38 Interesting Questions To Ask Your Mom Right Now

Aladdin Color Inc via Getty Images

A year and a half ago, my mom, my sister and I met up for dinner at a cozy Italian restaurant in New York City with two of my aunts and my aunt’s longtime best friend.

Over a couple glasses of wine, my mom, her two older sisters and our family friend ― who all lived, worked and partied in Manhattan in the 1980s ― spent the evening reminiscing about their apartments, jobs, relationships and other escapades at the time.

Advertisement

I learned a couple of things about my mom that night ― for example, in her early 20s, she dated a very wealthy man in another state who used to fly her back and forth on his private plane ― that I’d somehow never known or ever thought to ask about. It was another reminder that before she was my mom, she was a person with her own life and set of experiences that had nothing to do with me or my siblings.

Over the years, you might slowly pick up bits and pieces of your mom’s life story, little breadcrumbs she drops here and there. But for many kids, myself included, the focus has almost always been on us ― not our parents ― since the day we were born.

Below is a list of things you may not have asked your mom, but should. The answers to these questions will help you know her more deeply and hopefully give you a better sense of her past, her life experiences and who she really is.

Here are 38 conversation-starting questions to ask your mom right now:

1. What’s one of your earliest memories?

2. What’s the most trouble you’ve ever gotten in?

3. What was your relationship with your own parents like?

4. What’s something you always wanted to do but didn’t ― and why didn’t you?

5. Was there something your parents did when you were a kid that you swore you’d never do yourself?

6. How many serious relationships were you in before you settled down (if you did)? What were they like?

Advertisement

7. What was your hardest breakup like?

8. Growing up, what did you think you wanted to do for a living?

9. How have your notions of what it means to be a woman changed over your lifetime?

10. (If she worked): What was it like being a working mom at that time? Would you do it all over again? What would you change?

11. (If she didn’t work): What was it like being a stay-at-home mom at that time? Would you do it all over again? What would you change?

12. When did you lose your virginity and to whom?

13. Who were/are your role models? Who did you look up to when you were younger? Who do you look up to now?

14. What’s the best trip you’ve ever taken?

15. Who was your best friend growing up? Who is your best friend now?

16. Have you ever had an abortion?

17. Is there a moment or event that radically changed the way you saw the world?

18. Have you ever done something really impulsive? How did it go?

19. What was the moment I hurt you the most when I was growing up?

20. What was the moment I frustrated you most when I was growing up?

21. (If she got married): When did you know that you were ready to get married?

22. When did you know you were ready to have kids?

23. What do I need to know about our family’s medical history that could affect my health or life?

24. What was the day I was born (or adopted) like?

25. (If she got married): What was your wedding day like?

26. What’s the worst fight you ever had with my dad?

27. What’s your favorite photo of yourself? Of our family?

28. What was the first year of motherhood like for you?

29. What do you want or wish most for your kids?

30. What do you want your funeral to be like?

31. What was life like for you at my age?

32. What were some of your biggest struggles or insecurities in high school?

33. Were you ever sexually harassed or sexually assaulted?

34. Do you have any health issues you’ve never told me about?

35. What would your perfect day be like? Describe it.

36. What’s the one song or album that means the most to you?

37. Is the present year anything like you imagined it would be when you were growing up?

38. What advice would you give to your younger self at age 20? 30? 40?

Think you've got what it takes to be the next "Jeopardy" champ? Interested in giving Einstein a run for his money?

Let's find out!

To put your smarts to the test, we've collected the best trivia questions and answers for friends, family, kids, adults and just about everyone else.

Quiz your knowledge on subjects like entertainment, history, sports, movies, books, animals, technology, music and, well...just about anything else you can think of.

This comprehensive list runs the gamut from relatively easy questions to challenging brain teasers that are sure to give you a run for your money, even if you aren't placing bets on who's going to take home the trophy.

To keep it fair, we've included questions from every skill level including trivia questions the kids can probably answer on topics like Dr. Seuss books and other family-friendly subjects, as well as Trivial-Pursuit grade puzzlers like "which U.S. president was a bartender?"

We'd love to give you the answer, but what fun would that be? Instead, to find out, you'll just need to read on.

Whether you're trivia all-star or just an armchair warrior, at least of few of these questions are bound to leave you scratching your head. And, if you somehow manage to answer them all (without phoning a friend), then congratulations, you take home the trivia trophy.

Either way, put your thinking cap on and let's begin.

How to play trivia

Turn your next at-home hangout into a trivia night. Choose a host, divide the group into teams and break the questions up to form rounds. The host asks one question at a time and teams write down their answers. Once all of the questions have been asked, the host calls out the right answers and then teams tally up their points.

