How to start a conversation and how to properly exit on it?

6 comments

1. Conversation starter depends on if you’re talking to a friend, acquaintance or stranger. (different greetings for each of those) As an exit you can always use, “Well it’s been great talking with you, I’ll let you go now, hope we can do it again soon!”

2. Depends whom you are starting the conversation with, if its a friend I say hi, and if I know both of us have some time I ask how a previous event went (what we talked about earlier), or ask how he is doing.

   About exiting conversations, never do it abrubtly, but finish the conversation.
   I usually say: “Anyways, I dont wanna take more of your time (if its an acquintance)” or “It was good seeing you, but I got to go, see ya”

3. A few things:

   – You dont always have to be the one to start or end it. Allow them to sometimes as well.

   – Since you are good with the middle of the conversation, you probably are aware of conversational threading. Where your conversation consist of pulling little threads in the yarn of the conversation you both weave to extend the conversation. When you want to close, start leaving fewer threads for them to pull, start cutting off threads, and start referencing older threads.

   – In your conversation if there’s a time where you talk about doing something in the future, bring it up like “But yeah it was totally nice talking to you. We should definitely do (that thing you were talking about) some time.”

   – Start trending downward in pitch at the end of your sentences. This takes energy away from the interaction.

   – Start turning away slightly, looking away, and becoming less engaged.

4. Conversations are verbal interactions. You see someone doing a thing you comment on it. Guy at a skate park, “can you show me how to do x”. Girl at a coffee shop, you could ask them a general question or if they can watch your stuff while you got to the bathroom/your car etc. recognize openings and when people don’t want to talk. When you’re done “well, thanks for the info”. “I better get going, I have (insert reason). It was nice talking with you” (exchange contact info if you want and they indicate the desire to stay in touch). If the conversation was touch and go a simple “take care” before you leave is fine.

   If you want to exit the conversation with someone, just say you need to use the restroom room, gotta pee and then don’t start up with them when you come back. Works great for parties and large gatherings where people latch on to you.

5. I have a problem with this, too. When I’m able to do it, I just ask a random question or make a funny comment. To end it, I just tell them I have to go now! Maybe we’ll catch up again sometime!

6. I must return some videotapes *bows*