30 Questions to Ask Someone You Just Met & Read Them Like a Book

A few searching questions can easily help you “suss” a person out. Here are the perfect questions to ask someone you just met – try them out today!

Sometimes, the best way to get to know someone is by pitting a few careful questions their way. This doesn’t mean you sit them down, shine a torch in their face and fire question after question their way, but it does mean slotting a few carefully placed queries into the conversation. Want to read them like a book and know all about them in the very first conversation? Just use these questions to ask someone you just met, and by the end of the conversation, you’ll know everything you need to evaluate them better.

How are you supposed to learn more about a person and figure out whether this is someone you’d like to spend more time with, if you’re not prepared to ask the questions to really get to know them? Of course, if you ask a question, you have to be prepared to give an answer yourself too – they’re also trying to get to know you too! 

[Read: How to get someone to open up, get to know them and make true friends]

Questions to ask someone you just met

Let’s check out the perfect 30 questions to ask someone you just met, so you can weave these into the conversation the next time you meet someone you fancy getting to know a little better!

#1 What is your number one TV show? This question will tell you a lot because you’ll find out what type of niche they’re into. Is it comedy? Is it horror? Is it crime? Is it a thriller? Of course, there’s also the chance that they’re going to give you a very generic answer too – “Friends” is also a go-to for most people! [Read: 13 avoidable habits that’ll change your life for the worse]

#2 What music did you like when you were growing up? This is probably going to make them cringe a little because everyone liked embarrassing music of some kind when they were a teenager! It might have been a boyband or a really terrible Europop group! It’s fun to find out at least. 

#3 What music do you enjoy now? If you’re going to ask them what music they liked when they were growing up, it’s only fair that you give them the chance to redeem themselves and tell you what they love now.

However, do be prepared for an equally as embarrassing answer! Either way, it’s one of the best questions to ask someone you just met because most people like music. And their taste in music can usually predict their personality too. [Read: 20 positive personality traits that can change your life forever]

#4 Who is your Hollywood crush? This is an interesting one and it’s probably going to put them on the spot for a second! Could it be someone you really like too? Maybe it’s someone you’ve never even heard of, or someone who’s passed away and who they still hold a soft spot for. 

#5 What is your favorite type of sport? Perhaps they don’t like sport, but most people enjoy at least one type of sport occasionally. You can learn a lot about a person from the sport they watch, whether it’s a team sport or an individual one. 

#6 What is your number one food? This is a great question to get to know someone *especially a potential date* because it tells you whether you’ll be compatible if you go out on a restaurant date! If they love fish and you hate it, there could be problems! It’s one of the best questions to ask someone you just met because everyone has a favorite food, so there’s not going to be any awkward silences. [Read: 75 fun questions to ask a new friend and feel like BFFs in no time]

#7 Where do you like to hang out? You’re not asking this so you can follow them there, just to be clear! It’s interesting to find out where people spend their spare time. Maybe they go somewhere quiet and chilled out, or maybe they like to be surrounded by a crowd. You might even find that you hang out at the same places already. 

#8 Do you have any pets? Finding out if someone is an animal lover is a must-do. In my eyes, if someone loves animals, you can’t go wrong! They might have a mini animal farm at home or they might not have a pet but wish they could. This question might also lead you down a path of stories related to their old pets that have passed. 

#9 What is your favorite book of all time? This one could put them on the spot because not everyone has a number one book in their mind. Many people just have a series of books that they have enjoyed over time. Either way, it’s fun to find out and it might be that they enjoy the same books as you. That makes it one of the best questions to ask someone you just met. 

#10 If you could drop everything and go, where is the one place you would visit? Ah, a little imagination is needed for this one, which tells you a lot about a person! Will they choose somewhere obscure or will they go for the regular types of places, or a place that’s bustling with people? You could push this question a little further and find about the travel bucket list destinations they want to visit too. 

#11 What do you enjoy doing when you’re at home? Careful with this one, it could lead into some rather dodgy ground! However, most people won’t give you a kinky answer and will simply tell you that they enjoy chilling out and watching TV, reading, or playing video games. If they give you an answer that’s a little more creative, that could tell you a lot about them as a person. [Read: The best things to do when you’re stuck at home and feel productive]

#12 Do you enjoy spending time alone? Not everyone loves being alone and many people prefer to have others around them. However, some people enjoy the serenity and peace of being in their own company. Asking this question helps you get to know the person a little better

#13 What type of exercise do you enjoy? I think this is a good question to ask because it teaches you about whether they enjoy spending time outdoors or whether they’re an indoor gym-type of person. It also tells you whether you could exercise together if you get to know each other better. Of course, they might tell you that they hate exercise, in which case you can just chill on the sofa together instead!

