Lesson #2 - Small Talk

Here is the overview of situations where we might need small talk. The first three in bold are those with the highest priority for us.

• Workplace / office
• Meetings
• Parties
• Conferences
• Trainings
• Shops
• Queues
• Bus stations and other public places

In the discussions we also distinguished between two types of small talk: the first one is out of politeness, whereas the second one is motivated by sincere interest. In the latter, finding a common theme is the main challenge.

Here is what Wikipedia has about small talk. You may also want to read an article about German vs British manners, which gives some cultural information about small talk. Please don't hesitate to share your own links, too!