There is probably nothing as frustrating as trying to figure out whether or not a guy likes you. Many of them aren’t really good at expressing themselves, which forces you to play Sherlock Holmes trying to find clues that could give you a hint.
What did he mean with that emoji he sent? Was he staring at me, or was he just lost in his thoughts with his eyes fixed in my general direction?
If you are in such a situation, then don’t fret. We have your back! Here are 31 signs he wants you more than a friend.
Of course, it is not an entirely foolproof list, and context always plays a massive role in determining just how accurate these signs are.
However, for the most part, if a guy does any of them, they are probably interested in more than being another male friend on your contact list.
Here are the 31 subtle signs he likes you more than a friend.
He makes an effort to spend quality time with you
It is not likely for a guy to go out of his way to spend time with someone they do not like. He might ask you out on a date. If he is shy, he will insist on calling it a casual hangout.
However, if there seems to be a ton of these “casual hangs,” then you might have a love-struck bug on your hands.
He is constantly checking up on you
When a guy likes you, he will blow up your phone all day, every day. He wants to know how your day was, what you are having for lunch, and your opinion on something he bought. This constant communication is his way of trying to maintain a connection with you.
He prefers phone calls over texts
Texts and instant messages are fast and convenient. They also don’t require a lot of effort, so chances are, a guy who sees you only as a friend will prefer them as a method of communication over an actual call.
Talking is so much more intimate, mainly because it’s not really about what we say but how we say it. On the other hand, texting acts as a buffer, creating distance which is usually a clear sign that you are not his priority.
Having said that, if a guy prefers chatting you up on the phone over sending an occasional text message, it’s probably a sign that he likes you.
He reaches out more to you than you to him
Thanks to technology, we have all become instantly available and easy to reach.
From romantic partners and friends to colleagues and employees – texting and calling are the norms. So, if a guy wants to keep in touch, he might just be a friend who enjoys your company. Maybe you are just vibing!
However, there are obvious signs when a guy is actually falling for you and wants to be more than just friends. If he is always the first one initiating contact and insists on meeting you in person, you better believe he has a crush on you.
You’re the first person he calls when he needs to talk
Whether it’s good or bad, you are the first person he calls every time something important happens to him. It’s a clear yet subtle great sign you are at the top of his list, even before his family. That speaks volumes!
If a guy comes to you for advice or confides in you, it means he values your opinion and wants your input. But, there is one thing he will never talk to you about – other women.
I mean, it’s kinda obvious. When a guy and a girl are just buddies, they share things about their crushes and give each other advice, right? Well, if his love life is never a topic, he’s probably telling you he is available and only interested in you.
He treats you differently than his other friends
Body language signs, tone of voice, and eye contact are hard to fake, especially when you like someone! They are actually dead giveaways, so if you want to find out whether a guy is into you or sees you just as a friend, pay attention to how he acts around you.
Is he always standing close, trying to touch your hand or shoulder? Does his voice become softer when he talks to you compared to a female friend? Does he smile every time he sees you?
If such behavior is strictly reserved for you, he is probably interested in you as a woman. A guy who wants to be romantically involved with you won’t treat you like one of the crew.
He is asking all the right questions
When a guy wants to make a move from the friend zone to something else, he usually does his research. He will ask you questions about your values, goals, and basically anything he needs to figure out whether you are the right match.
So when the conversation shifts from cartoons and your favorite band to dreams and deep feelings, then he probably really likes you. Most of the time, he is fighting his true feelings for you.
He showers you with attention
Imagine a room full of young, vibrant women, and all he can see is you. Men who want to keep their options open won’t stop scanning for a potential match, but somehow, he got his eyes set on you.
Not that he is avoiding everyone else, but even when you are not the center of his attention, he finds a way to make you feel special and acknowledged.
Rick Warren once said, “When you give someone your time, you are giving them a portion of your life that you’ll never get back.” In other words, if a man dedicates his time and attention to you more than anyone else, he probably cares about you more than you think.