Get ready and good luck!

Entertainment trivia questions

Destiny's Child performs at the Concert for America's Youth in the MCI Arena during President George W. Bush's inauguration.

Rick Friedman / Corbis via Getty Images

• The 1988 movie "Mystic Pizza" launched the career of what 'Pretty Woman?' Answer: Julia Roberts
• Whitney Houston went to the top of the music charts in 1992 with singing what Dolly Parton song? Answer: "I Will Always Love You"
• Brianne Howey and Antonia Gentry star as a mother and daughter in what popular Netflix series? Answer: "Ginny & Georgia"
• Which legendary British rock group performed during the 2006 Super Bowl Halftime? Answer: The Rolling Stones
• Cillian Murphy plays a 1900s mob boss in Birmingham, England in which streaming series? Answer: "Peaky Blinders"
• Anna, Elsa Kristoff and Olaf are all characters in what animated movie? Answer: "Frozen"
• What was Taylor Swift's first song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100? Answer: "Tim McGraw"
• What 1997 movie features Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as undercover secret agents who police extraterrestrials? Answer: "Men in Black"
• In what TV series did actor Tom Hanks co star with Peter Scolari in the early 1980s? Answer: "Bosom Buddies"
• What actor plays Ken in the 2023 blockbuster movie "Barbie?" Answer: Ryan Gosling
• What name is singer-actor Stefani Germanotta better known by? Answer: Lady Gaga
• What 1927 film effectively ended the silent movie era by introducing synchronized talking and singing? Answer: "The Jazz Singer"
• Before embarking on a solo career, Beyoncé was part of what R&B group? Answer: Destiny's Child
• What actor played Alex Keaton on the '80s TV show "Family Ties?" Answer: Michael J. Fox
• The Rockettes dance troupe most famously perform at what New York City venue? Answer: Radio City Music Hall
• What was the very first video ever played on MTV? Answer: "Video Killed the Radio Star" (by The Buggles)
• What Andrew Lloyd Webber Broadway show features the characters Mistoffelees and Old Deuteronomy? Answer: "Cats"
• Richard Hatch is the very first winner of which reality TV show? Answer: "Survivor"
• What is the name of Elvis Presley's Memphis home? Answer: Graceland
• What notable astronomer penned the 1980 best-selling book "Cosmos?" Answer: Carl Sagan
• Michael Flatley danced his way to fame in what Irish-inspired show? Answer: "Riverdance"
• What 1994 Quentin Tarantino movie stars John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson as hitmen? Answer: "Pulp Fiction"
• What actor-comedian found fame on the TV show "Mork and Mindy?" Answer: Robin Williams
• Michael Jackson teamed up with what notable guitar player for the 1982 song "Beat It?" Answer: Eddie Van Halen
• Jess Day, Nick Miller, Winston Bishop and Schmidt are all characters on what TV show? Answer: "New Girl"
• What year did the comedy sketch TV show, Saturday Night Live, debut? Answer: 1975.

Books and literature trivia questions

Kieu Chinh, Ming-Na Wen, Tamlyn Tomita, Tsai Chin, France Nuyen, Lauren Tom, Lisa Lu, Rosalind Chao in The Joy Luck Club, 1993.

Buena Vista Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

• The women in Amy Tan’s “Joy Luck Club” meet to play what game? Answer: Mahjong
• "The Da Vinci Code" opens with a murder in which famous museum? Answer: The Louvre
• Which horror author penned the apocalyptic novel "The Stand"? Answer: Stephen King
• Which book about a band of rabbits became a bestseller in 1972? Answer: "Watership Down"
• What was the original title of Ray Bradbury’s "Fahrenheit 451"? Answer: "The Fireman"
• The classic 1877 novel "Black Beauty" is about what kind of animal? Answer: Horse
• Who was the first author to use a "typemachine" or typewriter in writing a manuscript? Answer: Mark Twain
• What 1988 book by Salman Rushdie is considered blasphemous by many Muslim countries? Answer: "The Satanic Verses"
• Which mystery writer holds the Guinness World Record for the most translated works? Answer: Agatha Christie
• What book holds the record for the fastest selling book in history? Answer: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"
• Who wrote "To Kill a Mockingbird"? Answer: Harper Lee
• What 1949 science fiction book by author George Orwell describes a dystopian world in the future? Answer: "1984"
• What's the name of the pig in the book "Charlotte's Web"? Answer: Wilbur
• "Call me Ishmael" is the first line from what classic novel? Answer: "Moby Dick"
• What Charles Dickens novel begins with the sentence, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times"? Answer: "A Tale of Two Cities"
• What is the name of the vampire in the 1976 Anne Rice novel "Interview With a Vampire"? Answer: Louis de Pointe du Lac
• What popular young adult book series sends "tributes" to participate in a televised competition in which they fight to the death? Answer: "The Hunger Games"
• In the book "Pride and Prejudice," who is Elizabeth Bennet in love with? Answer: Mr. Darcy
• Who wrote "Flowers in the Attic"? Answer: V.C. Andrews
• Jacob Black is a character in what Stephenie Meyer book series? Answer: "Twilight"
• What Nicholas Sparks book about a young socialite and her long-time crush was made into a movie starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams? Answer: "The Notebook"
• In one of the most popular Dr. Seuss books, what won't Sam-I-Am eat? Answer: Green eggs and ham

