145 interesting questions to get to know your roommate

Think of what you’re doing as swapping stories, not running down a checklist. If you ask about cleaning habits, share your own (“I’m a vacuum-once-a-week kind of person — what about you?”). That back-and-forth keeps things from feeling one-sided and shows you’re as invested in making the space work as they are.

If you’re chatting before move-in, keep it casual but intentional. Suggest grabbing coffee, hopping on FaceTime, or even trading a few quick voice notes to run through the basics. Show you’re paying attention by following up on their answers (“You said you work nights — do you need total quiet during the day?”). Those small moments of connection set a friendly tone and help you both avoid unwelcome surprises later.

If you’re meeting for the first time on move-in day, lean on natural conversation openers while you unpack. Suggest ordering a pizza or taking a quick break to walk to a nearby café. Ask things in ways that invite stories instead of yes or no answers (“How do you usually spend a Sunday?” works better than “Do you like Sundays?”). That way, you can open the door to shared experiences and help the chat feel like genuine bonding — not just a rule-setting session.

Personalities, interests, and senses of humor all shape a roommate experience just as much as who showers when. Still, even the most compatible personalities can clash without clear ground rules! Use the practical roommate questions below to make sure you’re both happy with how your space functions. Then, layer on some “get to know you” questions that’ll help make living together not just functional, but fun.

Practical Questions to Ask a New Roommate

Knowing the right things to ask potential roommates does everyone a favor. Practical questions get all parties on the same page, so you can understand what each person needs from the space and prevent un-fun surprises later on.

Don’t have the opportunity to ask these questions before committing to living together? Try to get through them early into your first week as roommates.

1. What’s your usual weekday schedule?
2. How early/late do you typically go to bed? Are you a morning person or a night owl?
3. How often do you have guests over? How much notice should we aim to give each other?
4. What are thoughts on overnight guests, both the dating kind and friends crashing (after a night out, for instance)? What about out-of-town company?
5. How do you like to keep the shared space looking — super tidy or a little lived-in?
6. How do you most prefer to relax at home: socialising in shared spaces or being independent and doing your own thing?
7. How should we split cleaning tasks?
8. How often do you like to cook? Any food allergies?
9. Do you prefer to share certain items (like spices, condiments) or keep everything separate?
10. How should we handle apartment supplies (i.e. paper towels, toilet paper, cleaning products) — as shared purchases or taking turns?
11. What’s your stance on borrowing clothes or personal items?
12. How do you feel about music or TV volume in shared spaces?
13. What’s your preferred way to split utility bills?
14. Are you okay with scented candles, incense, or diffusers?
15. Do you smoke or vape?
16. How do you feel about pets? Any allergies?
17. How do you usually handle conflict when it comes up?
18. Are you more “text me” or “knock on my door” for communication?
19. How do you feel about decorating shared spaces — joint effort or “do your own thing”?
20. Are you okay with splitting subscriptions for things like streaming services?
21. Do you prefer to lock the door even when someone’s home?
22. How should we handle repairs or landlord communication — one point person or whoever notices first?
23. Any pet peeves or big non-negotiables I should know about?

Personal Questions to Ask Your Roommate to Get to Know Them

After you’ve tackled the practical stuff, you can move on to the fun part: finding out who your roommate actually is. These questions go beyond logistics to reveal personality, interests, and all the little details that make sharing a space feel more personal.