There is nothing worse, when meeting someone for the first time, than that awkward silence after the initial greeting. You might as well be two statues staring mindlessly at each other.

The goal of this article is to help you jump-start that conversation and keep it flowing. Some of these conversation starters will require that you have carefully read your dates online dating profile (that’s a GREAT place for conversation ideas).

SEE ALSO: Study Results – The Perfect First Date

Notice that some of the ideas also have built in compliments. It’s important to compliment your date, but not too often. A few times during the date will suffice.

20 Great First Date Conversation Ideas

» I saw on your profile that you like ________. What started that?

» I love your bracelet. Where did you get it from?

» So I understand you work at ________ (if you know). Do you like your job?

» Have you seen any movies recently? How did you like it/them?

» Are you a cat person or a dog person? Do you have any pets?

» What sports do you play or like? How long have you played for?

» What interesting things did you do this weekend (week)?

» What holiday do you like the most? Why?

» Do you have a nickname? How did you get it?

» What’s the craziest food you’ve ever eaten?

» Where are you originally from?

» Where did you go to school/college?

» What is your favorite board game?

» What do you normally do for fun?

» What do you think of this whole online dating process?

» What’s the most interesting place you’ve traveled to?

» What’s one place you haven’t traveled to yet that you really want to go?

» Are you a morning person or a night owl?

» What’s the one Website that you couldn’t live without?

» If you could travel back in time and meet any one person, who would it be?

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These simple ideas will help you jump-start the conversation. From here you simply need to carefully listen to what the other person is saying with the intent of asking follow-up questions. For example: If the person says they traveled to Ireland then you could ask, “did you visit any of the castles?” or “Is it as beautiful as people say it is?” The key is to keep the conversation flowing by listening and responding with additional questions. Such a pattern is a winning formula on a date because it shows the person you are interested in him/her.

Another thing to remember is the place you select for your first date can help you with conversation. For example, if your first date is at a theme park, there will be lots of things to talk about without thinking. Places with lots of things to do and see are natural conversation playgrounds for a first date.

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