Any guy can tell a woman she’s beautiful. Let’s be honest—it’s become a bit of a generic compliment. These are the real compliments I’d much rather get from the guy I’m dating and why they mean so much more to me.
- “You’re strong.” I want a guy who takes the time to notice my strength. It might not be immediately visible because it’s not physical but emotional and mental. I also want a guy who appreciates and values my strength instead of feeling intimidated by it.
- “You’re smart.” For me, brains trump beauty every single time because you can get further on smarts and it means the guy’s paying real attention to me if he compliments me on my beautiful brain. It also means that I’ve got something that he’ll still find interesting in decades to come.
- “You’re hilarious!” I love being told this because if I can make a guy laugh, then I know we’re on the same page. Humor is one of the sexiest qualities and one that’s absolutely necessary in a meaningful relationship.
- “You’re authentic.” In a world full of robots and mannequins, I want to be noticed for being unique and unafraid to move away from the crowd. I’m always true to myself, and a guy who notices that gets major brownie points.
- “You’re captivating.” If a guy’s going to call me “sexy” or “beautiful,” I’d prefer if he takes it up a notch by saying I’m captivating. Beauty is so much more than just physical and I want him to feel that there’s so much more going on with me when he looks at me than just what I look like.
- “You’re inspiring.” Everyone wants to make a difference and there’s no greater compliment than when I’m told that I helped someone, even if it’s in a small way, like a pep talk that made the guy feel motivated to chase his dreams.
- “You’ve got gorgeous *insert detail here*” Of course, it’s always nice to be reminded of what’s beautiful about me, but if a guy’s going to compliment me on my body, I’d like for it to be detailed. Instead of calling me beautiful, he should tell me about my eyes, hair, walk or smile.
- “I can be myself around you.” Hearing this is the best. It means that he’s comfortable around me, can let his guard down, and possibly even let me into his deepest thoughts and feelings. It’s a sign of intimacy and trust. I want people to feel like they can be completely unedited in my presence.
- “You’re important to me.” The guy I’m with should forget telling me that I’m beautiful and rather tell me that I mean something to him. What do I bring to his life? Why does he like being with me? What makes me important to him? This is what makes me feel special.
- “I respect you.” When a guy I’m with tells me he respects me, it means that he holds me in high regard, is mindful of his behavior because he doesn’t want to cross a line, and wants me to value him. He cares about what I think of him.
- “I love getting your opinion.” A guy who says this feels he can confide in me and trust me. It’s such a huge compliment because it shows he values what I have to say and isn’t one of those jerks who’ll just write me off.
- “I feel my happiest when I’m with you.” There are so many things that make him happy but he’s making time with me his happiest of all? That’s such an amazing compliment because making someone happy is the greatest gift.
- “I love your quirks.” I’m shy about my quirks, like how I’m untidy and get obsessed over stupid things sometimes, like a pink toaster. If a guy I’m dating can see my quirks and love me for them, he’s really loving the real me.
- You’re a great friend. When a lover can tell me that I’m not only wonderful as a GF but also as a friend to other people, he’s really noticing what I’m about. I have so much to give, not just in my relationship but other relationships in my life.
- “You’re the best girlfriend I’ve ever had.” It might sound ego-driven, but I want to hear that I’m my boyfriend’s best girlfriend ever, not just between the sheets but in daily life. I want to know that I’ve enriched his life with all that I’ve brought to it, in a way he never experienced before. It’s one of those compliments that mean so much because if he says it, he’s really saying, “I’m 100 percent satisfied with you.”
- “You’re elegant.” Anyone can be trendy or have a great dress sense, but elegance is in a league of its own. It’s something you either have or you don’t, and if a guy can spot this quality in me then I know he’s really taking notice and he’s after more than just a hookup. It takes someone with class to notice it in others, after all.
- “You make me a better man.” When a man meets a woman who challenges him and shows him what real love is, it inspires him to be a better man. Every woman wants to hear that she’s had this positive effect on a man because it means that she’s bringing him to a new level of self-growth. If I receive this compliment it feels good to me because it means I’m not just someone pretty to look at—I’m worth investing in.
