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This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Kira Jan. Kira Jan earned her B.A. in English from Stanford University in 2021. She has published work in a variety of literary magazines and edited for bestselling authors. Kira now writes and edits for the content team at wikiHow with the goal of reaching audiences of all backgrounds, skillsets, and interests. She enjoys continually learning alongside wikiHow readers and working to create connection through the written word.
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When Monday rolls around, you know you’ll be asked the standard question, “How was your weekend?” But what if small talk isn’t your thing or what if you didn’t do much? Whether the question’s coming from your friends, coworkers, or that cute person you’ve been messaging online, we’ve got a list of interesting ways to respond that’ll improve your small talk skills and make your weekend sound great.
Steps
Method 1
Method 1 of 12:“It was great, thanks!”
Method 1
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1Send a simple response to be polite. This approach is perfect if you’re in a professional setting or if you’re talking to a stranger and not very interested in small talk.[1] Just thank the other person for asking about your weekend, and continue the conversation or change the subject.
- “It was relaxing. Thanks for asking!”
- “My weekend was pretty good, thanks!”
Method 2
Method 2 of 12:“My weekend was pretty good. Can you believe the rain, though?”
Method 2
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1Talk about the weather to use a classic small talk strategy. You can turn the conversation towards the weather if you’d prefer to keep the conversation less personal. A response like this is probably better for a coworker or stranger than someone you want to impress, since these responses don’t say a lot about your personality or life.
- “I was planning on going for a long bike ride, but the heatwave got me! How about you?”
- “We got snowed in this weekend! Were you able to get out of town?”
Method 3
Method 3 of 12:“It was relaxing! I’m ready to tackle the upcoming week.”
Method 3
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1Try this response in a work setting. Everyone needs some downtime and can relate to that feeling. Combine a description of your relaxing weekend with a brief mention of something you’re looking forward to in the next week. You’ll sound energized and ready to go!
- “I took the weekend to unwind. Looking forward to hitting the ground running this week.”
- “I had a pretty chill weekend. I feel refreshed and re-energized!”
Method 4
Method 4 of 12:“Oh, I didn’t do anything special. Tell me about your weekend, though!”
Method 4
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1It’s okay to be honest if your weekend wasn’t very eventful. Sometimes you just don’t have much to say or don’t really want to talk about your weekend—that’s totally fine. You can still have an interesting conversation by asking the other person how their weekend went. Good small talk is all about engaging the other person and responding to what they have to say.[2]
- “I took it easy this weekend. Did you do anything fun?”
- “My weekend was pretty average. But I remember you saying you had fun plans!”
Method 5
Method 5 of 12:“My weekend was good! I overheard the strangest thing.”
Method 5
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1Tell a story about something small you observed over the weekend. If you took a walk or went for a drive, mention something you saw outside like a beautiful sunset or a cute dog. You don’t have to have a crazy weekend to be an interesting person! Send a text that shows you know how to slow down and appreciate the little things in life.
- “My weekend was nice. I don’t know if you saw the fog on Sunday morning, but it looked stunning.”
- “My weekend was pretty good! I saw an amazing street musician while I was on my Saturday run and that made my day.”
Method 6
Method 6 of 12:“I had some great me-time.”
Method 6
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1You can use the phrase “me-time” if you stayed home and relaxed. It’s normal to feel pressured to give a fun and interesting response when someone asks how your weekend went. But the truth is, a relaxing weekend can be fun and productive![3] Let the other person know you took a weekend for self-care and had a great time.
- “I had a nice lazy weekend. 🛀🍷📚 It was exactly what I needed.”
- “I treated myself to a relaxing weekend. Can’t tell you how great it felt!”
Method 7
Method 7 of 12:“Did some grocery shopping, hung out with friends. How about you?”
Method 7
-
1List a few activities to show that you’re putting effort into the conversation. By talking about a few things you did, you’ll give the other person something to respond to. Then, put the ball back into the other person’s court by asking them about their own weekend.[4]
- “Visited my family, took my dog to the park. What were you up to?”
