Abstract This paper presents an overview of the field of second language pragmatics (L2 pragmatics) from the conceptual, methodological, and pedagogical perspectives. The paper first introduces different conceptualizations of pragmatic competence that have emerged over the last few decades. Within these conceptualizations, common investigative research methods are discussed critically, followed by a summary of pedagogical approaches used to teach pragmatic competence. The paper concludes with future directions at conceptual, methodological, and pedagogical levels, highlighting the limitations and gaps existing in the current literature.