Conversation Starters for Friends With a Shared History

Press Next question and read the card out: 150 things only old friends can talk about.

Conversation Starters for Friends With a Shared History

If this group were a sports team, what sport, and who is captain?

Show follow-upHide follow-up

Who is in charge of the snacks?

Ask the question. Short answer? Press Show follow-up, then Next question.

Next step Funny would you ratherFun questions for any group

All 150 questions

Remember when 24

  • What did someone here give or lend you that you now use all the time? Follow-up: Do they know it became a favorite?
  • What did we once argue about that seems ridiculous now? Follow-up: Who was right, for the record?
  • What did we think was a brilliant idea at the time? Follow-up: How long did it take to find out it was not?
  • What food belongs to this group the way popcorn belongs to the movies? Follow-up: When did we last have it?
  • What game have we played the most hours of, all added up? Follow-up: Who is actually the best at it?
  • What is the first memory of us that comes to mind right now? Follow-up: Why do you think that one came up first?
  • What is the latest we have ever stayed up talking, and what was it about? Follow-up: Did we solve anything?
  • What is the longest we have ever spent in one car, bus or train together? Follow-up: How did we pass the time?
  • What is the most trouble we ever got into together, by our gentle standards? Follow-up: Who talked us out of it?
Show all 150 questions (141 more)

Remember when, continued

  • What is the worst film we ever sat through together? Follow-up: Whose idea was it?
  • What is the worst weather we have ever been caught in together? Follow-up: Who was dressed for it, and who was not?
  • What photo of us do you wish existed? Follow-up: What would it show?
  • What set us off laughing somewhere we were supposed to be quiet? Follow-up: Who cracked first?
  • What were we all obsessed with for one month and never mentioned again? Follow-up: Which of us took it furthest?
  • What were we listening to the year we saw the most of each other? Follow-up: Does it still hold up?
  • Which birthday in this group was the best one we ever pulled off? Follow-up: What nearly went wrong?
  • Which day out of ours would you book again tomorrow? Follow-up: What would you change, if anything?
  • Which journey of ours took twice as long as it should have? Follow-up: Who got us there in the end?
  • Which meal of ours do you still think about? Follow-up: Who picked the place, or who cooked?
  • Which moment with us did you not know was important until later? Follow-up: When did you realize it?
  • Which of us turned up when you needed help moving, fixing or carrying something? Follow-up: What did you feed them afterwards?
  • Which phase of ours are you glad is over? Follow-up: Which one are you a little sad is over?
  • Which plan of ours went completely wrong and turned into a good story? Follow-up: At what point did we know it was going wrong?
  • Which story about us do you tell to other people? Follow-up: How much do you exaggerate it?

How we met 16

  • If we met for the first time today, what would we talk about? Follow-up: Would we still end up friends?
  • What did you assume about me before we had ever spoken? Follow-up: How long did that last?
  • What did you get wrong about me in the first month? Follow-up: What did you get exactly right?
  • What did your family say about me after they first met me? Follow-up: Were they right?
  • What do you remember about the day we met? Follow-up: What do you think I remember?
  • What is the first favor one of us did for the other? Follow-up: Has it been paid back?
  • What is the first thing we ever bonded over? Follow-up: Do we still care about it?
  • What is the first thing you remember us laughing about? Follow-up: Does it still set us off?
  • What nearly stopped us from becoming friends? Follow-up: What got us past it?
  • What was going on in your life when we met that I only heard about later? Follow-up: When did you tell me?
  • What was the first in-joke we ever had? Follow-up: Does it still work?
  • What were you really into when we first met? Follow-up: What happened to that version of you?
  • When did you know we were going to be proper friends? Follow-up: What happened that day?
  • Where was the first place we hung out that was not where we met? Follow-up: Would we still go there?
  • Which friendship in this group is the oldest, and how did it start? Follow-up: What were you both doing there?
  • Who introduced whom in this group, and do they get enough credit? Follow-up: How should we repay them?

