How do you keep a conversation alive?

[Muffinnz 3,222]

How do you keep a conversation flowing instead letting it go silent?

Hi

Hi

How's it going?

Good how about you?

Good

...

...

(What now?)

(this is just ONE example)

Edited December 21, 2019 by Muffinnz

[Jesse Terrence 2,969]

I usually slip in an important event or a topic I need to discuss after that "good".

Like.

Hey! How're you doing?
Fine, thanks! How about you?
Good. Say, have you heard x? (or) what do you think of y?

It depends on the person and the situation. For strangers I slip in small jokes and usually, the people themselves keep the ball rolling for me and I just have to be a listener and give small feedback.

[Meson Bolt 2,648]

Well when people ask me "how's it going?" I usually take the time to spill my thoughts, my feelings, what I've been up to lately, etc. That usually gets me at least some mileage. x3

[TBD 17,257]

I don't. I'm not so great with keeping it alive, but rather let it die if there's nothing more to talk about.

[ShadOBabe 19,013]

Instead of just saying "Good" I'd elaborate and said, "Pretty good. Such and such happened today and that (insert how it made you feel or what it resulted in). What have you got going on?" You can also admit that you're super bored and want to chat with them. Ask about hobbies and interests, ask questions and be open to answering them about yourself.

But it's totally fine to just let a conversation die sometimes.

[Brony Number 42 10,073]

I hate small talk. I hate being asked "how are you," because the person doesn't really care.

[Here No Longer 5,279]

I don't, really. Conversations in my mind are meant to be a few exchanges of information and that is it.Of course, it also doesn't help I'm an introvert and a selective mute.

[Lucky Bolt 35,088]

I just....I don’t know how I do it really. I just talk. I think I talk too much though. 

[Sondash Studios 4,856]

Though it depends on the type of person he/she is, (Most teenagers these days are dumb and don't even use proper grammar or punctuation anyway) I normally try to show the other person that I'm putting more effort in my responses. For example:

Hi how are you?

I'm doing good at the moment, been a busy day. How has your day been treating you?

Pretty good, didn't go too bad.

That's nice to hear! Do anything interesting?...

 

And then if the other person cares about the conversation, it'll go on pretty good.

[EpicEnergy 23,226]

That is where I struggle, I have a hard time keeping a conversation alive either because I lack interest, I am feeling bad, I am busy, or I don't know what to talk about. I'm also just not the kind of person who is social and talkative.

[Splashee 28,568]

I am actually here to try to figure out such things.

 

It seems like a popular one from one of the members here is "Boops". Can you guess who that may be?

 

If I use my techniques to keep a conversation alive, it really just involves talking about new things. But I am not here to learn what I already can do. I am here to learn what I cannot do (did that come out right?)

[Olly 1,011]

Ask questions, bring up something that's of interest to you, change the topic whenever you need to.

[Muffinnz 3,222]

3 hours ago, Olly said:

Ask questions, bring up something that's of interest to you, change the topic whenever you need to.

How do you change a topic without interrupting the current one?

[Splashee 28,568]

19 minutes ago, Muffinnz said:

How do you change a topic without interrupting the current one?

Oh, if you interrupt a current one, you are still having a conversation, right?

When you believe the first one has ended, you try a new one. And if you made a mistake (happens, no big deal!), it happen so no big d..... Hey!

[Sherem 4,807]

I'm missing a lot of context here, but let me give a shot in the dark too

I would ask "hey, are you sure everything is good?"

[Splashee 28,568]

16 hours ago, Sherem said:

I would ask "hey, are you sure everything is good?"

I remember trying to talk to you once. You scared me away!

[Sherem 4,807]

1 hour ago, Splashee said:

I remember trying to talk to you once. You scared me away!

Again...I missed context on the question of the post, so I gave a shot in the dark, and remember that the question and the thread itself, not always goes to the idea of helping another one.

Edited December 21, 2019 by Sherem

[Clawdeen 15,617]

For me personally I’ve learned is I’m not going to be able to keep a conversation with someone who I have nothing in common with. 

If we have stuff in common a conversation is effortless.I don’t find myself worrying as much on what to say. This is coming from an introverted individual. 

When it’s with people I don’t know or have nothing in common with it’s a lot of awkward silence and me wondering what to say. 

The conversation like you posted in the original post is pretty much mine with people I don’t know very well or I have nothing in common with. 

I try to ask some questions to see if I can find some things we may have in common that I can bring up. If I can’t its going to remain the

”Hi how are you”

”Good How are you”

situation. 

[Oblivion 20,271]

It depends if it's a conversation I'm interested in. 

[Clawdeen 15,617]

I don't. If it's meant to die off, it's meant to die off. I don't fight for people's attention anymore.

[Crypty Scribbles 5,437]

I'm asking questions to show my interest in that person. But I try to keep conversation balanced and if I don't see any interest back I don't push.

[DubWolf 17,433]

10 hours ago, Clawdeen said:

I don't. If it's meant to die off, it's meant to die off. I don't fight for people's attention anymore.

Was gonna say the same. There's been some conversations I've had that flow veeeery far out, stemming out from one topic into a completely different topic however each preceding it related to those before it.

 

Trying to keep a conversation going needlessly feels forced and can be awkward. Like I get the other person probably is done with that topic when they don't have much else to say about it. I think I'd be boring them at that point  

[Clawdeen 15,617]

Moments ago, DubWolf said:

Was gonna say the same. There's been some conversations I've had that flow veeeery far out, stemming out from one topic into a completely different topic however each preceding it related to those before it.

 

Trying to keep a conversation going needlessly feels forced and can be awkward. Like I get the other person probably is done with that topic when they don't have much else to say about it. I think I'd be boring them at that point  

Yeah I mean you can just tell. I’ve tried to keep it alive in the past but really it’s just delaying the inevitable no response lol

[Sparklefan1234 173,532]

On 2019-12-20 at 4:49 AM, Lucky Bolt said:

I just....I don’t know how I do it really. I just talk. I think I talk too much though. 

I think you're awesome to talk to, Lucky Duck! 😁 As for myself, I feel like I start + carry the conversation and talk too much here on MLP Forums.☹️ 

[DubWolf 17,433]

2 minutes ago, Clawdeen said:

Yeah I mean you can just tell. I’ve tried to keep it alive in the past but really it’s just delaying the inevitable no response lol

Though if it's a date you doooo kinda hope it goes on and it's not just you that wants to keep it going... though if you don't fan the flames a little it might be your last date if there's not enough chemistry you feel. Been so long since I've dated .