Are You His “Half-Girlfriend”? 5 Signs You’re Not Quite A Couple Yet

This week, Love Island‘s Amy and Curtis introduced a new term to the dating lexicon: “half-girlfriend.” How do you know if the guy you’re seeing considers you his? Look for these signs.

  1. You’re exclusive but not official. You’ve agreed that neither of you is really seeing anyone else, but you’re also not so locked down that you consider yourselves an official couple. You don’t really worry that he’s going to start seeing someone else behind your back and you’re definitely not looking for anyone either, but you still don’t feel comfortable saying that you’re “in a relationship.”
  2. He doesn’t introduce you as his “friend” but you’re still only his “date.” When you go out together—you’ve probably even met some of his friends!—he doesn’t belittle you by claiming that you’re just his pal, but he doesn’t call you his girlfriend either. Instead, he goes for something in between, introducing you as his date. It’s not offensive but it is slightly underwhelming.
  3. He posts photos of the two of you together on social media but leaves the description blank. He’s not exactly plastering his Instagram feed with couple selfies, but he has thrown up a few images here and there from fun things you’ve done together. However, there are no declarations of love or terms of endearment with a bunch of heart emojis in the description—he leaves it blank so people can draw their own conclusions.
  4. You talk about the future but in pretty vague terms. You’ve mentioned going to a concert in a couple of months or how fun it would be to take a weekend trip to the beach next summer, but it’s all pretty vague. It’s clear he’s comfortable with the idea of you being together down the line, but he’s also trying to play things by ear just in case you’re not around then.
  5. He’s consistent but still wants to “take things slow.” He texts you regularly, never leaves you on read, takes you out on dates and treats you with respect. Basically, he’s the perfect boyfriend—he’s just not your boyfriend quite yet. He’s taking all the right steps in the right direction, he just wants to take things slow. But is that such a bad thing? If you’re going to be together long-term, you have all the time in the world. Half-girlfriend is on the way to full girlfriend, and if things go well, you’ll be there in no time.
Bolde has been a source of dating and relationship advice for single women around the world since 2014. We combine scientific data, experiential wisdom, and personal anecdotes to provide help and encouragement to those frustrated by the journey to find love. Follow us on Instagram @bolde_media or on Facebook @BoldeMedia
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