History trivia questions

The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

Getty Images

• How old was Queen Elizabeth II when she was crowned the Queen of England? Answer: 27
• What was the first message sent by morse code? Answer: “What hath God wrought?”
• What president was a licensed bartender? Answer: Abraham Lincoln
• Who was the first president to visit all 50 states? Answer: Richard Nixon
• What year was Kodak founded? Answer: 1892
• What inspired the creation of Google images? Answer: Jennifer Lopez’s dress at the 2000 Grammys
• What year was the first Barbie doll released? Answer: 1959
• How long was the first Thanksgiving? Answer: Three days
• Which U.S. President was a law professor? Answer: Bill Clinton
• Who was the youngest U.S. president? Answer: Theodore Roosevelt
• When was the first iPod released? Answer: 2001

Geography trivia questions

Entrance sign along U.S. Highway 212 at the northeast entrance into Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.

Universal Images Group / Getty Images

• Where is the coldest place on Earth? Answer: Eastern Antarctic Plateau
• Which Italian town is the setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet? Answer: Verona
• What was America’s first national park? Answer: Yellowstone National Park
• Where do U.S. vice presidents live? Answer: on the grounds of the U.S. Naval Observatory
• Which three states share a border with California? Answer: Arizona, Nevada and Oregon
• What was the first state? Answer: Delaware
• What state is known as the “Badger State”? Answer: Wisconsin
• What state has the longest freshwater shoreline? Answer: Michigan
• What U.S. state grows coffee beans? Answer: Hawaii
• What is the northernmost point in the United States? Answer: Point Barrow, Alaska
• What is Texas’ state flower? Answer: The Bluebonnet
• How many floors does the Eiffel Tower have? Answer: Three
• What is the currency of Poland? Answer: Złoty
• How tall is the Empire State Building (without the spire and antenna)? Answer: 1,250 feet
• Which country produces the most tea? Answer: China
• Who did the U.S. buy Florida from? Answer: Spain
• Which country gives students the longest summer holiday? Answer: Italy
• What are California’s state colors? Answer: Blue and Gold
• What is United Kingdom’s national Anthem? Answer: “God Save the King”

Science trivia questions

Sun and Solar System planets. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and Sun.

buradaki / Getty Images/iStockphoto

• Which blood type is a universal donor? Answer: O Negative
• How many moons does Neptune have? Answer: 14
• Which globally-dreaded disease did the World Health Organization declared eradicated in 1980? Answer: Smallpox
• Who was the first American woman in space? Answer: Sally Ride
• How many pounds are in a ton? Answer: 2,000
• What is the largest bone in the human body? Answer: Femur
• How many planets make up the solar system? Answer: Eight
• How many colors are in a rainbow? Answer: Seven
• Which astronomer is called out in “Bohemian Rhapsody”? Answer: Galileo
• What is the fear of flowers called? Answer: Anthophobia

Music trivia questions

Kelly Clarkson on American Idol, broadcast live from Television City in Los Angeles, Ca. on July 16, 2002.

Getty Images

• What actor and comedian appeared in the video for the Paul Simon song “You Can Call Me Al”? Answer: Chevy Chase
• What singer was called the “Empress of the Blues”? Answer: Bessie Smith
• Who wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner”? Answer: Francis Scott Key
• What musician was awarded the first gold record? Answer: Perry Como
• Which country artist threw javelin while attending Oklahoma State University? Answer: Garth Brooks
• What song did Paul McCartney pen for John Lennon’s son, Julian? Answer: “Hey Jude”
• What are the first names of the five brothers that made up the Jackson 5? Answer: Jermaine, Marlon, Jackie, Tito and Michael
• Which 1950’s crooner sang the hit song “Under the Sea”? Answer: Bobby Darin
• How many Billboard #1 hits did Elvis have? Answer: 18
• What’s the best-selling Christmas single of all time? Answer: “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby
• Which singer’s real name is Robyn Fenty? Answer: Rihanna
• What year did MTV launch? Answer: 1981
• Who was the first “American Idol” winner? Answer: Kelly Clarkson
• When was Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” released? Answer: October 1994
• What is Taylor Swift’s lucky number? Answer: 13
• Who was the first woman ever inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Answer: Aretha Franklin

