6 Most Common Awkward Conversations Between Partners

An awkward conversation consists of lots of fidgeting, sweating, hemming, and hawing. Some can breeze through it with nary a scratch, but most of us end up traumatized by the sheer anxiety alone.

It’s like the annoying relative that you need to entertain during family functions, even though you can’t stand them. You just have to wait it out until you can get some air.

Typically, awkward conversations are awkward because there is a stigma of sorts involved in the topic to be discussed. If the two people discussing it were open-minded individuals, it wouldn’t be an issue at all.

Unfortunately, there are still some things that feel too sensitive to discuss. As much as you’d like to be open-minded about these things, you still need to consider how the other person feels about addressing them.

Once you’re done, however, you can breathe a sigh of relief, because you finally cleared the air with your partner. Even if you don’t get the reaction you wanted, there’s something to be said about actually dealing with an issue, rather than just sweeping it under the rug.

# The STD talk

Let’s get right down to the heavy stuff and admit that this is probably the most awkward and disconcerting topic of all. Not many are keen to admit to how many partners they’ve had—especially if the number is a cause for concern. Most couples stick to their conviction that it’s highly unlikely that they have an STD. No symptoms, no dice.

But that’s where things can go horribly wrong. A lot of STDs have long incubation periods—like HIV—and some are even asymptomatic, like Chlamydia in its early stages. For some, being asked to get tested can be as bad as being asked to strip naked in public. It all depends on how seriously they take their partner’s concern.

# The possibility of marriage

The discussion about when to get married should never be an awkward conversation. It’s going to be the happiest day of your lives yet, for crying out loud. The possibility of getting married, however, is a different story. Not all couples in serious relationships are open to the idea of marriage.

If you and your partner have never discussed it before, the time to finally do it can be extremely harrowing, especially if you have no idea how they’ll react. Many a relationship has faltered due to slight hesitation at the word marriage. You better be prepared for every eventuality, because you might not get the answers you want.

# Getting caught in a lie

A lie is one of the most damaging sins in a relationship. Once you get caught, especially when lying about serious stuff, you’ve effectively proven that you are untrustworthy. After that, doubt sets in. What else have you lied about? Is the relationship also a lie?

When you’re given a chance to explain yourself, it’s going to be very emotional. The awkwardness, however, comes with the task of admitting that you screwed up. You have to explain why you lied and how you’re going to fix the problem. There might also be some begging involved.

# Asking for something you know they won’t agree to

Nothing is more awkward than asking to be said no to. You know there’s a slim chance your partner will say yes, but you still have to ask because you won’t get any sleep if you don’t.

The problem is that these types of conversations are set up to fail. Why? Because you know your partner well enough to have an idea of how they’ll react. Still, if it’s something really important, like buying a dog or a sports car, you need to check with them.

# Discussing a friend who is getting a little too close

One of the hardest things you can tell your partner is that someone close to them betrayed you—other than you, that is. They have a different sort of trust in the people in their lives who came before you, so it’s going to be hard for them to believe that someone close to them tried to hit on you.

Apart from that, they have to deal with it. They can’t just sweep it under the rug, and they need to come to terms with the idea that they might lose someone important to them because of it. It’s not just an awkward conversation. It’s going to be heartbreaking, as well.

# Telling them when family members become too meddlesome

Another issue is when family members get too close. Some families think it’s okay to put their two cents in—or even the whole family fortune—when a couple is experiencing problems. Even when everything’s fine, some family members still have an opinion of how you can *and should* improve your relationship.

That can be disheartening, knowing there’s a possibility that they will become your family one day, as well. When the issue is grave, it can create a problem that might isolate you and your partner from their family.