But are those signs really telling you what you think they are? After all, you’ve been wrong before. So, does he like you? Or are you misreading his behavior? Questions like these need clear, helpful answers — ideally those based on the experience of women who’ve been where you are now. That’s why we chose the following 23 signs a guy likes you. Use them to help you interpret the behavior you’re witnessing and decide how to respond to it.
23 Signs a Guy Likes You
If you’ve ever been the target of the behaviors listed below, many (if not all ) of them will sound familiar. Some are subconscious signs of attraction, and some are more conscious and even intentional. So, whether you’re looking for male body language signs of attraction or trying to interpret mystifying changes in a guy’s behavior toward you (or someone you know), this list is an eye-opener.
1. His eyes look to you first for approval.
Whether he’s just told a joke or made a suggestion or expressed a belief, if a guy looks to you first to gauge your reaction, it means he cares about what you think. Watch him when he speaks — and watch where his eyes travel as he’s talking and when he finishes. Also, if you have the eyesight for it, check to see if his eyes dilate when he looks at you. That’s another sign that he’s more comfortable and receptive around you.
2. He smiles at you a lot.
Even if he doesn’t always (or often) smile with his teeth, if his mouth curves into a smile when he looks at you, that says something about the effect you have on him. If every time he sees you, his face lights up, you know he’s glad to have you around. Fake smiles don’t count, though. Neither do cocky grins and awkward grimaces, though the latter might communicate nervousness, which could be a sign that he likes you. It could also mean whatever he ate isn’t agreeing with him.
3. He makes and maintains eye contact (or as much of it as he’s comfortable with).
Not all of us can pull off eye contact with equal ease. But if a guy makes an effort to look you in the eye, at least some of the time — especially if he smiles or his eyes dilate with that eye contact — he’s probably interested in you. If he maintains that eye contact while you’re talking to him (rather than looking around the room or glancing at his watch), that’s also a good sign.
4. He argues with you.
Some guys like a woman they can argue with, and if a guy seems more interested in you the more you argue about something, it’s a pretty good sign he’s looking for someone who isn’t afraid to speak her truth. If you openly disagree with him, and he lavishes all his attention on you, don’t be surprised if he asks you out when the opportunity presents itself.
5. He looks for ways to make you smile.
Besides smiling at you, a guy who likes you is likely to try saying and doing things to make you smile. Maybe he just loves your smile and wants to see it more often. Or maybe he’s picked up on the stress you’re feeling, and he wants to brighten your day. In any case, any guy who goes out of his way to make you smile is probably interested in you.
6. He offers to share something with you.
If a guy offers to share his meal or something else he’s enjoying, he probably likes you and wants to know if you like the same things. Or he’s hoping to brighten your day and spend more time in your company by inviting you to enjoy something with him. Sometimes he’ll order something with the clear intention of sharing it with you. But even if he didn’t order enough for two, if he’s interested, he’ll gladly sacrifice some of those bites for you.
7. He fixes his appearance when he sees you.
If a guy starts fixing his hair and (more or less discreetly) checks his teeth, or tidies up his clothes at the sight of you, he obviously cares about what you think of him. He wants you to be as attracted to him as he is to you. So, he’ll dust off the crumbs and run a hand or two through his hair. He might even check his reflection to make sure everything looks as it should.
8. He tries to be close to you.
If a guy stands or sits closer to you than to others around him, he probably likes you. He might not realize just how close he is — or he might. If he’s standing too close, let him know. It’s good to find out as soon as possible how he’ll respond to your asking for more personal space. If he doesn’t respect it now, that probably won’t change.
9. He mirrors your gestures.
If a guy mimics your body language and hand gestures (talking with his hands), it’s a pretty good sign he’s interested. The mimicry might not even be intentional; we often mimic others unconsciously when we’re interested in them. He might also respond to your receptive body language with receptive gestures of his own (like sitting with his legs apart), even if they don’t exactly match yours.
10. He does or says things to get your attention.
A guy who likes you will want to get your attention as often as he can. So if it seems he’s often saying things or doing things to get you to notice him, you can assume he’s interested. Otherwise, why would he care whether you notice or not? He might even ask you outright what you think about something he said or did, especially if he wasn’t able to deduce your reaction or if he wants confirmation that he hasn’t offended you.
11. His behavior changes when you’re around.
If a guy acts differently around you than around other people, there’s a good chance he likes you. He might also like himself better when he’s with you. If your company makes him a more pleasant person to be around, he’s probably interested in making sure you’re around a lot more often.
12. He opens doors for you.
If a guy opens doors for you, it’s at least a sign that he’s thoughtful and considerate. It’s one thing, though, if he holds the door open for you because you’re heading through the doorway right after him. It’s another when he gets to the door and holds it open until you pass through and then follows you across the threshold. The latter is a stronger sign that he likes you because he’s putting you first — not just holding the door to be polite.
13. He seems nervous around you.
If a guy seems nervous around you — fumbling for the right words to say, not sure what to do with his hands — it’s a pretty strong sign he’s interested in you. The more comfortable you are around each other, the less nervous he’ll seem. But a guy who likes you will always want to impress you.
