I wish there was a magical metric or litmus test that showed immediately whether another person liked you romantically or not. It would save us all a lot of time. I hope to see it on Shark Tank sometime soon, but in the meantime, you’ll have to be a little more practical when it comes to determining his interest. If you need a little help, here’s how you know if your crush likes you back or not.
- He always sneaks glances at you. Most often when he thinks you’re not looking. But that’s the thing about being caught looking at someone you like. By definition, they were looking back at you. Think about that. It’s a subtle gesture of longing that shows how they are attracted to you. It shows that you live rent-free in their mind because they’re always looking for you.
- He talks about you to his friends. This is a big sign. Think about how often guys actually talk to their friends about meaningful stuff? Rarely. That’s what makes him discussing you a big deal. You’re important to him and the fact he’s consulting his friends shows he wants to get it right with you. He likes you, no question.
- He asks about your interests. This is cute. It’s almost a universal impulse to try to absorb as much of the person you like into your personality as you can. It’s because everything they do, you like, so it makes sense that you’d pursue that further. This is even more so the case when your crush might represent all the ways you aren’t happy with yourself. If engaging in their interests for a few hours gets your out of your own head and in a calmer place, why not? If he’s talking about the podcast you mentioned in passing last week, it shows that he’s really interested in you. He wants to impress you.
- He reads the books you talk about. That’s why we love to read the books we see our crushes reading, or binge the TV shows they’re watching. We get to understand them more, and also have things to talk about other than just the weather.
- He is thoughtful. This can be seen in his compliments and general kindness around you, but as well in his thoughtful gestures. He isn’t necessarily going to be arranging huge public displays of affection, and that’s fine. Those can often seem empty and performative anyway. He’s focused on ways to make you feel good, not ways to boost his own ego. That’s when you know he likes you and you can tell where he stands.
- He wants to know about your past. Your crush just wants to learn about you and understand what made you the way you are. He will ask about your friends and family and try to get to the bottom of what makes you tick. Be honest with him and talk openly about your history. You will start to develop a really strong mutual bond.
- He finds excuses to casually touch you. Obviously, this should never be inappropriate or make you feel uncomfortable. However, you know you rcrush likes you back when he’s always leaning his body towards you and finding excuses to touch you, like putting his hand on your arm or leg when you make him laugh. He might not even realize he’s doing it – he’s just really into you.
- He wants to know who you’re dating. Guys don’t generally inquire about your dating life unless they’re interested in being part of it. If he wants to know if you’re seeing anyone or if you’re on the dating scene, he may be testing the water to see if you might be interested in going out with him.
- He’s always liking and commenting on your social media posts. If he likes all your selfies and leaves laughing face emojis on all the memes you share, you know your crush likes you back for sure. Maybe he’s just being friendly, I guess, but guys don’t really go on like that if there aren’t some deeper feelings there.
- Your friends are always joking about you dating. I don’t mean teasing you because they know you like him but because they can tell there’s serious tension between the two of you and that you clearly like each other but haven’t done anything about it just yet. They clearly see just how perfect you are for each other and they’re wondering why you don’t just hurry up and get together.
- He asks you out. Okay, I know I spoke a lot about the unspoken hints and subtle signs that your crush likes you, but there are a few obvious alternatives! He actually asks you out… Don’t get in your head about it or dismiss it as a “just friends” meeting. When he’s interested in you he will want to spend more quality time with you, so don’t ignore him thinking he isn’t doing just that.
- He tells you! Great communication is the basis for all great relationships, so while this might seem less shrouded in romantic mystery and angst, him just telling you he likes you will save you both heaps of time. Take him at his word and reciprocate his feelings if you’re interested. He would also appreciate the same in return, so consider doing the same and asking your crush out confidently.
There you are, a few more subtle and obvious signs that the guy you have your eye on also has his eyes on you too. Remain open to new opportunities, and go with the flow.