- “I got caught up on a few errands. Hbu?”
Method 8
Method 8 of 12:“I watched the playoffs! Did you see the game?”
Method 8
-
1Reference current events to get a great conversation going. Bring up something you saw in the weekend news or talk about a trendy show you finally watched. Mentioning a well-known topic will give you common ground so you can keep the conversation flowing.[5]
- “I watched Squid Game this weekend! Now I finally get what people are talking about.”
- “I saw that story about the baby pandas on the news! Spent my whole weekend watching the live stream from the zoo.”
Method 9
Method 9 of 12:“My weekend was lovely. We got to spend some quality time as a family.”
Method 9
-
1Bring up the people you saw over the weekend. Spending time with people you love is a great weekend activity that’s always worth talking about. Plus, mentioning your friends and family shows that you value the people in your life.
- “My friends and I went into the city and caught up over coffee.”
- “This weekend we took a much-needed family vacation! It was just a road trip, but it was great to see the kids having so much fun.”
Method 10
Method 10 of 12:“It was awesome! I watched my favorite movie and checked out a new coffee shop!”
Method 10
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1Mention a few activities from your weekend that reflect your favorite things. When you get a “How was your weekend?” text on a dating app like Tinder, Bumble, or Hinge, use your reply as a chance to reflect your interests and personality. Add in a few details so the other person will have something to ask about.[6] Here are a few examples:
- “I went surfing at Old Man’s and met up with friends to go to the farmer’s market.”
- “I spent quality time with my friend’s new Golden Retriever puppy. My ideal weekend 😍”
- “Honestly, I stayed in my PJs and read the sequel to my favorite book.”
Method 11
Method 11 of 12:“This weekend was honestly the best! A few old friends visited from out of town.”
Method 11
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1Bring up the highlights if your weekend was even better than usual. Talk about anything exciting and out-of-the-ordinary that happened. Your enthusiasm will add a burst of positive energy to the conversation.[7]
- “My weekend was amazing. We took the kids to the beach, and it was Jeramiah’s first time there! 🌊”
- "Sunday was a wild day. My boyfriend surprised me with front row Lakers’ tickets.”
Method 12
Method 12 of 12:“Oh, you know, I saved the world and caught a few bad guys.”
Method 12
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1Reply with a joke if you didn’t do much but still want to sound interesting. Either turn a boring activity into a dramatic escapade or make up a wacky story about how you spent your Saturday and Sunday. Follow up with a laughing emoji if you’re concerned the other person won’t quite get the joke.
- “Just the usual—rescued my laundry from the dryer, reunited stranded socks 🦸🧦😂”
- “Nothing too major this weekend. Planned my presidential campaign, started a company...”
-Step-8-Version-4.webp)
References
- ↑ https://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/10_etf_53-3_10_trythis_weekend.pdf
- ↑ https://www.realsimple.com/work-life/work-life-etiquette/manners/10-big-rules-small-talk
- ↑ https://psychcentral.com/blog/reducing-your-guilt-about-not-being-productive#3
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201701/the-5-keys-rewarding-conversation
- ↑ https://www.realsimple.com/work-life/work-life-etiquette/manners/10-big-rules-small-talk
- ↑ https://www.cosmopolitan.com/sex-love/g14465814/what-to-put-in-your-dating-profile/?slide=6
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201701/the-5-keys-rewarding-conversation
About This Article
Kira Jan
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Kira Jan. Kira Jan earned her B.A. in English from Stanford University in 2021. She has published work in a variety of literary magazines and edited for bestselling authors. Kira now writes and edits for the content team at wikiHow with the goal of reaching audiences of all backgrounds, skillsets, and interests. She enjoys continually learning alongside wikiHow readers and working to create connection through the written word.
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Co-authors: 4
Updated: December 17, 2021
Views: 351
Categories: Conversation Skills
