These 40 icebreaker questions are grouped by where you’ll use them: team meetings, classes and workshops, clubs and volunteer groups, and video calls. Each one can be answered in a sentence and asks for nothing private.
Run a quick round
- Pick one question and say how long each answer should be, such as “one sentence” or “30 seconds.”
- Answer first so people hear the length and tone you mean.
- Go around once. Anyone can pass.
- Move on to the agenda. If an answer sparked interest, come back to it at the break.
A round of one-sentence answers takes a few minutes, which is usually enough.
Choosing for the setting
At work, choose questions about routines and skills rather than home life. A new colleague may not want to talk about a partner or children yet. In a class, questions about learning help the teacher as well as the students. In a community group, questions about places and traditions help people find what they have in common. On video calls, questions about something the person can see or hold make the screen feel less stiff.
Skip questions about money, health, politics or religion in a first round.
After the icebreaker
For one-to-one chats with a new acquaintance, use conversation starters. For a team that already knows each other, try questions for coworkers or a round of two truths and a lie.