70 conversation starters for video chat with strangers

By the OMG Chat team · Updated 13 November 2026 · 8 min read

The first ten seconds of a random video call decide whether it lasts ten seconds or forty minutes. You don't need to be funny or confident; you need one easy question and a bit of curiosity. Here are seventy we like, grouped by situation.

Why most random calls end in five seconds

People skip for all sorts of reasons that have nothing to do with you: they were looking for someone who speaks their language, they're just browsing, their connection is bad or they pressed Next by accident. Being skipped is normal. But the calls that last usually have one thing in common: somebody said something specific early on. "Hi" invites "hi". A question about something you can actually see or share gives the other person something to answer.

Two habits help more than any line: smile and say hello as soon as the video appears, and ask an open question (one that can't be answered with yes or no).

Openers for the first ten seconds

1. "Hey! Where in the world are you calling from?"
2. "Hi, what time is it where you are?"
3. "Hello! What's the best thing that happened to you today?"
4. "Hey, I like your [poster / guitar / plant / hoodie]. What's the story there?"
5. "Hi! Is it day or night for you right now?"
6. "Hey, quick question: tea, coffee or neither?"
7. "Hello! What are you up to tonight?"
8. "Hi! I'm [name]. First time on here or a regular?"
9. "Hey, what made you open a random video chat today?"
10. "Hi! Rate your day out of ten, go."

If you share an interest tag

On OMG Chat you can pick up to five interests, and the app tries to match you with someone who shares one first. If you matched on an interest, use it straight away:

11. "We both picked gaming. What are you playing at the moment?"
12. "Music person too! What's been on repeat for you this week?"
13. "Anime fan? What's the one you'd recommend to someone who's never watched any?"
14. "Travel! Best place you've ever been, and the place you want to go next?"
15. "You picked football. Who do you support, and are you suffering this season?"
16. "Movies: what's the last thing you watched that was actually good?"
17. "Fitness people: gym, running, or something more unusual?"
18. "Books: what are you reading, or what's the last book you couldn't put down?"
19. "Cooking: what's your signature dish?"
20. "Tech: phone person or PC person? Any projects?"

Light, fun questions

21. "What's a food from your country I absolutely have to try?"
22. "If you could teleport anywhere for one hour, where would you go?"
23. "What's the most useless talent you have?"
24. "What's an unpopular opinion you'll defend forever?"
25. "Pineapple on pizza: yes or no, and why are you wrong?"
26. "What's the weirdest thing you've seen on a random chat?"
27. "If your life had a theme song right now, what would it be?"
28. "Cats or dogs, and do you have one I can meet?"
29. "What's a small thing that instantly makes your day better?"
30. "What would you do with a completely free day tomorrow?"
31. "Best and worst film you've seen this year?"
32. "What's a hobby you've always wanted to try but haven't?"
33. "What's your go-to karaoke song?"
34. "Are you a morning person or a night owl? (Judging by the time, I can guess.)"
35. "What's the last thing that made you laugh out loud?"

Questions about where they live

Random video chat is one of the few places you can talk to someone on the other side of the world in seconds. These questions turn that into a real conversation:

36. "What's something tourists always get wrong about your country?"
37. "What's a normal thing where you live that would surprise me?"
38. "Teach me one word in your language."
39. "What do people there do on a Friday night?"
40. "What's the weather like right now? Show me out the window?"
41. "What's the best street food in your city?"
42. "Is there a festival or holiday coming up there?"
43. "What music is everyone listening to there right now?"
44. "What's school or work like where you live?"
45. "If I visited for one day, what should I do?"

Language barrier? Type in the text chat: OMG Chat translates messages into the other person's language automatically, so you can talk even without a shared language.

Going a bit deeper (once you've clicked)

46. "What are you working towards at the moment?"
47. "What's something you changed your mind about in the last few years?"
48. "What's the best advice anyone ever gave you?"
49. "What would you be doing if money didn't matter?"
50. "What's something you're proud of that nobody asks about?"
51. "Who's had the biggest influence on you?"
52. "What's a place that feels like home to you?"
53. "What's a goal you have for this year?"
54. "What's the most spontaneous thing you've ever done?"
55. "What's something you wish more people knew about you?"

Mini-games that work on camera

56. Two truths and a lie. Each say three facts; the other guesses the lie.
57. Would you rather. "Would you rather never use social media again or never watch a film again?"
58. Guess my country. Before saying where you're from, let them guess from three clues.
59. Show and tell. Each grab the nearest interesting object and explain it.
60. Rapid fire. Ten quick questions, answer in one word each.
61. Song guess. Hum a song, they guess it.
62. Draw it. Hold up a quick drawing to the camera and let them guess.
63. Rate my snack. Show what you're eating; they rate it out of ten.
64. Desert island. Three things you'd bring, and why.
65. This or that. Beach or mountains, summer or winter, call or text…

Keeping it going: follow-ups

The best conversationalists ask the second question. When someone answers, pick one detail and ask about it:

66. "Wait, how did you get into that?"
67. "What's the best part about it?"
68. "What did your friends think?"
69. "Would you do it again?"
70. "Okay, now I need the full story."

What to avoid

• Interview mode. Fire ten questions in a row and it feels like a job interview. Answer your own question too.
• "ASL?" Asking for age, sex and location as an opener is the fastest way to get skipped.
• Personal details too early. Asking for someone's social handle or phone number in the first minute makes people uncomfortable; it's also how many scams begin.
• Anything sexual. It's against the rules and gets you reported and banned.
• Taking skips personally. Next person. Seriously, it's fine.

Want more on how to come across well in the first few seconds? Read video chat etiquette.