Meet a Stranger at a Speaking Club

You are matched one-to-one with a stranger in a FluencyPal speaking club. You have never met. They will say hello and ask how you are. After that, you lead.

Your goal is to learn who they are by asking questions, and to answer when they ask about you. Each time you start, you meet a different person: a new name, job, city, and set of hobbies. You are not told who they are. You find out by talking.

How to lead

They will not interview you. A short reply such as "I'm fine" ends the conversation unless you ask something.

Start from the situation you already share:

• "Is this your first time at a speaking club?"
• "What made you join today?"
• "Have you talked with many people here?"

Then move to the person:

• "What's your name?"
• "Where are you from?"
• "What do you do?"
• "What do you like to do when you are not working?"

Ask one question, listen, then follow the detail they actually gave you.

Questions that go past the facts

A job title or a city is only a start. The next question is what makes the conversation real.

Instead of stopping at "I'm a nurse," try:

• "What do you enjoy most about that?"
• "What is a normal day like?"
• "How did you start doing that?"

Instead of stopping at "I live in Lisbon," try:

• "What do you like about living there?"
• "How long have you lived there?"
• "What would you show a visitor?"

If they mention a hobby, stay with it:

• "How did you get into that?"
• "Do you do it alone or with other people?"
• "What do you like about it?"

When they ask about you

Sometimes they will ask how you are, what you do, or what you enjoy. Answer with one or two sentences, then ask them something related.

A useful loop is:

Ask → Listen → Respond → Share a little → Ask again

For example: "I work in a shop, and I cycle on weekends. Do you do any sport?"

If the conversation stalls

Go back to the last concrete word they used. You do not need a new topic every turn.

Useful phrases when you need a moment:

• "Sorry, could you say that again?"
• "What do you mean by that?"
• "Give me a second. I'm looking for the word."

You can also close politely:

• "It was really nice talking to you."
• "I should go, but I enjoyed this."
• "Maybe we will talk again."

What to practice

Try to do three things before you stop:

• Ask what they do, where they live, or what they enjoy.
• Ask one follow-up about a detail they already said.
• Say one true thing about yourself when they ask.

You do not need a perfect conversation. You need to be the person who keeps asking.