie or series character would you grab a coffee with?
- What totally useless knowledge are you actually an expert in?
- If you had a superpower for one day, what would you use it for first?
Get to know you questions for the first few minutes
- What's the best thing that happened to you this week?
- Where did you grow up, and does it still feel like home?
- What's keeping you busy these days outside of work?
- How do you usually spend a free Saturday?
- What's the last thing you got genuinely excited about?
- Are you a morning person or more of a night owl?
- What brought you here today, and how do you know everyone?
- What's a show or podcast you've been hooked on lately?
- Which season do you love most, and why that one?
- What's something you're looking forward to this month?
- What's the best meal you've had recently?
- Do you have a go-to spot in town that you'd recommend?
Funny get to know you questions
- What's a hill you're willing to die on that really doesn't matter?
- What would your entrance music be if you had one for every room?
- What's the worst haircut you've ever had, and who's to blame?
- If you were a kitchen appliance, which one would you be?
- What's the most embarrassing song on your playlist?
- Which fictional world would you move to tomorrow if you could?
- What's a conspiracy theory you secretly enjoy, even if you don't believe it?
- What's the silliest reason you've ever been late?
- If your life had a laugh track, which moment would get the biggest laugh?
- What's your go-to karaoke song, and do you actually know the words?
- Which emoji do you probably overuse the most?
- What would be the title of your autobiography right now?
Deep questions to get to know someone
- Which belief about yourself have you had to unlearn?
- What's something you're trying to let go of right now?
- Which experience shaped who you are more than people realize?
- When do you lose track of time completely?
- What's a fear you've grown out of?
- Who was the first person who really believed in you?
- What does a meaningful life look like to you?
- What's a lesson you had to learn the hard way?
- Which part of your personality took you the longest to accept?
- What's something you wish more people asked you about?
- When was the last time you surprised yourself?
- What do you hope people feel after spending time with you?
Get to know you questions about work and career
- What do you love about your job that nobody sees from the outside?
- What did you want to be when you were twelve?
- How did you end up in the line of work you're in now?
- What's the best career advice anyone ever gave you?
- If you could switch careers tomorrow with no risk, what would you try?
- What's the strangest job you've ever had?
- Which coworker or boss taught you the most?
- What kind of problem do you actually enjoy solving at work?
- How do you switch off after a stressful workday?
- What's a skill you picked up at work that helps you in real life?
- What's a professional win you're quietly proud of?
- Where do you hope your career takes you in the next five years?
Travel questions to get to know someone
- Where did you travel most recently, and what did you bring home?
- Which city could you see yourself living in for a year?
- What's the best trip you've ever taken on a tight budget?
- Are you a planner on vacation, or do you prefer to wing it?
- Which place surprised you the most once you got there?
- What's the farthest you've ever been from home?
- Beach, mountains, or a big city: what's your ideal getaway?
- What's a travel disaster that makes a great story now?
- Which country is at the very top of your bucket list?
- What's the best thing you've ever eaten while traveling?
- Do you prefer traveling solo, with a partner, or with a group?
- What road trip would you take if you had two free weeks?
Get to know you questions for texting
- What's the last photo in your camera roll, and what's the story behind it?
- Which app do you open first in the morning?
- What's one thing your profile doesn't say about you?
- What are you listening to right now?
- Voice notes or texts: which side are you on?
- What's a meme that perfectly sums up your week?
- What did you have for dinner tonight, and how would you rate it?
- What's your favorite way to spend a rainy evening?
- Which three apps would you keep if you could only have three?
- What's the best text you've ever received?
- If you could teleport anywhere for the next hour, where would you go?
- What's a recommendation you'd send to a friend right now?
Get to know you questions about family and friends
- Who's the first person you call with good news?
- Which friendship of yours has lasted the longest, and why does it work?
- Are you the oldest, youngest, middle, or an only child?
- What role do you usually play in your friend group?
- Who in your family are you most like?
- How does your family usually spend the holidays?
- How did you meet your best friend?
- What's the funniest story your friends always tell about you?
- What's something your family would be surprised to learn about you?
- Who do you go to when you need honest feedback?
- What does a perfect weekend with your friends look like?
- Which friend would show up first if you needed help moving tomorrow?
Questions to get to know someone's values
- What's something you refuse to compromise on?
- When is a conflict worth having, in your opinion?
- What do you think makes someone a good friend?
- Which value did your parents teach you that you still live by?
- What's a cause you'd happily volunteer your time for?
- How do you define success for yourself?
- Is honesty always the best policy, or are some white lies okay?
- What kind of behavior makes you lose respect for someone quickly?
- What do you spend money on without feeling guilty?
- What's one thing you'd change about the world if you could?
- How important is it to you to live close to where you grew up?
- What does kindness look like to you in everyday life?
Never run out of questions
The Cards by Guessy app has hundreds of icebreaker and conversation questions – perfect for a first date, friends' nights or online chats. Try it free.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best questions to get to know someone?
The best questions are open-ended, can't be answered in one word, and invite an honest reaction. Start light, then gradually get more personal.
What questions should I ask online?
When chatting online, short, playful questions work best because they're easy to answer. Pick one from the list and don't ask several at once.
Can I use these questions with friends too?
Yes, many work great with old friends – you'll often discover something you never knew about each other.
What should I avoid asking when getting to know someone?
Skip questions about salary, past relationships or health early on, unless the other person brings them up. Let the conversation build some trust first and save heavier topics for later.
How do I keep a conversation going after the first question?
Listen for a detail in their answer and ask a follow-up about it. Sharing a short answer of your own also helps, because it turns the exchange into a real conversation instead of an interview.
Do these questions work for team building or new coworkers?
Many of them do, especially the work, travel and funny questions. For group settings, the Cards by Guessy app has a dedicated Team building category you can pass around the table.