#14 Are you a walker or a runner? This is a telling question and it delves a little deeper, making it one of the best questions to ask someone you just met. If they say walk, it could be that they prefer a measured and slow pace to life. If they say run, it could be that they’re often in a hurry and want to jump from place to place. 

#15 Where were you born? Of course, we move around a lot these days and it’s possible that the place you are now isn’t where you or they were actually born. You could learn a lot about them by asking this question and you might find that you were born in the same place, or you have links that go way back. [Read: How to get closer to someone – 15 traits that always bring people closer]

#16 Are you a cat or a dog person? In my eyes, this is one of the best questions to ask someone you just met and it also shows whether you would be compatible if you’re looking at them through a romantic view. If they like cats, perhaps they’re a little rebellious, if they like dogs, maybe they’re more loyal. It’s all subjective of course, but it’s fun to find out!

#17 If you could do any job in the world, what would it be? It’s sad, but most people aren’t actually doing their dream job. Some are, and that’s great, but most people have a career in mind that they wish they could do but never trained for. Find out what theirs is and then remember to reciprocate and tell them yours. You can learn a lot about a person by the things they wish they were doing.  

#18 Do you have siblings? Do they have brothers and sisters or are they an only child? Are they the baby of the family, the older one, or are they a middle child? There are theories about the personality traits of siblings and where they are in the family order, so it’s a good thing to find out if you agree with all of that. 

#19 What are your important friendship qualities? What does this person look for when they make new friends? Are they focused on loyalty, or do they look for someone who is adventurous and rebellious? This tells you a lot about their values in life and what is important to them. [Read: 15 real qualities of a good friend that sets them apart]

#20 Which is more important – quality or quantity? This is a searching question but it’s one of the best questions to ask someone you just met because it tells you whether this is someone who wants it all or someone who wants the best.

#21 What is your favorite memory from your childhood? Hopefully you’re not speaking to someone who had a terrible childhood because asking this question could make them uncomfortable, but it’s unlikely to be the first time anyone has asked them this question, so you should be fine. If they’re giving you a fun memory from their childhood, you will probably be able to see the joy on their face as they recollect the details. 

#22 Which do you prefer – beach or snow? If you were to get to know one another better and go on a vacation at some point in the future, you have to know that you’re both into the same kind of location! Do they enjoy the cold and dramatic scenery of a snow-capped mountain location, or are they a beach person?

#23 What is your biggest passion in life? This is another deep question but it’s one which will help you get to know them, so it’s one of the best questions to ask someone you just met once more. Are they passionate about helping others? Animals? Travel? Science and research? Family? It’s a great question to ask and one which could lead to deeper conversations. [Read: What are you passionate about? How to find and own your desires]

#24 Who is your biggest hero in life? They could choose a family member or a friend who’s been through a hard time. They might choose a celebrity or a notable figure from history. Who do they look to for inspiration in life? Of course, you need to think of your own hero figure to keep the conversation going. 

#25 What are you scared of in life? Most people will come up with a humorous answer to this one because it’s a little awkward to tell someone you’ve just met about what you’re really scared of, but if they do, that means they’re opening up to you. [Read: The art of getting someone to open up to you so you two can really connect]

#26 Do you like spiders? Look, I know spiders are creatures that deserve to be loved, but I really don’t like them. This is a question I like to ask because it tells me whether this person is on the same level or not! However, it’s good to meet people who do like spiders because that means when you have one in the house, they’ll catch them for you and put them outside!

#27 What would you study if you could go back to school? Again, most people have a career they wish they’d pursued and this question will tell you what that is. Maybe they want to learn another language so they can go travelling, or maybe they’ll tell you that they’re really interested in science. It’s a fun question to ask someone you’ve just met. [Read: How to be more playful and flirty while talking to people]

#28 What are you saving up for? They might not be saving up for anything, but most people are in some way. Some are saving up for a deposit to buy a house, some are saving up for a new car, others are just saving up for a rainy day. It’s one of the more interesting questions to ask someone you’ve just met. 

#29 If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? If they tell you that they wouldn’t change anything because they’re perfect, you have to question them more! Most people have something they’d like to change, whether it’s appearance-wise or personality-wise. 

#30 What is your most-used emoji? A fun one to finish off the list!

[Read: How to start a conversation with a stranger and always say all the right things]

These questions to ask someone you just met will certainly get the conversation rolling. Then, you can get to know them even more!