This group 20

  • What are we collectively very bad at? Follow-up: Has it ever mattered?
  • What are we, as a group, surprisingly good at? Follow-up: When did we find out?
  • What do we do when we get together that we never do anywhere else? Follow-up: Why only with us?
  • What has this group taught you that you did not learn anywhere else? Follow-up: When did you last use it?
  • What have you borrowed from each person here: a phrase, a habit, a taste? Follow-up: What do you think we borrowed from you?
  • What is each person's unofficial job in this friend group? Follow-up: Who covers for you when you are away?
  • What is our most quoted line? Follow-up: Who said it first, and what was the occasion?
  • What is our unofficial group tradition? Follow-up: How did it start?
  • What is the most us thing we have ever done? Follow-up: Could any other group have done it?
  • What keeps this group together when plenty of friend groups drift? Follow-up: What would we have to protect?
  • What rule does this group follow that nobody ever said out loud? Follow-up: What happens when someone breaks it?
  • What should this group be called, if we had to print it on a team shirt? Follow-up: What goes on the back?
  • What snack has to be there or it does not count as one of our nights? Follow-up: Who brings it?
  • What time do we say we will meet, and what time do we actually meet? Follow-up: What would fix it, if we wanted it fixed?
  • What topic can we always be trusted to end up on? Follow-up: How long does it usually take?
  • What would an outsider notice first about how we talk to each other? Follow-up: Would they be right about us?
  • What would the documentary about this friend group be called? Follow-up: Which scene goes in the trailer?
  • What would the walk-on music be for each person here? Follow-up: Who picked theirs fastest?
  • Which running joke of ours needs to retire? Follow-up: Which one should never retire?
  • Whose home is our default meeting place, and why? Follow-up: What would make yours the default?

Crazy what-ifs 24

  • If a film were made about us, what kind of film is it and who narrates? Follow-up: What is the opening scene?
  • If a museum opened an exhibit about us, which five objects are in it? Follow-up: What does the plaque under yours say?
  • If each of us had a superpower based on what we already do, who gets what? Follow-up: Who uses theirs to skip chores?
  • If each of us were a kitchen appliance, who is what? Follow-up: Which one is running all day?
  • If one of us became famous overnight, who would it be and what for? Follow-up: Who becomes the manager?
  • If this group had its own holiday each year, when is it and what do we do? Follow-up: What food is traditional?
  • If this group opened a stall at a street fair on Saturday, what would it sell? Follow-up: Who does the shouting?
  • If this group were a sports team, what sport, and who is captain? Follow-up: Who is in charge of the snacks?
  • If this group were stuck in an airport for two days, how would it go? Follow-up: Who makes friends with the staff?
  • If we all entered the same baking contest, who wins and who eats the entries? Follow-up: What do you bake?
  • If we all had to run a cafe together, who does which job? Follow-up: What is the cafe called?
  • If we all moved onto one street, what would the street rules be? Follow-up: Whose house hosts Sunday?
  • If we could all take a year off together, what would we build, learn or fix? Follow-up: What would we argue about by month three?
  • If we could send one message to ourselves on the day we met, what would it say? Follow-up: Would we believe it?
  • If we drew each other's jobs out of a hat for one Monday, which would you hope for? Follow-up: What would you get wrong by lunchtime?
  • If we formed a band tomorrow, who plays what, and what is our first song about? Follow-up: Who designs the poster?
  • If we had one van and one month, where are we driving? Follow-up: Who is not allowed to choose the music?
  • If we had to hide a giraffe for a weekend, whose place do we use and why? Follow-up: What is the cover story?
  • If we had to plan a harmless surprise for someone here, who plans and who leaks it? Follow-up: What would the surprise be?
  • If we had to spend one night in a haunted house, who goes to check the noise? Follow-up: Who sleeps through all of it?
  • If we were animals at the same zoo, which enclosure is each of us in? Follow-up: Who gets the most visitors?
  • If we were given a small boat, what do we name it and who may not steer? Follow-up: Where do we sail first?
  • If we were the crew of a ship, who is captain, cook, navigator and lookout? Follow-up: Who is happiest below deck?
  • Which of us would do best on a desert island with only what is in their pockets now? Follow-up: What is in your pockets?

