Do you have a crush on a guy, but you are unsure if he likes you back? We have all been there, and we know how frustrating it can be. Sometimes you think he is interested, and you start to think about being together, but other times you are uncertain if he thinks about you that way at all. You find yourself spending your time and energy wondering about him and end up chasing him, which ultimately tires you out. It is hard to stop because you do not know how he feels, so you hold onto the possibility that he does, in fact, like you.
If you find yourself in this classic romantic predicament, then you are in the right place. This article will cover some of the most common signs that a guy likes you. Read about the common signs that a guy likes you and apply them to understand your situation better. Bear in mind that even when a guy likes you, he might not show some of these signs so quickly. Perhaps he is shy or does not want to overstep any boundaries.
Equally, some guys, unfortunately, show people signs of like but do not mean them, so be mindful of those. As such, these signs will not accurately predict how he feels every time, but at the very least, they will give you an idea. So, if you are ready to learn about the signs a guy likes you, just keep on reading.
How to Tell If a Guy Likes You
Some guys can be tricky and difficult to read to know whether or not they like you, or, probably, they are just friendly. Below you will find some obvious, and not so obvious, signs that he is into you.
1. He Maintains Eye Contact
That is a great sign if he maintains eye contact when he speaks to you. It shows that he is genuinely interested in talking to you reason he is paying attention to what you say. So, check his eyes when chatting with him. It may be about trivial conversations like the weather or deep conversations like a childhood memory. Does he make direct eye contact with you? Or does he keep looking away?
If you notice that he is making and keeping eye contact when you talk, make sure to look at him too. It is natural to feel a little shy or nervous when you like someone, but it is worth sharing eye contact. One study published in the Journal of Research and Personality reported that prolonged eye contact between strangers significantly increased their attraction to each other.
2. He Is Curious About You
If a guy is genuinely interested in you, he wants to know more about you. He will not be satisfied with not knowing that much. He will want to know about your likes and dislikes, your interests, your personal story, and your vision of the future. He will make sure to ask about you in conversations instead of only talking about himself.
When you tell him about you, he listens. He does not jump in and relate what you stay back to his own life all the time. Instead, he looks you in the eyes and listens to what you have to say, waits when you are finished, and asks for more.
Bear in mind that some guys can like you a little too much. They might get obsessive, where their level of eye contact is so much that it is uncomfortable, and their questions are intrusive. Remember that you do not have to answer any question—that is not rude; instead, it is about setting boundaries.
Still, if the guy you like is asking personal questions and is genuinely interested in your answers, make sure to make a reasonable effort in the conversation. Invite him in to learn more about you and satisfy his curiosity. At the same time, do not give the game away—a little mystery is needed in a potential romance.
3. He Talks to His Friends About You (A Lot)
If he talks to his friends about you, that is an obvious sign that he likes you. Not many guys will regularly speak to their friends about a girl they do not like. He might tell stories about you, mention something you brought up in a group conversation, or ask mutual friends about how you are doing. But how do you know if he is talking to his friends about you? The trick is to have someone on the inside. You need a mutual friend, a guy or girl, who hangs out with him and his other friends. If you are close enough with this mutual friend, they may just let you in on the juicy details.
4. He Wants to Spend Time with Just You
That guy probably likes you if he wants to hang out with you alone. If he asks you to go to a movie, take a walk in the park, or go for a drive somewhere nice, he wants to enjoy more of your company. If he is trying to spend time with you alone, he genuinely likes it. If you like him too, hang out with him, but remember to keep some mystery and boundaries.
Some guys will like you so much that they want to hang out all the time, and it can feel awkward to say no. Many women are conditioned into thinking that saying no is rude and something to feel guilty about. Remember that it is entirely within your right to set boundaries around how and with whom you spend your time and energy.
5. He Is Protective
A guy who likes you wants to protect you from harm. If you tell him something is bothering you, he will help you solve it. If he thinks that other guys approaching you are not good for you, he will let you know. If he thinks you are in danger, he will not hesitate to step in.
Guys are naturally protective over the girls they like. They want to play the hero. That being said, some guys can be overprotective. It is completely normal and harmless for you to talk to other guys, so if he seems to have a problem with that, then he might be the jealous type. You might be okay with that, but remember to set some healthy boundaries. Being protective can seem cute and romantic at first, but there is a line.
6. He Acts Distant
In general, guys do not want to come off as clingy or needy. When they like a girl, they will show interest, but they will be mindful of showing too much because they do not want to scare you off. As such, many guys will try to act cool and aloof. They want to play it cool to seem mysterious, making them appear more attractive. You might hang out for a while and get flirty and romantic, but they will suddenly pull away. He wants to know that you like him too, so he checks to see if you will pursue when he pulls away.
Again, there is a balance here. Some of us confuse a guy who acts aloof with a completely emotionally unavailable man. The former is fun and mysterious and is someone with whom you can play the romantic game, but the latter may cause some problems. It is wise to check in with yourself and see what type of guy you want to pursue. If he is always emotionally unavailable, that might tire you out and eventually make you feel like you are not good enough.
7. He Compliments You
Compliments are an excellent sign that he likes you. Guys do not usually give compliments out freely, so you know he has been thinking about you if he is complimenting you. He might compliment your beautiful eyes, gorgeous hair, or interesting fashion sense. He might also compliment you about non-physical things, such as the way you speak, your kindness and compassion, or your intelligence. He might tell you that he is impressed with your taste in music or movies or that he likes how respectful and caring you are toward those around you.
