English–Japanese
“small talk” in Japanese
Japanese
Pronunciation
Romajizatsudan
Example
仕事の後で同僚と雑談しました。shi goto no ato de dō ryō to zatsu dan shi ma shi ta
I made small talk with my coworkers after work.
How to say “small talk” in Japanese
“Small talk” in Japanese is 雑談 (zatsudan).
Describes conversation that moves freely among everyday topics in an informal setting.
Example sentences with 雑談
昼休みには、普段話さない人とも雑談を楽しみます。hiru yasu mi ni wa fu dan hana sa na i hito to mo zatsu dan o tano shi mi ma su
During lunch breaks, I enjoy making small talk with people I do not usually talk to.
Tips for using 雑談
- English small talk often suggests polite conversation with an unfamiliar person, whereas 雑談 (zatsudan) also commonly describes relaxed talk among friends or coworkers.