Don't be Shy! 10 Ways to Start a Conversation with Anyone
Hello, welcome to go natural English, how are you?
I just burnt my tongue on a cup of hot coffee, but that's okay
we will continue and in this English fluency lesson, you are going to learn how to
Start a conversation with a stranger even if you're shy how to make friends and how to improve your English speaking skills
So if that sounds awesome, then let's do it
By the way, I am Gabi, that is my name and it's also an adjective for someone who talks a lot
They are Gabi but I am Gabi and I am here to help you with your English
I am an American English teacher and the founder of go natural English
Making friends through giving compliments. So where I'm from in North America specifically, Minneapolis
really common way to make friends and a great way to be a
Positive person with good vibes is to give compliments
Give compliments to your friends family colleagues and even strangers now
I want to know what about you and your country is it?
normal for people to give compliments to strangers
so if you're not sure keep watching for some examples of what I mean by
Compliments and then tell me in the comments because I think that compliments are a great way to start a conversation with anyone
They're also a great way to make friends because how do you make friends? Well, you have to start conversations with them
So you may not make friends with
everyone you start a conversation with but if you can start a conversation with someone then you have a greater likelihood of
Becoming friends with them, right?
If you don't start a conversation, you're probably not gonna become friends with them and this topic is really on my mind
You know how to make friends when you move to a new country
Because I am currently living in Brazil
So making new friends when you go to a new country is really hard
Yes, even for me it takes work. So that's why I'm helping you today because I
Recently, or maybe not so recently, but you have moved to the United States from another country
So tell me in the comments if that's you if you are
In the United States or thinking about moving to the United States from another country
This is something is not always easy. So we're gonna learn how to make friends through giving compliments in a
How can I say like a nice way not a creepy way because sometimes compliments can be creepy. Like are those your real eyes?
That would be an example of a compliment that I would think is a little bit weird. So
Let's talk about compliments that are
Not so weird. Okay. Number one, by the way, I'm gonna share ten
compliments so you have some different ones to work with you can
memorize all of these or just one of them and use them as you see fit so
Really love the way you for example. I really love the way you
Thank you. I mean, you're welcome. Um
For example with someone else you might say this at a cafe. Like I really love the way you
The way you are dressed so this could be used for an action. Like I really love the way you pour that coffee or
Way that they're dressed. Like I really love the way you're dressed
So some kind of description like or I really love the way you wear your hair or your hairstyle
I live I really love the way that you are wearing that scarf or
jacket or whatever so you could give the purse a compliment on their look their style their fashion or
Some action that they're doing
So another example, I really love the way that you are so friendly to everyone
so maybe you've observed someone being really friendly maybe it's a person that works at a cafe or a store and
They're like hi. Can I help you? And you might give them this compliment? Wow, I really love how friendly you are
Another way to say this and I'm not even gonna count this as number two. This is number one point five it is I'm
that you wear your hair or wear that
Outfit or that scarf? I'm so impressed by the way, you're so positive and so friendly with everyone. So these are two different ways
I love or I'm so impressed by it's a little more advanced the way you do something. Excellent
so next another option and by the way, I encourage you to shadow me as I
Say these phrases so that you can practice your pronunciation
When you repeat these English phrases after me your English speaking
Will improve and it will help you to remember these phrases for using them later
another good tip is to write them down maybe on your smartphone or if you like paper and
Pencil to write them in a notebook
So this will really improve your memorization of these English phrases when you can reference them again
Or maybe bookmark this video to review it tomorrow or the next day, okay
So number two is kind of similar to number one and 1.5. It's I've noticed or I just
Noticed how good you are or how talented you are add something for example
I just noticed how quickly you
Pour coffee. This is my example for everything because you know, I'm really obsessed with coffee, but just to give you an example
Basically, all my examples are gonna be about coffee or fashion because I really like those two things
Well-traveled you are maybe this is someone who you're getting to know
I mean you wouldn't really know if someone is well-traveled if you just saw them for the first time and they're a stranger
Unless they're wearing one of those backpacks that has flags all over it. Then you could probably use this line
Okay, so so far we have I love the way you blah blah blah
I am so impressed by the way you blah blah blah, I've
Just noticed or I've noticed blah blah blah
Next number three is a pretty simple one
If you remember any of these remember this one, that's a great and then fill in the blank with a piece of clothing
Not a body parts, please that's on the creepy side of things in my opinion
You can tell me what you think in the comments. Would you like it? If someone said that's a great?