Movie trivia questions

Grease

Paramount Pictures

• What movie is “You had me at hello” from? Answer: “Jerry Maguire”
• What Minnesota town was actor Winona Ryder born in? Answer: Winona
• What year was the first “Batman” comic book published? Answer: 1939
• Actor Nicolas Cage is the nephew of what famous director? Answer: Francis Ford Coppola
• What country does “The Jungle Book” take place in? Answer: India
• Who is the youngest Oscar winner of all time? Answer: Tatum O’Neal
• What was the name of the high school in “Grease”? Answer: Rydell High
• In “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” what keeps the three-headed dog asleep? Answer: Music
• What year was the original “Jurassic Park” released? Answer: 1993
• What’s the name of Ginny’s Pygmy Puff in the “Harry Potter” series? Answer: Arnold
• What is the name of Hagrid’s half-brother in “Harry Potter?” Answer: Grawp
• What is the Grinch’s dog’s name? Answer: Max
• How many Oscars does Jane Fonda have? Answer: Two
• How many Academy Awards did “Titanic” win? Answer: 11
• What is the name of Boba Fett’s ship in “Star Wars”? Answer: Slave 1
• Which Disney princess has a Scottish accent? Answer: Merida
• How many staircases are located in Hogwarts? Answer: 142
• What is Jack Skellington’s dog’s name? Answer: Zero
• In what movie does Robert De Niro say, “You talkin’ to me?” Answer: “Taxi Driver” 
• Who was the first Disney princess? Answer: Snow White
• What year was “Jaws” released? Answer: 1975
• In “Star Wars,” who built C-3P0? Answer: Anakin Skywalker
• “The Princess and the Frog” is set in which American city? Answer: New Orleans
• What is Hermione’s Patronus? Answer: Otter
• Who wrote “A Little Princess”? Answer: Frances Hodgson Burnett
• Which shoe did Cinderella leave behind at the ball? Answer: Left
• How many ghosts show up in “A Christmas Carol”? Answer: Four
• Who is the villain in “Peter Pan”? Answer: Captain Hook
• Which city is “101 Dalmatians” set in? Answer: London
• What is the school’s mascot in “High School Musical”? Answer: Wild Cats

TV trivia questions

Star Trek.

Corbis via Getty Images

• What popular ‘90s TV series did actor Calista Flockhart star in? Answer: “Ally McBeal”
• Who won first season of “America’s Next Top Model”? Answer: Adrianne Curry-Rhode
• Which of the six main characters on the TV show “Friends” never got married? Answer: Joey
• What TV series included the phrase “Go where no man has gone before” in its title sequence? Answer: “Star Trek”
• What “Sex and the City” star didn’t return for the series reboot “And Just Like That...”? Answer: Kim Cattrall
• What TV series launched Bruce Willis’ career? Answer: “Moonlighting”
• What is the name of Sabrina’s cat in “Sabrina the Teenage Witch”? Answer: Salem
• What is the name of the mall in the third season of “Stranger Things”? Answer: Starcourt Mall
• What comic series is the CW’s “Riverdale” based on? Answer: “Archie” comics
• How many people tuned into the last episode of “Friends”? Answer: 52.5 million
• How many seasons did “The Oprah Winfrey Show” run? Answer: 25
• Who voiced Ms. Frizzle on the children’s television series “Magic School Bus”? Answer: Lily Tomlin
• Who wrote “The Little Mermaid”? Answer: Hans Christian Andersen

Animal trivia questions

Florida Manatee, Trichechus manatus latirostris, Crystal River, Florida, United States

Joe McDonald / Getty Images

• What species of fish is Nemo? Answer: Clown Fish
• How many legs does a lobster have? Answer: 10
• What is Florida’s state bird? Answer: The Northern Mockingbird
• What color is a giraffe’s tongue? Answer: Purple
• What animal’s nickname is “sea cow”? Answer: Manatee
• What percentage of the Earth’s wildlife is found in the ocean? Answer: 94%
• What animal has the biggest eyes? Answer: Giant Squid
• How many reindeer does Santa have? Answer: Eight
• What is California’s state animal? Answer: California grizzly bear
• What are baby rabbits called? Answer: Kits
• What animal breathes through its butt? Answer: Turtle
• Where are cricket’s ears located? Answer: On their legs

Sports and leisure trivia questions

Jonas Vingegaard on the Champs-Élysées during Tour de France in Paris.