How well you know me 18

  • What am I likely to be doing at seventy that I already do now? Follow-up: What will you be doing?
  • What am I picky about that you have learned to plan around? Follow-up: What do we all plan around for you?
  • What could I spend a whole afternoon on without noticing the time? Follow-up: When did you last see me do it?
  • What did I do this year that made you think, of course they did? Follow-up: What was yours?
  • What do I do that tells you I am in a very good mood? Follow-up: What is the sign that I need a snack?
  • What do most people misread about me that you worked out long ago? Follow-up: How did you work it out?
  • What do you think I was like in the years before you knew me? Follow-up: Which part do you wish you had seen?
  • What do you think I worry about that I do not need to? Follow-up: What would you tell me about it?
  • What do you think I would order for the whole table without asking? Follow-up: How close is that to what you wanted?
  • What have I changed my mind about since you have known me? Follow-up: Did you have anything to do with it?
  • What have you watched me get much better at? Follow-up: What was I like at it when I started?
  • What is my strongest opinion about something that does not matter? Follow-up: Do you agree with it?
  • What job, other than mine, do you think I would be good at? Follow-up: What about me made you say that?
  • What kind of news would you call me about before anyone else? Follow-up: What would I call you about?
  • What snack would you bring me without having to ask? Follow-up: What should I bring you?
  • What would you print on a mug for me? Follow-up: What should mine for you say?
  • What would you trust my recommendation on, and what would you never? Follow-up: What have I recommended that you actually finished?
  • Which plan of mine would you talk me out of, and which would you sign up for? Follow-up: Which one have I already suggested?

Things we never said 16

  • How have we changed each other since we met? Follow-up: Which change are you most glad about?
  • What can you talk about with us that you cannot with anyone else? Follow-up: What makes it easy here?
  • What compliment have you been meaning to give someone here? Follow-up: Why did it take a card to say it?
  • What did a friend here get you through, even if they never knew it? Follow-up: What would you like them to know about it now?
  • What did we used to do all the time that quietly stopped? Follow-up: What would it take to bring it back this month?
  • What do you admire about the friend sitting across from you? Follow-up: When did you first notice it?
  • What do you rely on each person here for? Follow-up: What do you hope they rely on you for?
  • What do you think each of us is underrated for? Follow-up: Who outside this group should know?
  • What have you learned from someone at this table without them knowing? Follow-up: What would you like to learn next?
  • What is one of us doing right now that deserves more applause? Follow-up: How should we mark it?
  • What is the best advice one of us ever gave you? Follow-up: Did you take it at the time?
  • What is the kindest honest thing a friend here has ever told you? Follow-up: How did you take it at the time?
  • What small kindness from this group do you still think about? Follow-up: Have you passed it on?
  • What would you want us to say about this friendship in twenty years? Follow-up: What would make that true?
  • When did one of us show up for you in a way you still remember? Follow-up: Did they know how much it mattered?
  • When were you proudest of someone here? Follow-up: Did you tell them then?

Us at seventy 16

  • If we bought one shared thing, what should it be? Follow-up: Who looks after it?
  • What do you hope never changes about us? Follow-up: What would you be fine with changing?
  • What do you want to be able to say we did together, ten years from now? Follow-up: What would we have to book first?
  • What is on your list that you would want this group there for? Follow-up: What would it take to set it up?
  • What should we do for the next big birthday in this group? Follow-up: Whose is it, and do they get a say?
  • What skill should we all learn together? Follow-up: Who would get good at it first?
  • What small thing could we do every month that we would actually keep up? Follow-up: Which day works?
  • What tradition should this group start this year? Follow-up: Who is in charge of making it happen?
  • What trip do we keep saying we will take? Follow-up: What would it take to book it this year?
  • What will the next generation of our families hear about this group? Follow-up: Which story gets left out?
  • What will we be like at seventy? Follow-up: Who will have changed the least?
  • What will we be nostalgic for about right now? Follow-up: What should we take a picture of tonight?
  • What will we still be arguing about in twenty years? Follow-up: Who will be winning?
  • What would our corridor of the retirement home be like? Follow-up: Who runs game night?
  • Where will we be meeting up in thirty years? Follow-up: What will we order?
  • Which of our current habits will sound strange when we describe it in 2050? Follow-up: How will we explain it?

