So… you’re really into a guy, but you don’t know if he feels the same way. Or maybe you thought you had a connection with a guy and you’re wondering if he’s actually interested in you. Is it all in your head? The world of dating is confusing. It’s perfectly understandable if you need some help figuring out the ways in which a guy shows that he likes you.
Here are the 12 Signs for How To Know If a Guy Likes You:
One of the best ways to figure out if a guy likes you is to pay attention to how he moves his body. Body language is scientifically proven to show interest. It can speak volumes about how he feels about you. In a study by Vacharkulksemsuk and associates, speed daters who had ‘open’ body language, such as widespread arms, legs, or torso, were 76% more likely to be chosen for a date.
Without a doubt, body language communicates something to the person you’re interested in. No words are needed. When first seeing you, does he groom himself? If he adjusts his shirt, or combs his hair, it’s a good sign that he’s thinking about his appearance in your presence – because he wants you to find him attractive.
When you’re meeting a guy, pay close attention to how he positions his body. Is he looking at you a lot? Does he lean towards you with interest when you talk? Take note of his sitting position as well. Guys who sit with their hands on their hips or with an open posture are usually interested in the person they’re around.
Want a great tip to know if he’s subconsciously interested in you? Watch his body. If his hands, feet, and legs are pointed or turned towards you, it suggests that he’s really interested in you. Typically, when there is genuine attraction, our bodies will naturally turn towards the person we’re interested in.
On the other hand, body language can also tip you off that he’s just not that into you. If he crosses his arms in your presence, or angles his body away from you, he is likely not interested in you.
Most of the time, guys are only nervous when they are around women they are interested in, so if he’s nervous around you, that’s a good sign. This suggests that he’s likely nervous about making a great impression on you – because he wants you to find him attractive.
If he sounds nervous speaking to you, then he is likely to be interested in you.
Nervousness can manifest differently from people to people.
A guy may talk really fast and not let you get a word in. Does he stutter? Does he fidget? Perhaps he will sweat more, or take deep breathes. Nervousness can also be seen from his banter and jokes. If a guy is frequently making jokes or playfully teasing you, then he is likely to be interested in you.
Some guys will attempt to hide their nervousness by seeming distant and disinterested. Realize that what may appear to be self-centered and narcissistic behavior— like not asking you questions, or him doing all the talking — could just be a case of being nervous, so think twice before dismissing him as not being interested in you.
Don’t let his nervousness throw you off. Just play it cool, and he’ll soon relax around you.
If you’re not sure, just think about what you do when you are nervous around a guy you like. Look out for those same signs to know if he’s interested in you.
One of the main reasons a guy will look at you is that he likes you – a lot! If you see him raising his eyebrows when he looks at you, even if it lasts only a fraction of a second, then it’s a good sign.
If he keeps holding eye contact with you, or if his eyes wander to your mouth, he’s likely to be interested in you.
If he quickly looks away when you catch him looking, he’s likely to be interested but shy. Have patience and give him a chance to relax more.
On the other hand, if he breaks eye contact with you and continues looking away, then he may not be interested in you.
If he says something funny or tells a joke, and you see his eyes focusing on you, that’s because he wants to see if you find it funny – it’s a telltale sign he wants to impress you!
Bonus tip: Where a guy looks can also tell you if he’s interested in you. In a study by researchers at Wellesley College and the University of Kansas, it was found that both men and women would frequently stare at the head or chest of the person they were romantically interested in. If they see that person as just a friend, they would look at their feet or legs more instead.
If a guy is copying your actions – if you make a gesture, and then notice that he makes the same gesture soon after - there is generally a good chance that he is interested in you. This is something that happens on a subconscious level – he won’t even know he’s doing it.
Here’s what to look out for: Does he lean forward when you do? Does he use similar language as you? Does he copy your mannerisms, like touching his face or gesturing with his hands, when you do it?
Bonus tip: One good way to subtly let a guy know you’re interested in him is to copy his actions. Turn your body towards him when he turns to you; laugh when he laughs, and so on.
Smiling attracts other people to you. It is also a sign of attraction – it shows a desire to impress the other party.
When you’re with a guy you’re interested in, take note of how many times he smiles.
What type of smile does he give you? Does he smile to be polite? Is he giving you a fake smile? Or does he have a genuine smile that shows he is having a good time and how much he enjoys spending time with you?
Bonus tip: Smile more. This will get him to smile more in turn because smiling is contagious.
If a guy teases and pokes fun at you, you should sit up and pay attention. Is it a gentle tease? If so, it likely means that he’s attracted to you and wants your attention. This is more often seen in younger guys who use this as a means of flirting to show their interest in you.
Of course, there is a right way and a wrong way to tease someone. If the teasing crosses the line and makes you feel uncomfortable, you should let him know so that he can back off. Gentle teasing is fine, and lets you know that he feels comfortable enough around you that he can be playful. He wants to make you laugh and show off his humorous side.
If you’re up for it, you can try to tease him back. It’s a good way to build some real chemistry.
There is a caveat. If a guy teases every girl around him, he probably has a flirtatious character, and you should not read too much into it. However, if you’re the only one he teases, it’s a good sign that he’s interested in you. If he teases or flirts with other girls, but keeps trying to sneak peeks at you to check your response, it’s likely that he wants to test whether you are interested in him.