That's a great shirt. Oh why thank you. I I like this shirt myself. Thank you. I picked it out all by myself. Um,
Bag that's a great jacket. That's a great pair of shoes
Really anything someone is wearing or a bag. They're carrying you could fill in the blank with that. So
If you wanted to comment about their smile, for example
You would say you have a great smile. Okay, so actually that's number four
You have a great smile or you have a great voice? Oh my goodness. You should be a podcaster or a
You should work in film. You have a great personality. You have a great vibe
Yes, you do number five so you can ask someone
Where did you get your and then fill it in with an item of clothing or something that they're using or just?
Style, where did you get your style? It's great. Where did you get your
T-shirts, it's so cool. I really like it. I would love to know and you know, this is not necessarily
Something where someone asked you this. Where did you get your t-shirt?
They might be curious. They might want to buy it, but it's also just a good way to start a conversation
Where did you get your I mean I do this sometimes when I see people walking in the airports
Carrying a cup of coffee. I often ask strangers
Where did you get your coffee? Is there a cafe close by you guys are gonna think I'm always drinking coffee. I am
Love your style. This is another simple one and it's very useful
I mean really you can say this to anyone
Someone who has some interesting style
You know, I guess they do have to have some style for you to say this or else they might think that you're being sarcastic
You know, you could say this to someone who has an interesting outfit or some cool hairdo or you know
Nice jewelry or something. Yeah. I really love your style
Those are some compliments. Let's keep going number six. Okay, so these are all
Compliments that I would consider appropriate for anyone. It doesn't mean that you are
Trying to hit on someone when you use these
But depending on the person and depending on the way you say them
you know people might think that so I think if you just keep your tone really light and friendly and you know,
What are you saying like checking about will you say these then, you know, they're just friendly
Okay, the next one number six is more heartfelt
Someone might feel like Wow really like oh
They might even get a little bit flush when you say this number six is you really light up?
If you find someone especially impressive you could say you really light up the wrong but keep in mind this is something
compliment so I would reserve this compliment for people that you
Really want to impress? It's not so light. It's kind of a heavy compliment
Like I mean, it's nice but it feels a little bit like oh, wow, that's you know
someone who has really been observing me is gonna tell me you really light up their own and I love
It when people tell me this you can tell me this if you already know that
I love it when people tell me you light up the room and basically it means that you have good energy
So it's not a bad thing. It's just kind of an intense compliment in my opinion
And this is just my opinion. You can tell me what you think. Especially I know native speakers watch this as well
If you want to comment on how you feel about these compliments also non-native speakers everybody just comment on how you feel about these compliments
Complimenting each other out in the street all the cars honking if you have any compliments to add
To this list, please do okay. We have three more has anyone ever told you that you look like
Someone I get this all the time, who do you think that I look like
Brazilians tell me all the time that I look like this one actress. What's her name? What's her name? What's her name?
El Elyon hosh, yeah, I don't really see it people used to tell me that I look like Julia Stiles
I don't know. Who do you look like?
So this could be a compliment just make sure that you tell the person that they look like someone who is good-looking
Who don't l don't like wow, you would just like
I don't know. What was someone like you you look just like Yoda, you know from Star Wars like
Please don't tell me that I look like Yoda
Again, a comment on something someone is using or wearing. So let's go with bag your bag
Is really unique and you would combine this with like, where did you get that your t-shirt is really unique
where did you get that so your
Intonation like your hair is really unique. That doesn't sound like a compliment
But if it's an upwards intonation your hair is really unique and maybe add another positive word. Like wow. It's beautiful
Then that is a compliment and finally
This is a compliment that my mother uses all the time actually side notes
my mother is so good at starting conversations with strangers and she is the queen of
Compliments so a lot of these tips I am getting from her and passing them on to you
So this is one that she uses all the time. That color is beautiful
on you this is kind of a unique and thoughtful compliment and I think it needs to be used with a
Unique color, so I'm wearing a black t-shirt. I mean black is not necessarily a very special color
I guess you could tell me that
The color black looks great on me. Um, in fact, you definitely could people told me that before this
Oh the color white looks great on you, but this works really well if someone is wearing a kind of unique color
Wow, that color is really unique. It looks great on you
So there you have it. We have ten different ways to compliment
Strangers or people, you know, but these all work for strangers. I feel that these are all friendly and
Appropriate for use with anyone. They don't come across as like creepy or
And as long as you intend them with a good heart
I think people will appreciate your compliments and it's a great way to just start talking with a stranger
So one of many ways that you can start a conversation in English practice your speaking skills make new
Friends in the United States or wherever you may be using English
I hope you enjoyed this if you did
Or if you didn't leave a comment and let me know what you think if you'd like to add any possible
Compliments for people to try out or if you had a favorite from these ten, let me know as always
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Thank you so much for being part of our go natural English family
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Phrases that you can use over and over and over and how to pronounce them like a native English speaker
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Thank you so much for watching and you are amazing. Have a great day. Bye for now