Intermediate· B1–B2Social & small talk9 min

Meeting new people at a party

Introduce yourself, find common ground and keep a conversation going with follow-up questions.

The scene

You are at a friend's birthday party and only know the host. You start talking to someone near the snack table.

Speaker A
Party guest
Speaker B
You

Your goals

  • Open a conversation naturally with a stranger
  • Ask follow-up questions and show interest
  • End the conversation politely

Key vocabulary

Press the speaker to hear each word or phrase.

  • host

    the person who organizes a party

    How do you know the host?

  • to go back

    to have known each other for a long time

    We go back to college.

  • in common

    shared by two people

    We have a lot in common.

  • to be into

    to like or be interested in something (informal)

    I'm really into hiking.

  • no way

    an informal way to show surprise

    No way! I grew up there too.

  • to catch up

    to talk to someone you haven't seen for a while

    I need to go catch up with Sara.

  • to mingle

    to move around and talk to different people at a party

    I should go mingle a bit.

Useful phrases

  • So, how do you know …?

    A classic party opener

  • What do you do when you're not working?

    Asking about interests

  • Oh, really? How did you get into that?

    Showing interest with a follow-up

  • Me too! / Same here!

    Finding common ground

  • It was really nice talking to you.

    Ending a conversation politely

Practice studio: speak the dialogue

Pick your role and press Start. Your partner's lines are read aloud; then say your line into the microphone (or type it) and see which words you got right.

Your role

  1. Party guest

    These snacks are dangerous. I can't stop eating them!

  2. You

    I know, the mini pizzas are amazing. I'm Leo, by the way.

  3. Party guest

    I'm Hannah. Nice to meet you. So, how do you know Mia?

  4. You

    We work together. We sit next to each other in the office. How about you?

  5. Party guest

    Oh, Mia and I go back a long way. We went to school together.

  6. You

    That's great. What do you do when you're not working?

  7. Party guest

    I'm really into rock climbing. I go to the climbing gym twice a week.

  8. You

    Oh, really? How did you get into that? I've always wanted to try it.

  9. Party guest

    A friend took me once, and I loved it. You should come along sometime!

  10. You

    I'd like that. It was really nice talking to you. I'm going to get a drink, but let's talk later.

You speak 5 lines as You; Party guest is read aloud for you.

Speech recognition is done by your browser (in Chrome and Edge this uses the browser maker's online service). Nothing is stored by AltFTool.

Your turn: speak freely

Answer out loud in your own words. There is no score here: aim for full sentences and fewer filler words.

  1. 1. Introduce yourself to someone at a party and ask how they know the host.

  2. 2. Describe one hobby you are into and how you got into it.

  3. 3. End a conversation politely so you can go and talk to someone else.

Quick quiz

Choose an answer to see if you are right and why.

  1. 1. Which is a natural party opener?
  2. 2. 'Mia and I go back a long way' means…
  3. 3. Which response shows interest?
  4. 4. Which is a polite way to end a conversation?

0 of 4 answered

Common mistakes

  • Avoid: I am into climb.

    Say: I'm into climbing.

    After 'into', use a noun or the -ing form.

  • Avoid: How you know Mia?

    Say: How do you know Mia?

    Questions in the present simple need 'do' or 'does'.

  • Avoid: We know each other since school.

    Say: We've known each other since school.

    Use the present perfect with 'since' for something still true.

Tips

  • Comment on something you share, like the food or the music, to open a chat.
  • Ask open questions (what, how, why) instead of yes/no questions.
  • Give a reason when you leave, such as getting a drink, so it does not feel abrupt.

Questions about this lesson

How do you start a conversation at a party in English?

Comment on something around you ('These snacks are great!') and then ask 'So, how do you know [the host]?'

How do you end a conversation politely in English?

Say 'It was really nice talking to you' and give a light reason: 'I'm going to grab a drink, but let's talk later.'

What does 'I'm into…' mean?

It means 'I like' or 'I'm interested in', for example 'I'm into jazz.' It is informal and very common.

Finish the lesson

Finish the practice studio and the quiz and this lesson is marked complete for you.

Next lesson: Declining an invitation politely

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