Catching up after a gap 16

  • How do we stay close when life gets busy? Follow-up: What is one thing that has worked?
  • What are you in the middle of since we last met: a project, a move, a decision? Follow-up: How is it going?
  • What are you looking forward to before we next see each other? Follow-up: Can I be part of it?
  • What did I miss that I would have loved? Follow-up: Can we do it again?
  • What did you see lately that made you think of me? Follow-up: Why did you not send it?
  • What did you wish you could call me about at the time? Follow-up: What would I have said?
  • What has been harder than it looked since we last talked properly? Follow-up: What could one of us take off your plate?
  • What have you been meaning to tell me that was too long for a message? Follow-up: Where does the story start?
  • What have you got better at since I last saw you? Follow-up: How did that happen?
  • What is new in your daily routine that I would not recognize? Follow-up: Do you like it?
  • What is the biggest small change in your life since we last did this? Follow-up: Would I have guessed it?
  • What is the same as ever with you, for better or worse? Follow-up: Are you glad?
  • What opinion of yours has changed since the last time we sat down like this? Follow-up: Which of us argued you out of it?
  • What should we have done together by the next time we meet? Follow-up: Who is booking it?
  • Where have you eaten since we last met that I need to try? Follow-up: When can we go?
  • Who is a new person in your life that I should hear about? Follow-up: Would we get along?

How this list was compiled: Written for this page in September 2026; no question or follow-up is copied from another list. Every question assumes the people answering already share a history, which is what separates this deck from the site's decks for people who have just met. Every line was screened against the site blocklist: nothing sexual or romantic, no alcohol or drugs, no self-harm, nothing about a player's body, money or exes, no politics or religion, and no real people. Where a card picks one friend out, it is for a talent, a job on an imaginary ship or a harmless, jokey fault such as leaking the surprise party or choosing the music badly. Levels are our judgment, not a measurement: easy is answered in a few words, medium takes a short story, hard needs a moment to think. On 2026-09-19 the deck was compared with every other question deck on this site, and any question that repeated one elsewhere was rewritten. A second comparison the same day found two more, which were replaced. Licence: own work

How it works

Conversation starters for friends need a shared history: the worst film you ever sat through together, who introduced whom, what you will be like at seventy. There are 150 here, and Show follow-up opens a second question when an answer comes too quickly.

Read the full guide

Deal it at a table that goes back years

Pass one phone around. Whoever holds it reads the card, answers, then presses Next question, which also moves past a memory half the table missed. Easy keeps 40 quick cards; Hard keeps 24 that need a minute, 8 of them in Things we never said.

Eight groups, remember when to us at seventy

Remember when (24) and How we met (16) dig up the past: what nearly stopped us from becoming friends? Crazy what-ifs (24) holds the crazy conversation starters: if we had to hide a giraffe for a weekend, whose place do we use? In How well you know me (18), one friend answers about another. Catching up after a gap (16) suits friends who live far apart.

  • In How well you know me, the friend being described stays quiet until everyone has guessed.
  • Save Things we never said for late. A compliment lands better after an hour of arguing about the worst weather you were ever caught in.
  • When one card sets off a twenty-minute story, let it run.

Questions and answers

How is this different from questions for new people?

Every card leans on history you share. What set us off laughing somewhere we were supposed to be quiet only works if there is an us. For a mixed room, open with the fun conversation starters deck, then return once the old crowd is alone.

Does it work for two best friends?

Yes. How we met, How well you know me and Catching up after a gap are worded for a pair: what did you assume about me before we had ever spoken? This group and Crazy what-ifs hand out roles, so they want three or more.

Can we use it on a video call or group chat?

Yes. On a call, one person opens the page and reads each card out. For a chat, Copy the list on the end card takes all 150, or only the topic you picked, to paste. Print turns a topic into slips.

More tools

Show 8 more

Browse Question Games