Are You Just Hanging Out Or Is It More Than That? Here’s How To Tell

Dating is damn hard and we’ve made it harder by agreeing to “hang out” with people we’d rather be in a relationship with. At the end of the day, it’s natural to want to know where you stand with someone you really like, so if it’s not explicit, here’s how you can tell that “hanging out” is more than that.

1. It’s a regular thing. If you’ve been seeing him multiple times a week now for the last couple of months, that’s getting pretty regular for a simple friend date. It’s obvious that you both love spending time together. Maybe it’s time to look at why you’re so happy to spend so much of your free time together. Something tells me it’s because you’re basically ready to be together for real.
2. He pays or at least offers to. With a friend, you usually split the bill when you go out unless it’s someone’s birthday or some other celebration. If he’s paying or genuinely offering to pay almost every time you hang out, it could be a classic gentlemanly move. He’s trying to impress you and it seems like it’s working.
3. You always make plans for the next time. If he’s asking you when he’s going to see you or when you’re next free at the end of your catch up, I think it’s safe to say that he’s looking forward to doing it all again. Yes, this might mean that he’s a little bit hooked!
4. There are always follow up texts/calls. If this guy remembers that on Thursday you had that really important meeting at work and texts you to see how it went, you know you’ve got a keeper. He genuinely cares about you and is obviously listening to what you’re talking about when you’re together.
5. He gives you his undivided attention. A guy that gives you his absolute attention is a guy worth hanging out with. He’s also a good candidate for more than just hanging out. If he’s not taking any calls or responding to any texts when he’s with you, that’s a clear sign he’s giving you all of his time, meaning that you’re a priority.
6. His friends know about you. You can get a pretty good indication of what type of guy he is based on his friends. You can also get a pretty quick feel for what he thinks of you based on how his friends treat you. If his friends know about you and they’re already treating you like his better half, he’s been speaking about you in that way. It’s a bit tricky here to try and work out whether they’re welcoming you into the pack as another friend or his girlfriend, but just a little hint—if his friendship group is all guys and their girlfriends and you, chances are you’re already being viewed as the soon-to-be girlfriend.
7. You talk feelings. Yes, friends talk about their feelings to each other, but if you find yourself pouring your heart out to this guy who’s doing the same with you, then maybe it’s something else. If you feel like you can share those personal feelings with this guy who you haven’t known for that long, he could just be someone your heart is comfortable trusting. You should trust that heart of yours.
8. You never run out of things to say. Of course, every now and then you meet people in life that you just automatically get along with. We all have those friends we can talk about anything with, but what you should really be paying attention to here are the topics of conversation you two talk about. Is it football and weather and drunken weekends? Or is it all of that plus life plans and travel goals and past heartbreaks? If you’re both sharing the personal things and you’re already trusting each other with the things you only tell people you care about, chances are you’re working your way to bigger and scarier but much more exciting topics—yes, like love and relationships. We all know where that could lead…
9. You catch feelings. Well, there’s no more “just friends” once you’ve caught feelings. And once you have caught feelings, you’ll know—trust me. You’ll be hanging onto every word, loving that smile of his and wanting to see him whenever possible. If this is you, stop fooling yourself—it’s definitely more than hanging out. Now to figure out if he feels the same way!
10. There’s always more touching than is strictly necessary. If he’s brushing your shoulder, squeezing your arm, brushing his leg against yours, your crush alert alarm bells should be ringing. Yes, this is more than hanging out. He has the hots for you.
11. You kiss. Okay if you guys kiss when sober, then your more than hanging out status is sealed. Friends don’t kiss. They don’t know how soft the other’s lips are, they don’t know how good of a kisser their friends are. If the two of you have crossed that line, then yes, it’s definitely more than hanging out! Time to up the ante!