“So, what do you do?”
A simple question.
But when someone asks you this in English at a conference, before a meeting or while you're waiting for your coffee, what do you say next?
For many professionals, small talk in English can feel surprisingly difficult.
You might be comfortable talking about your job, answering questions in meetings or writing professional emails. But when the conversation becomes more informal, you suddenly have to think about what to say, how to say it and whether your English sounds natural.
If you've ever found yourself thinking “What am I supposed to say now?”, you're definitely not alone.
The good news is that business small talk doesn't have to be complicated.
Why is small talk important in Business English?
Small talk might not feel like “real” business English, but it plays an important role in professional communication.
You might use English to:
Meet a new colleague
Speak to an international client
Attend a conference
Join a networking event
Welcome a customer
Start a business meeting
Talk to colleagues before a meeting
Have lunch with international clients
Travel for work
These conversations can help you build relationships and feel more comfortable with the people you work with.
You don't always need to talk about business.
Sometimes, talking about the journey to work, the weekend, a conference or even the weather is what helps you connect with someone.
What should you talk about?
The easiest way to make small talk in English is to have a few safe and natural topics ready.
1. The event you're attending
If you're at a conference, workshop or networking event, you already have something in common.
Try:
“Have you been to this conference before?”
“What did you think of the presentation?”
“What brings you here today?”
These questions are simple, but they give the other person something to respond to.
2. Your work
Talking about work is often a natural choice in professional situations.
Instead of simply asking:
“What is your job?”
Try making it more conversational:
“What kind of work do you do?”
“How did you get into that?”
“What do you enjoy most about your role?”
These questions can lead to a much more interesting conversation.
3. Travel
Travel is another useful topic, especially when you're working with international colleagues or clients.
You could ask:
“Did you have a long journey?”
“Have you been to the UK before?”
“Are you staying here for long?”
Remember, small talk doesn't need to become a long conversation. You're simply looking for opportunities to connect.
What if you don't know what to say next?
This is one of the biggest challenges when making small talk in English.
You ask someone a question.
They answer.
And then… nothing.
One useful technique is to pick up on something they have said.
For example:
You: “Where are you based?”
Them: “I'm based in Madrid.”
Instead of immediately asking another unrelated question, you could say:
“Oh, Madrid! Have you always lived there?”
Or:
“I've never been to Madrid. What's it like living there?”
You're taking something from their answer and using it to continue the conversation.
This makes your conversation feel more natural because you're not simply working through a list of questions.
You don't need perfect English
Perhaps the most important thing to remember is this:
You don't need perfect English to make good small talk.
You might make a grammar mistake.
You might forget a word.
You might need a few seconds to think.
That's completely normal.
The goal of small talk isn't to demonstrate how much English you know.
It's to connect with another person.
Clear, simple English can be much more effective than complicated vocabulary that you don't feel comfortable using.
Useful phrases for small talk in English
Here are a few phrases you can keep in your back pocket:
Starting a conversation
“How's your day going?”
“How are you finding the event?”
“Is this your first time here?”
“How did you hear about this event?”
Keeping the conversation going
“Really? How did that happen?”
“That sounds interesting.”
“How long have you been doing that?”
“What do you enjoy most about it?”
“How about you?”
Ending the conversation naturally
You don't have to keep a conversation going forever.
You can say:
“It was really nice talking to you.”
“I hope you enjoy the rest of the event.”
“I'll let you get back to it, but it was lovely chatting with you.”
These simple phrases can help you leave a conversation confidently and politely.
The best way to improve your workplace small talk
Reading lists of useful phrases can certainly help.
But the biggest improvement usually comes from actually using English in conversations.
Try choosing one or two phrases from this article and using them the next time you speak English at work.
Don't worry about sounding perfect.
Focus on being clear, friendly and interested in the other person.
With practice, conversations that once felt uncomfortable can start to feel much more natural.
Final thought
Business English isn't only about presentations, meetings and professional vocabulary.
It's also about the conversations that happen before the meeting starts, during the coffee break and after everyone has finished their work.
Those small conversations can be just as important when you're building professional relationships.
And sometimes, becoming more confident in English starts with something as simple as:
“So, how's your day going?”
Want to feel more confident speaking English at work? Book a free 20-minute intro chat and let’s talk about your goals, your challenges and how I can help you feel more comfortable using English professionally.