He’s always around you
When we are attracted to someone, we are also naturally drawn to them. It’s human nature to want to hang out with the person we have feelings for, and men are no exception.
So pay attention to his behavior. Is he always around, popping up in places you’d never expect to see him?
When you are friends and share the same circle of people, seeing him around often shouldn’t come as a surprise. But when his face starts haunting you everywhere you go, you can write that off as a coincidence. This guy is after you, no doubt about it.
He goes out of his way for you
Men tend to show their affection through actions rather than words. When a guy is always there to help you out whenever you need something fixed around the house or even doing random chores, he wants to be something more than just friends with you.
By helping you around so much, he is trying to show you, in a subtle way, that he is ready to take care of you and assume the role of a boyfriend/partner in your life.
You catch him staring at you
Whenever you lift your head or look around, you will find him burning holes through you. It seems like he always has his eyes on you.
But who could blame him? He probably likes you so much that he wants to make eye contact every chance he gets!
Subtle physical displays of affection
One of the most obvious and accurate ‘are we more than friends signs’ is constant physical displays of affection.
Maybe he is always touching your hair. Or he could place his arm on your shoulder as he is guiding you through a door. Or maybe he lingers a little when he hugs you. More often than not, his body language shows that he is really into you.
He gives you compliments
Some guys are shy, and others feel confident showering you with compliments. Whether he is straightforward with his words or compliments you indirectly, he acknowledges your qualities.
He will find a way to let you know about all the things he likes about you, whether that’s your style and the cute new dress you’re wearing, your sense of humor, or smarts and wits.
He pays attention to your social media activity
No, this is not about a guy who developed a stalky obsession with your social media without ever daring to give you a single like.
This is more about the guy you will find liking and commenting on your pictures and stories, sharing the same links, and entering the same communities as you.
Your company in real life is no longer enough, and like with body language, he may often copy your behavior online to get your attention.
He tries to hang out with just you
This guy will do anything to get some one-on-one time with you. Whether you are in a small group of people or attending a large gathering, he will try his best to catch you alone so that he can spend some time with you.
Now, you can’t expect every man to be direct and ask you out right away. Some guys will need a minute to work up their confidence to invite you on a date.
He may first ask you to hang out as friends over a movie or dinner. Completely platonic. However, if these ‘get-togethers’ gain intensity, he is probably developing romantic feelings towards you and wants to spend time with you.
He gets uncomfortable when you talk about other guys
Jealousy is a great sign that he likes you more than a friend. If every time you talk about a crush or even another guy friend, he gets awkward or straight up shuts down, then he probably has a crush on you. So maybe don’t bring up how Jack from work bought you flowers for your birthday or many other things that could make him jealous.
He’s making jokes about you two being together
The telltale signs he wants to be more than just friends are sometimes hidden in plain sight. He could be one of those guys whose way of telling you he likes you is through jokes. So if you have heard statements like “if we were together…” or “if you were my girlfriend…” then have your love antennae up. Someone is head over heels.
He treats you like a princess
He will buy you gifts, take you to his favorite spots, and straight-up spoil you. This is how guys appeal to women’s innate desire to be taken care of and treated like royalty. It doesn’t matter how strong and independent you are; these gestures always melt your heart.
He acts like a gentleman
Who said chivalry was dead? This guy friend will go above and beyond to make your life easier. From holding the door for you to helping you put on your coat to carrying your grocery bags up the stairs, he will try his best to make you feel special and appreciated. Too bad not all guys are like that.
He remembers everything you mention
When a guy has a romantic interest in you, then everything you say is exciting. It could be anything from the story of how you ripped off a fingernail in third grade to what you ate last week for lunch. They also probably keep bringing the information up during subsequent conversations to show you that they remember.
He gives you nicknames
Has he already started giving you cute nicknames instead of calling you by your real name? These are subtle signs of endearment and once pet names like sweetie, baby girl, and boo get involved, know that he no longer wants to be in the friend zone. He is just dropping hints to find out whether you feel the same for him or not.
He is protective of you
If a guy friend likes you a lot, he will want to protect you. You will see it in subtle gestures, like how he always insists on walking on the side of the road where there is traffic. Or how he will always wait for your food to arrive before he starts eating.