Anne-Christine Poujoulat / AFP - Getty Images

• Where was the first Olympics held? Answer: Panathenaic Stadium, Greece
• Who was the highest-paid athlete in 2022? Answer: Lionel Messi
• Which NBA team plays its home games at Madison Square Garden? Answer: New York Knicks
• When was the first Indy 500 held? Answer: 1911
• Which Canadian hockey player is considered to be the greatest of all time? Answer: Wayne Gretzky
• Where did the 2000 Summer Olympics take place? Answer: Sydney, Australia
• Which number does every Major League Baseball player wear on April 15? Answer: 42
• What is the maximum number of points someone can achieve on Pac-Man? Answer: 3,333,360 points
• How Did Leica, the German camera company, get its name? Answer: Founder Ernst Leitz used the first three letters of his last name combined with the first two letters from “camera.”
• Which player from the Dallas Mavericks is an investor in Big Blanket Co., the maker of 10-by-10 foot blankets? Answer: Boban Marjanovic
• What type of race is the Tour de France? Answer: Bicycle race
• What is the diameter of the average basketball hoop? Answer: 18 inches
• How often are the Summer Games held? Answer: Every four years
• What are the Cleveland Browns’ team colors? Answer: Brown and orange
• In football, how many points does a touchdown have? Answer: Six
• Who painted “Girl with a Pearl Earring”? Answer: Johannes Vermeer
• Who was the first couple to win “The Amazing Race”? Answer: Rob Frisbee and Brennan Swain

Food trivia questions

Courtesy Dunkin'

• When was Diet Coke introduced in the United States? Answer: August 9, 1982
• What fast food chain once used the slogan "Think outside the bun"? Answer: Taco Bell
• What is a single strand of spaghetti called? Answer: Spaghetto
• What year did Dunkin’ Donuts become Dunkin'? Answer: 2018
• How many slices of pizza does America eat per second? Answer: 350-400 slices of pizza per second
• Where were Doritos invented? Answer: Casa de Fritos at Disneyland
• How many pounds of curly fries does Arby’s sell in a year? Answer: 100 million pounds
• What is the name of the world's hottest chili pepper? Answer: Carolina Reaper
• What is Starbucks’ logo? Answer: A Siren
• Where is the world’s largest Starbucks? Answer: Chicago
• How many folds are in a chef's hat? Answer: 100

Technology trivia questions

In this photo illustration the logo and search page of the multi-facetted internet giant Google is displayed on a computer screen on April 13, 2006 in London, England.

Scott Barbour / Getty Images

• What is the meaning of "fn" on your computer keyboard? Answer: Function
• What is the long-standing nickname for IBM? Answer: "Big Blue"
• Who owns Venmo? Answer: PayPal
• What was Mac's first web browser? Answer: Samba
• What year was eBay founded? Answer: 1995
• What is the best-selling video game franchise? Answer: Mario
• Who sent the world's first text message? Answer: Neil Papworth
• What does Yahoo stand for? Answer: Yet Another Hierarchically Officious Oracle
• What inspired the name for the iPod? Answer: the EVA Pod (ePod) in "2001: A Space Odyssey"
• Who owns the Patent to Google’s original search algorithm? Answer: Stanford University

General trivia questions

Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Princess Diana, Princess of Wales pose with sons Prince William and Prince Harry on the Royal Yacht Britannia on May 6, 1985 in Venice, Italy.

Anwar Hussein / WireImage

• What is August’s birthstone? Answer: Peridot
• What is Prince Harry’s official first name? Answer: Henry
• What is the fifth sign of the zodiac? Answer: Leo
• Which branch of the U.S. armed forces used the slogan “It’s not just a job, it’s an adventure”? Answer: The Navy
• By U.S. law, exit signs must be one of what two colors? Answer: Green or red
• What is an eight-sided shape called? Answer: Octagon
• When was Earth Day first celebrated? Answer: 1970
• How many points does the Star of David have? Answer: Six
• Who is Barbie’s little sister? Answer: Skipper
• In the United Kingdom, what is the day after Christmas known as? Answer: Boxing Day
• Which three zodiac signs are summer signs? Answer: Cancer, Leo and Virgo
• Which month of the year is National Ice Cream Month? Answer: July