You may be surprised, but when a guy playfully punches your arm, there’s a good chance that he likes you. This is a guy’s way of being friendly with you – without revealing that he is interested in you.
If a guy sees that you don’t pull away when he does it, it’ll give him a signal that you’re comfortable around him. He may take it as a sign that you’re interested in him too. Expect him to find gentler and more intimate ways of making a connection with you.
If you do not like him punching you, but you like him, you can try to play it off gently with a laugh. You do not want to bruise his ego. Tell him that you don’t mind him being playful – as long as he doesn’t hurt you.
If you enjoy it, you can punch him back playfully in turn. Keep it flirty. Be careful that he doesn’t put you in the friend zone as “one of the guys”.
Touching and being touched is a good way to gauge how comfortable and how intimate a guy wants to be with you. You can test this by touching him and seeing his reaction – remember to be subtle! If you playfully tap his shoulder, does he pull away? Does he move his hand away from yours if you touch him?
Get a little closer to him to see how he responds. If he stays, and especially if he tries to move closer to further his body contact with you, it is a good sign that he likes you.
If a guy isn’t interested in you, he will probably step back and try to keep to his personal space.
Do keep one thing in mind – if he is a naturally shy or nervous guy, he may not respond well when you touch him. He may even be a bit jumpy. This doesn’t tell you much. You will probably need to look at other signs to know for sure.
Does he listen to you? Not just listens but actually hears. That means a guy is actually interested in what you’re saying. If a guy talks about himself constantly, it may mean you’re with a narcissist, or he’s just not that into you.
A man who likes you will want to get to know you better. He will do so by asking you questions about your hobbies, your life goals, your family, your friends, and so on.
If a guy is truly interested in you, he will go one step further: he will be able to refer back to the things you have said previously, whether be it some childhood story or a comment you've made off-hand.
If a guy likes you, expect him to pay special attention to in things you’re interested in, such as a band that you like or a TV series you’re into. If he starts getting into them, and they become his new favorite things, then it’s a good sign that he wants you to find him interesting.
So if you’re on a date and wondering how to tell if a guy likes you, consider how many questions he has asked about you compared to how much he has talked about himself. Is he genuinely showing interest in what you have told him? Does he come up with follow-up questions or does he change the subject?
Compliments are a good way to gauge a guy’s interest in you. Guys do not usually give compliments unless they mean them. If a guy is quick to say lovely things about you, he is probably into you.
You should pay attention to whether or not the compliments you have received are sincere. If they are mostly about your looks and your physical appearance, he’s most likely only interested in a casual fling.
If a guy genuinely likes you, he will most likely compliment you on subtle things that you may not even be aware of yourself. It could be observations about your personality, your wit, or your values.
Does he notice when you change your look? If he compliments you on subtle changes in your hairstyle, or your outfit, it’s a good sign that he is paying special attention to you – he likes you!
Guys are not usually good at giving compliments, so be sure to keep an open mind. If you’ve noticed that he doesn’t really compliment other girls, but he makes an extra effort to compliment you, then he is most likely interested in you.
If a guy likes you, he will likely have told his friends about you. Or his friends may have guessed it from seeing changes in his behavior. Whatever the reasons may be, when you are around him and his friends, you should watch his friends closely for clues. If they start making subtle jokes and tease him at your expense, they could be hinting that he is interested in you.
Do his friends express surprise to see you when you show up with him? Or do they greet you like they already expect you to be around him? Do they smile when they see you? Do they act awkward around you – like they know something you don’t?
If you have not met his friends yet, tell him you would like to meet them, and see his response. If he is excited for you to meet them, it shows that he has told you about them and may even be proud to show you off to them. If a guy likes you, he’ll want to include you in his life. If he is hesitant, he may not be into you.
We live in a world that is increasingly connected through social media. If a guy starts to ‘follow’ you or try to make connections with you on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, it’s likely that he wants to find out more about you and your world – because he is interested in you.
If you notice that he is giving you ‘likes’ on your posts, sharing his posts, and leaving comments, you can be reasonably confident that he likes you.
If a guy doesn’t want to ‘friend’ you on Facebook or tag you on Instagram, it’s possible that he doesn’t like you or he has something he wants to hide.
Watch out for guys who send you one-word messages. This shows a lack of effort and interest, and it’s likely that he doesn’t like you the way that you like him.
On the other hand, if his responses seem to be carefully considered and he is messaging you in a timely manner, it means that he is probably interested in you.
If you really want to know if a guy likes you, you can just ask him, or let him know that you think he is cool and you’re interested in him. Some guys, especially the shy ones, will appreciate your initiative and will likely find your gutsy attitude refreshing. There is no need to play games. He will either respond in kind or tell you he is not interested.
Last advice: Trust your gut. If you are sure that a guy likes you, he probably does. If he is slow to make a move, it’s possible that he is shy or afraid of getting his feelings hurt. Be a little patient. Look for excuses to spend more time alone with him, so he can start to relax and be more comfortable around you.
The best way for you to demonstrate your interest in a guy is to recognize and respond to his signals. Remember the signs. Make sure you are also giving off signals that show you are interested in him too. This will boost his confidence and leave him wanting to get to know you better.
Do you know any other signs for telling if a guy likes you?