This point is a tricky one, though, because some guys do this just out of kindness and because they were raised to be gentlemen.
His face lights up when you enter the room
When a man starts catching feelings, he will instinctively smile every time you show up. This is not your regular courtesy smile; we are talking about a major grin from ear to ear.
His whole face practically lights up, his demeanor and body language change, and he unconsciously corrects his posture. The signs are there; you just need to see them.
He’s always dressed well
It’s true that real beauty comes from within, but when a man starts having romantic feelings for you, he will also dress to impress – particularly when you are around!
New haircut, cleaner shave, edgier style… He will flaunt his most’ colorful feathers’ just to get you paying attention.
I don’t need to tell you what that means, especially if he has gone through a major style transformation since the two of you met and started hanging out.
He shares future plans with you
You can always tell if a man is truly interested and deeply invested by his eagerness to have you as a part of his future.
Some guys are subtle and will drop it in the form of upcoming plans. It could be anything from dinner next week to a concert next summer. Others are more direct about their intentions with you, and these offer up the best clues when it comes to figuring out whether they want to move things to the next level.
Their declarations and plans are more serious, with things like proposals to move in together and expressed enthusiasm at the thought of ending up together.
He makes sweet gestures
Most men are not big on gifts, especially not on choosing and shopping for them. So, if a guy starts giving you presents without any special occasion or obvious reason, it’s likely that he is falling for you.
Now, these gifts don’t have to be anything big or expensive – he may take you out for drinks from time to time or pay for your lunch. Or, if he is more on the creative side, he may draw you a sketch or write you a poem.
These sweet little gestures are tokens of love and affection. And while he is still gathering the courage to come clean about the feelings he has for you, he still finds a way to show you his romantic side through sweet gifts.
He shows interest in knowing your family
A man who wants to move things to the next level with you will respect and want to be a part of your support system.
This includes friends and, more importantly, family. You will notice him being more curious about what your relationship with your dad is like or what your little sister likes to do.
He will also seem super excited at the thought of getting invited to that family pool party or holiday dinner. The strongest messages you can get from this are that he doesn’t want to hide what he feels for you and wants to be involved in your life in every way possible.
You make him nervous
When a guy seems nervous around you, it is probably the cutest of all signs that he is into you and wants to have a romantic relationship!
This is easier to notice with guys who are typically not shy around girls. You might also notice it through his guy friends playfully teasing him about it when you’re spending time together.
If you notice him acting all weird around you, it means he is so interested that he gets scared of messing it up by doing or saying something weird. So they end up either fumbling with their words or staying completely silent, entangled in a bundle of nerves.
And ladies, I think we can all agree that there is nothing more flattering and endearing than knowing you made a grown man nervous!
He doesn’t talk to you about other girls
When boys get comfortable with a girl as a friend, they have no problem talking about other girls and their love life.
However, if the guy has romantic feelings for you, it will be like no other girls exist on the planet. And even if the topic of someone else finds its way into a conversation, they will contribute very little.
This is their way of either consciously or subconsciously trying to show that they are only interested in one person. He doesn’t want you to feel jealous about girls he is not even thinking about.
You could very easily test this theory by slyly mentioning a girl you both know and see how he reacts to it. If he goes off on a rant about how hot or awesome she is, then he probably sees you as just a friend.
If, on the other hand, he gives coy straight comments that are in every way neutral, it’s one clear sign he likes you more than a friend.
He respects you
You will know a man is interested in being more than friends by his demeanor and treatment towards you. More often than not, he will be incredibly respectful in how he talks to you, treats you, and acts around you in general. He will listen to your opinions, respect your personal space and decisions, and make you feel truly valued.
This, however, is not to say that boys who are not interested will not do the same. However, where feelings are involved, respect is on a whole other level, and you will love every bit of it.
He straight up says it
And sometimes, if you are lucky, you won’t even need clues. He will come right out and let you know he wants to be more than friends.
Isn’t that the dream?