I have a very, very unusual etiquette question if you wouldn't mind helping me out?

[BeenThereDone_It]

Simply put: I never know how, or when, to end a conversation

It doesn't matter if it is on the telephone or face to face.

It doesn't matter if it is with a good acquaintance or a new friend.

I just don't know when it is polite to call it a day and move on.

Take today for example: I met a new french tutor in a cafe and he spoke to me in French for an hour (that's what he is supposed to do) and then we got chatting and it was very enjoyable

I wasn't sure if I was keeping him behind or if he thought he was keeping me late so I just continued chatting and waited for visual clues.

Eventually he politely glanced at his watch and I had been casually putting on my glasses to give him a polite way out and that was that. No problem

But Americans are more brash and just walk off mid sentence.

Can you advise?

(I live in America and I am English)

[bariley]

I wish I could advise you! It is so awkward talking to new people in the U.S.! I have a lot of trouble ending a conversation with someone without walking away embarrassed. I visited my friend in Germany, and it was so much easier to talk to people there, I was amazed. I just think that most people here don't really have proper socializing skills. I don't know if there really is a way to fix it. Just be polite to people and don't be offended if they have no manners at all, haha. Try using those visual cues, or just outright saying you have to go do something (even if you don't, a lot of people do that! Seems so rude, though...) Good luck!

[? • Abercrombie Boy • ?]

I know that I usually end a conversation by saying "alright I'll talk to ya later" or something like that. Just whenever you feel like ending the conversation is when you can end it, especially if it's over the phone. You can be like "well I got to go" and then say your goodbyes.

[Aintitthetruth]

To end a conversation just politely state that you have to be on your way.
To let them leave the convo you can leave a gap in the convo, Lets call it leaving room that gives them time to tell you they need to go.
Or you can just ask them how much longer can they talk for.