conversation
HighNeutral to formal. Widely used in all registers, though more casual synonyms (chat, talk) exist for informal contexts.
Definition
Meaning
An informal spoken exchange of thoughts, information, or ideas between two or more people.
Can refer to a formal discussion, a digital exchange (e.g., text message thread), or the general topic or style of discourse in a particular context (e.g., 'shifting the national conversation').
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies a two-way or multi-directional flow of communication. A monologue or lecture is not a conversation. Often implies a degree of purpose or substance beyond simple chit-chat.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor. 'Have a conversation with' is standard in both. UK English may slightly favour 'chat' in very informal contexts.
Connotations
Largely identical. Slightly more formal than 'chat' in both varieties.
Frequency
Extremely high frequency in both varieties, with no significant disparity.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
have a conversation with [someone]hold a conversation about [topic]enter into conversationmake conversationa conversation between [A] and [B]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a conversation piece”
- “table conversation”
- “make conversation”
- “kill the conversation”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to formal discussions, negotiations, or strategy talks (e.g., 'We need to have a conversation about Q3 targets').
Academic
Used for scholarly discourse or theoretical debate (e.g., 'entering the conversation on post-colonial theory').
Everyday
The most common context, for any informal talk between people.
Technical
In computing, refers to a session of communication between systems or users (e.g., 'chatbot conversation').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- We need to conversation properly about this later.
- They were conversating in the corner all night.
American English
- We need to converse about this later.
- They were conversing in the corner all night.
adverb
British English
- He spoke conversationally, putting everyone at ease.
- She writes quite conversationally for an academic.
American English
- He addressed the crowd conversationally.
- The article is written conversationally.
adjective
British English
- Her conversational French is excellent.
- He has a very conversational tone in his writing.
American English
- Her conversational Spanish is excellent.
- He adopted a conversational style for the presentation.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I had a conversation with my teacher.
- Our conversation was about the weather.
- We struck up a conversation while waiting for the bus.
- It was a difficult conversation, but we resolved our problem.
- The podcast sparked a nationwide conversation about mental health.
- Their conversation meandered from politics to film.
- The summit aims to advance the global conversation on climate change mitigation.
- Her essay deftly enters the centuries-old philosophical conversation about free will.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of CON + VERSE + ACTION. It's an action involving verses (turns) of speaking with someone.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONVERSATION IS A JOURNEY ('The conversation went off track', 'We covered a lot of ground'), CONVERSATION IS A CONTAINER ('The conversation was full of insights'), CONVERSATION IS A BUILDING ('We need to construct the conversation carefully').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'разговор' directly as 'conversation' for very short, trivial exchanges—'chat' or 'talk' may be better.
- Do not use 'conversation' to mean 'lecture' or 'speech' (лекция).
- The verb is 'to have a conversation', not 'to do a conversation'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'conversation' for a one-sided speech.
- Incorrect: 'He gave a long conversation about politics.' Correct: 'He gave a long speech...' or 'We had a long conversation...'
- Overusing 'conversation' where 'discussion' (more structured) or 'chat' (more casual) is more precise.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is LEAST likely to be described as a 'conversation'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A 'discussion' is more focused, often with a specific goal or problem to solve. A 'conversation' is broader and can be more informal and meandering.
'Conversate' is a non-standard back-formation from 'conversation'. It is widely understood but considered informal or incorrect by many. The standard verb is 'converse'.
Yes, especially in modern contexts like 'text conversation', 'email conversation', or metaphorically for an ongoing written discourse in literature or academia.
It means to talk about unimportant things, often to avoid silence or be polite, especially with someone you don't know well.