Mark's Answer: It depends on how well you feel you get to know them. Sometimes in China, someone who I have only just greeted will ask me for my phone number. I want to say "You don’t even know me, but you want my phone number? Why??" I think the answer is they want a language partner and not a real friend. But this section is about making real friends with English speakers, not language partners.

So I suggest that you should wait until you feel like you have gotten to know your new friend well enough before you ask if you can exchange contact information. For example, maybe after you had a good conversation for 20 minutes or so, you could say, "Wow, it’s really been great to talk with you. Maybe we could chat again sometime. Is their a way to reach you?"

HOWEVER, I still think at this point, just getting their contact information is not enough to say that you have a true friendship. I would suggest asking if your new friend would like to do something with you in the future, like go eat at a restaurant that you like or something. This is a chance for you to allow the person to get to know you better. If you take them somewhere you like, then you can build more understanding and a better friendship.

So rather than first asking them for contact information, I suggest you ask if you can do something together again later. Then, if they agree, you can ask to exchange contact information.

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