14. He gives you special treatment.
A guy who likes you will treat you differently from the way he treats other people (including close family members). You get the royal treatment because he’s thinking of you as someone who might become his primary and most intimate companion. And he might want to give you a taste of the treatment you can expect from him. It’s a bad sign, though, if the special treatment goes away as soon as you agree to be his girlfriend.
15. He asks questions to get to know you.
It’s a good sign if a guy asks questions to get to know you better. If he wasn’t interested, he wouldn’t bother. And he wants honest answers, so you don’t both end up wasting time thinking each is something other than he or she seems. So, while it’s natural to be guarded about the more personal questions (and to suggest saving those for later), take the questions as a chance to show who you really are — and to learn more about him, too.
16. He acts possessive of you or jealous of other guys.
If a guy starts acting as though you’re already an item, it’s a pretty good sign he’s into you. If he starts giving the stink-eye or stare of dominance to any guy you’ve ever smiled at or chatted with (in his presence), things are likely to go downhill. You don’t want any guy thinking he owns you or has a right to punish anyone else who shows interest in you. Guys like that are also more likely to punish you if you don’t reciprocate their interest.
17. He gives you his undivided attention.
If a guy gives you his undivided attention when you’re talking to him, that’s a solid sign he likes you. There’s a difference, though, between keeping his eyes trained on you in spite of distractions and actually paying attention to what you’re saying. On the other hand, sometimes guys pick up on more than you realize, even when they don’t seem to be paying attention. But if he makes an extra effort to show you that what you say matters to him, you know he’s interested.
18. He’s protective of you.
If a guy suddenly takes it upon himself to protect you from people and situations he considers dangerous to your well-being, that’s a good sign he likes you. At least he cares about what happens to you, which is more than you can expect from some clueless pretty boy who just wants a pretty girlfriend on his arm.
19. He looks for excuses to be next to you.
When a guy looks for excuses to sit or stand next to you, he’s letting you know he likes to share his space with you. As long as he still respects your personal space enough to not place himself closer to you than you’re comfortable with, you can take the opportunity to get to know him better. Maybe you can get a sense of what type of closeness he’s after with you — the physical kind or a deep, emotional bond.
20. He finds (and comes to) you.
If the guy in question has a habit of finding you wherever you are — and finding reasons to join you — there’s a good chance he’s interested in you. As long as he’s not stalking you, this can be an endearing habit, as long as he doesn’t follow you into the ladies’ room or invite himself into your home.
21. He tries to make you laugh.
A guy that likes you will probably do his best to amuse you. If he can make you laugh, it cuts the tension and makes it easier for you both to relax and enjoy each other’s company. So, his ability to make you laugh gives him a distinct advantage over those who lack that ability. And guys who have this ability are more likely to use it with women who’ve captured their interest.
22. He makes your interests his own (or some of them, at least).
A guy who likes you will take an interest in at least some of the things that interest you. He might even agree to watch a movie that you love but that, ordinarily, he wouldn’t bother with. If it’s something you’re excited about, he’s more likely to be infected by your enthusiasm if he’s interested in getting closer.
23. He keeps finding excuses to touch you.
Whether he reaches out to touch your shoulder or gently brushes a strand of your hair out of your face, a guy who likes you will often find excuses to touch you. If you don’t like to be touched without being asked first, there’s nothing wrong with letting him know that. If he disregards your personal space rules or expects you to bend to accommodate his need for touch, it’s probably a good idea to run.
Signs a Guy Doesn’t Deserve You
The preceding list of signs that a guy likes you has another use: it can help you determine whether a guy is in fact not interested in you. Maybe you’ve met someone who showed some of the signs, and you started to think he might like you. But then, not only did those signs disappear, but the signs listed above represent roughly the opposite of his general behavior toward you.
Instead of paying close attention to you, he looks bored or blows you off.Instead of looking for excuses to be near you, he looks for excuses to get further away from you.Instead of smiling when he sees you, he looks terrified or annoyed.
Maybe you’re thinking, “Story of my life!” but it doesn’t have to be. The first thing you need to realize, though, is that anyone who treats you this way doesn’t deserve your focused attention. It’s one thing if a guy shows no interest at first but then develops a growing interest in you. It’s another if he acts interested at first but then tunes you out and blows you off. As painful as it is to be invisible to someone who’s captured your attention, at least now you have an excellent excuse to let go of him and move on to someone who will see and appreciate you for who you are. Because if he doesn’t see you as someone worthy of his attention, he’s not worthy of yours, either. How To Start a Conversation When You First Meet Someone Relationship Compatibility Test: Are Your Personalities A Love Match? How To Confidently Tell Someone You Like Them Are you recognizing the signs a guy likes you? Now that you have a better idea of whether a certain guy’s behavior toward you means he’s interested (or not), what will you do with that information? What’s the next step? Has he made his interest obvious enough that you feel comfortable showing him whether or not you feel the same way toward him? Or is it time to put more distance between you and give him a chance to develop an interest in someone else? If the interest isn’t mutual, it’s probably best to spend less time around him. Whatever you learn and whatever you decide, remember that you deserve someone who’s as captivated by you as you are by him. May your confidence, compassion, and self-respect influence everything you do today.
