What's the difference between 会話 and 対談?


[This question](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/30093/1330) and [this
other one](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/57428/1330) explain the
differences between 会{かい}話{わ} and other words related to "conversation," but
they don't cover 対{たい}談{だん}, which I've also learned has the same meaning.

Seen as both 会話 and 対談 are defined as conversation, dialogue, and talk, what
is the difference between them? When should I use one over the other?




対談 means a discussion between two people which is usually set up as a special
occasion and whose topic is set in advance. You can think of something like
panel discussion (without panels). 議論 is a general term for discussion, and
can be used for discussion in ordinary meetings, for example and there is no
implication on the number of people. In this sense, 対談=議論+eventness+two
people.

A discussion event involving **three** people is called
[鼎談{ていだん}](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/%E9%BC%8E%E8%AB%87/#jn-150192)
(after a three-leged pot [鼎{かなえ}](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%BC%8E)). A
standard word for panel discussion is 座談{ざだん}(会{かい})

会話 is a general term referring to any type of conversation that happens in
daily life.

* * *

会談{かいだん} is a word similar to 対談. I'm not so sure how they are distinguished,
but my impression is that 会談 is more of a talk between politicians with less
specific topics.




対談 means a discussion between two people which is usually set up as a special
occasion and whose topic is set in advance. You can think of something like
panel discussion (without panels). 議論 is a general term for discussion, and
can be used for discussion in ordinary meetings, for example and there is no
implication on the number of people. In this sense, 対談=議論+eventness+two
people.

A discussion event involving **three** people is called
[鼎談{ていだん}](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/%E9%BC%8E%E8%AB%87/#jn-150192)
(after a three-leged pot [鼎{かなえ}](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%BC%8E)). A
standard word for panel discussion is 座談{ざだん}(会{かい})

会話 is a general term referring to any type of conversation that happens in
daily life.

* * *

会談{かいだん} is a word similar to 対談. I'm not so sure how they are distinguished,
but my impression is that 会談 is more of a talk between politicians with less
specific topics.