Try to discern between genuine compliments and false ones. Some guys will shower you with compliments just to get you into bed, while others will genuinely want to share how much they like you. You can usually tell by their tone of voice. If they sound sleazy and cheeky, they are probably thinking about getting into the bed with you. If they sound compassionate and share compliments from a burning need to tell you how nice you are, that is probably more about a genuine romantic interest.
8. He Thinks About the Small Things
When a guy likes you, he wants to take care of you. He will check in with you often to see if you are doing ok or need anything, such as a drink when you are all out with friends or any help with a task. He wants to take care of you as a way of showing care and affection.
Be mindful of how much he wants to help. It is great when people go the extra mile, but some guys tend to engage in people-pleasing behaviors when they like a girl. They might act nice and come off as a nice guy, but they are just being so nice on a deeper level because they want you to like them. That can be flattering at first, but it is not sustainable for a healthy, mutually-beneficial relationship in the long run.
9. He Initiates Contact
When a guy likes a girl, he wants to reach out and talk to her. Even if he is a little shy or awkward, he will eventually muster up the courage to text you or approach you when he sees you out. If he were not interested, he would not bother to initiate contact because he sees no point. Bear in mind that he might just want to be friends if he reaches out, but this is also a good sign that he is interested.
7 Body Language Signs a Guy Likes You
We do not just communicate in words. Most of the communication between people is non-verbal—conveyed through body language. That is how you can tell whether or not someone wants you to approach them. Someone can show open body language—a tall posture, a relaxed face, uncrossed arms, and/or closed body posture, such as slouching, avoidance of eye contact, or guards across the body like arms and legs, books, and bags.
1. He Makes Physical Contact
If a guy likes you, he will connect with you physically. If he always wants to give you a hug when he sees you, he might very well be interested. He might also casually touch your arm in conversation or hold your hand if you tell him about something tough that happened to you. Pay attention to how it feels when you two touch. This type of physical connection is incredibly powerful. It may only last a few seconds, but if there is genuine chemistry between the two of you, those few seconds can feel like half an hour.
2. He Corrects His Posture When He Sees You
He will be at his best when you two are together if he likes you. Notice what happens to his physicality when you walk into a room. Does he slouch, or does he sit up straight? If he likes you, he will appear tall and confident. He will likely fix his hair, correct his posture, and plant his feet on the ground.
3. He Looks at You from Across the Room
If he is into you, he will try to sneak in some across-the-room glances when you two are in the same space together. He wants to see you, how you speak and behave when you are not looking so that he can sense what you are like when you are completely natural. Hold it for a second if you make eye contact with him from across the room.
You might feel nervous, but this will let him know that you are also curious about him, making him feel more comfortable approaching you later. Notice how he behaves when you catch him glancing. Does he look away immediately? If so, he might be nervous about approaching you. If he holds eye contact, too, he is more confident. Usually, it takes a couple of these across-the-room glances to get a sense of the potential chemistry.
4. He Wants a Second Date
When a guy goes on a first date with you, he wants to see if you two are a match. He will be a keen observer of the energy between the two of you and whether or not there will be a second date. If he is hitting up your phone to ask for a second date, then he likes you. He enjoyed the first date and saw potential, and he does not want to miss out on another chance to see you.
5. He Opens Space
It is not always obvious, but just like body language, the space between you two says a lot about how you feel about them. For example, a physical object such as a chair, book, or box can be a physical barrier between two people. If someone likes you, they will overcome that physical barrier by removing the object. If they do not care about connecting, the barrier will not be an issue. So, if a guy likes you and wants to talk to you more, he will move the box or the chair to open up the space between the two of you.
6. He Drunk Texts You
They say a drunk person’s words are a sober person’s thoughts. If he thinks about you and texts or calls you when he had a few bottles of beer, that means you were on his mind before he even had a drink. Be mindful of how you respond when you think he is drunk, though. Alcohol lowers our inhibitions, and we might get the lofty idea that he can just call you up for a booty call. If you are okay with that, it is fine, but take a moment to think about what you want from him and for yourself.
7. He Is Nervous Around You
He is probably into you if he starts acting weird, shy, or nervous around you. When you talk, does he stumble over his words? Is he trying to find something to keep the conversation going? If so, he wants to spend more time talking to you, but he is unsure how. If you like him back, help him out by offering more topics to talk about or asking him questions.
3 Signs a Guy Does Not like You
1. He Looks for Excuses to Leave Conversations
If a guy is not interested in you, he will not care much about prolonging conversations. If he likes someone, he will extend the conversation because he can spend more time with that person, but if he is not interested, he will not keep the conversation flowing. Now, take this sign lightly.
It becomes a more obvious sign when he always does it every time you have a conversation. Of course, sometimes we need to cut the conversation short for personal reasons, so do not jump to conclusions if he suddenly has to jet off. Still, if he does not want to keep chatting, do not initiate the conversation. Instead, start welcoming other people into your space.
2. He Does Not Text You Back
A guy who likes you will not leave you hanging. He might not text back immediately, but he will let you know if he cannot reply. If he does not like you, he will not care about texting you back.
3. You Always Contact Him First
If you are always reaching out first, but he rarely texts or calls you first, he may not be that into you. A guy that wants to be with you will make the extra effort to connect with you. He will not initiate all the time because he wants to maintain a healthy balance, but he will not leave you hanging either.
Conclusion
Wondering if a guy likes you or not can be frustrating. Consider the signs outlined above to help you figure out how he feels, but there is one thing you can do to end your wondering—ask him. Most guys appreciate it when a girl comes right out and asks him whether or not he is interested. It shows a confident attitude that guys like, so you will definitely leave a good impression even if he does not feel the same way about you.
