What the title says. Usually when I meet a friend or someone I know, I don’t mind having small talk with them. But every time after catching up with them and asking questions like how are you doing bla bla bla, I really don’t know how to “end” small talk. I end up always just leaving the scene without saying anything to them. I know where it would be appropriate in some scenarios but it feels wrong to just leave without saying anything.
PS: I would only do this when the we are doing something and have small talk on the side.
I’ve thought of saying “bye!” Or “you have a good one” but it just sounds too weird and not “smooth” lol.
What are some ways you guys end small talk?
15 comments
Check the time, get a watch for this purpose.
I don’t know how to end small talk, so I just murder everyone at the end of a conversation. Doesn’t help with the law, though.
Honest answer, it definitely is okay to just walk away from small talk sometimes. Most people don’t care, but depending on the situation some small talk it’s better to end with a simple, “have a good one” or “see you later” ending. If you ever get someone to laugh in small talk and want to end it, after the laugh just go, “I’m leaving on a high note!” and walk away (George Costanza style baby)
There’s nothing wrong with leaving. I’ve learned to be ok with just letting the conversation die. It doesn’t have to be awkward and most of time the other person doesn’t care at all.
“Well, I gotta bounce, nice talking with you.”
“Hey, I gotta go, it was great catching up.”
“I have to run, it was great seeing you!”
Etc.
At the gym: “alright, I’ll let you get to it.”
Maybe universal: “alright, take care.”
Although one day I want to suddenly just leave a convo without saying a word.
“nice chatting. see ya around!”
confidence goes a long way. just say it bluntly and confidently and you’ll be golden. don’t expect to nail it first try, but it’ll come to ya. also, anxieties like this disappear with age so that’s something to look forward to
I like how they ended conversations in Downton Abbey. “Well, you best be getting on. “ I’d love to say that.
I can guarantee that if you repeat a ridiculous sentence enough it will stop being ridiculous.
I started working at a call center that forces us to use ridiculous sentences and at first it was real stupid, now it’s like second nature. (My favorite: remove doubt for your heart. << it doesn’t sound any less weirder in my native language.)
So if your intention is to end a conversation without it being dragged on or being rude, just say something. That is referring to that part you’ve mentioned saying bye or have a good one sounds weird to you.
How I’d do it? Something along the lines of: Alright bro/sir (or the respective female form), I got to carry on, but it was an absolute pleasure to catch up, how about we try grabbing a beer/coke someday and talk some more?
I would use this because few reasons, first it’s ridiculously long, so NO WAY the other side can ignore it to keep you around, if they try it will be rude. Second it ends up on a positive note (you had fun) and gives a compliment to another (makes it so they had fun) and possibly it creates opportunity to hang out more while being on the same level of two drunk friends sitting at 4am and saying “we should go to the beach tomorrow morning”. No one will be mad if you don’t go hang out because you can always play it as being busy. Yet if you ever do want to hang out, reaching out won’t feel as weird to either side.
What about asking something that they will do in the future. Like “what are your plans tomorrow?” Then proceed to say, alright well I catch you later or something of the sort. It works for me
“I need to go do X”
Exhale sharply and say any of these words: okay, well, alright followed by “i need to be on my way” or any other phrase like that.
I like to say, “ it was great seeing you, I have to go now.”
“Alright I’ll stop blabbering now and let you get back to your day! Great catching up with you!”
“Alright, see you!”
Just make up something, like hey I gotta get home to do homework, see ya later or peace out. Don’t be afraid to be assertive, it’s the only way to have boundaries. Anyways, just either make something up or just say, I’m gonna go now, peace out.