Girls, let’s just be honest and admit that we have all found ourselves in a ‘is he just a friend, or is he interested in me?’ situation at least once in our lives.
Human nature is just not that simple and despite the fact we sometimes think we know everything, we can’t possibly know what goes around in other people’s heads.
Therefore, it’s pretty impossible to read someone’s mind and to know for sure how a man feels about you… Whether he sees you as just a friend or he has romantic feelings for you.
Is He Just A Friend? 20 Surefire Signs He’s Falling Hard For You
Sometimes a beautiful love can be born out of an ordinary friendship, or you may just be stuck in a ‘friend zone’, which you can’t get out of, no matter how hard you try.
You get stuck in a place where you can’t express your true feelings because you know that person sees you just as a friend and you don’t want to risk losing that friendship.
Here are some telltale signs that will tell you for sure if it is worth taking a risk and making a move. Does he see you strictly as a friend or maybe something more than that?
1. The magic of intense eye contact
It’s okay when friends establish eye contact when talking about something important because that’s the strongest and clearest sign of trust between two people. However, if you catch your guy glancing at you when you’re not looking, that’s a sign of something else.
A friend will never do that. Or, at least, they won’t do that too often. Intense eye contact is the most intimate action between people.
Sometimes, when we like a person, we can’t help but stare at them. We do it unintentionally, and it feels like we can’t even control it.
The bottom line is that if your male friend keeps glancing at you, he’s hiding something. In other words, it’s a very good sign that he’s hiding his affection for you.
If he’s a shy guy, he’ll probably quickly look away every time you try to catch him in the act… He sneaks those glances, and every time you try to catch his eyes, he breaks eye contact because he likes you but is too shy or afraid of your reaction.
Even if you try to look him in the eyes after that to see if your eyes will meet, he’ll know what you’re doing and will immediately block eye contact.
2. Pay attention to the following body language signs!
If your guy friend likes you, the first thing you should pay attention to is his body language. That will definitely give his feelings away.
The truth is, when we’re around a person we have strong romantic feelings for, we can’t completely control our behavior. Because of the strong tension floating in the air, we simply can’t restrain our movements and behavior.
Believe me, he might be hiding his feelings for you, but his body language definitely won’t be able to support him in doing so for too long. So, observe his behavior, and if you find any of these body language signs your guy friend likes you, it’ll be the clearest confirmation of your doubts.
- Playing with his hair
This is a very subtle sign your friend likes you romantically, but it’s also a strong one. His secret makes him nervous, which gives him that itchy feeling, and he’ll start touching his hair without even being aware of it.
- Keeping his posture open
If a guy likes you, he’ll have an open posture. That means he’ll keep his arms and legs uncrossed. It’s a good sign he trusts you and enjoys your company.
- The way he hugs you is… ?
Okay, I think we all know the difference between different kinds of hugs, such as a friendly and a romantic hug. The first one doesn’t last long, and there are no sparks flying around…
And a romantic one is entirely the opposite. You can feel the chemistry, and the sparks go mad around you. So, if your guy friend aims below the shoulders when he hugs you, it’s a huge sign he has fallen for you. So, girl, soon you’ll be looking for one of those cute contact names for a boyfriend.
- The ‘above the mouth’ smile
Have you noticed that his smile is different when you’re around? That he smiles with you like he doesn’t with anyone else? Well, it’s obvious that simply being in your presence makes him happy.
- Mirroring your body language
This also happens unintentionally. It’s like our body’s reaction to our emotions.
When we’re into someone, we tend to copy their behavior, speech, and body gestures. So, if he tries to copy the way you sit or talk, it’s a great sign he’s trying to convey the message that he likes you.
3. He can’t resist physical contact
When you constantly hang out with a person you like but are friends with, you won’t be able to resist touching that person or any kind of physical contact. As with the body language signs above, this is also something we can’t affect or control.
Of course, physical contact is perfectly normal in close friendships. However, there are some boundaries too.
Once it becomes more frequent and different from ‘regular’ touching, it becomes a surefire sign of the deep desires that person has toward you.
Teasing with an elbow, trying to hold hands (especially in public), stroking the hair… All of these can be huge signs your male friend wants something more than just friendship.
4. He knows all your likes and dislikes
If he wants to get to know you on a deeper level… If he tries to get to know everything about you, the things you enjoy most, and the things you hate…
It’s perfectly clear that he’s trying to take your ‘relationship’ to the next level.
Sure, good friends remember things like what kind of coffee you like. Best friends know your secrets, desires, and some of your flaws… But, that’s it.
Your friend wants to know much more than that because he cares about you. He wants to know the deepest secrets and desires of your heart because you are important to him. In fact, you’re probably way more important to him than you think.
5. He is always around
Whenever you are hanging with your other friends, he finds a way to sit or stand next to you. He is always trying to have any kind of conversation with you and sometimes he calls you ‘babe’.
He even laughs at your jokes that may not be as funny as you think.
And when he sees you are about to stop talking, he asks new questions, just to keep you going, just so he can listen to you, get to know you better and spend more time with you.
It’s like he adores you and everything about you. And, all of these are great signs that he actually does. Your presence makes his day, and that eagerness to be around you is because he is falling in love with you.
6. His behavior changes when you two are alone
If you’ve noticed that his behavior changes every time you two are alone, it’s probably because he’s a shy guy and doesn’t know how to approach you in a group of people.
When you’re alone, he’ll try hard to impress you because that intimate atmosphere makes him more relaxed and comfortable.
It also might be because he isn’t sure how you feel about him and what your reaction will be if he tries anything in public. Of course, if you’re already in a romantic relationship, that may also be a reason for his change in behavior whenever you are alone.
7. Your opinion matters to him the most
The fact is that respect needs to be the foundation of every relationship. That includes friendships too. And if your friend respects you, they’ll also respect your opinion.
However, that doesn’t mean they’ll always accept it. They’ll take it into consideration, but in the end, they’ll always act and do what they think is right.
If a guy likes you, he’ll respect your opinion above everyone else’s, and he’ll always try to act on it. In other words, if your friend always comes to you when he needs some advice or a suggestion, it’s because your opinion matters to him… It’s because you matter to him and he has strong feelings for you.
8. Sense of humor is his weapon of seduction!
He wraps this one up pretty well, and it’ll be hard for you to recognize whether he wants to win you over with his sense of humor or if he’s simply being funny and trying to make you laugh as friends do.
Once he gets more comfortable (after receiving positive feedback from your side), he will start flirting with you, but he’ll keep presenting it as joking and teasing.
He will tickle you or stroke your cheek, and he’ll make it look like it’s all out of ‘pure friendship love’ — as if!
That’s just him testing you to see if you feel the way he feels and if you want something more than just a friendship because he clearly does.
9. He strives so hard to impress you
How do you know if he is just a friend or if he has romantic feelings for you? If it’s the latter, he’ll try to impress you every single day. With most guys, it’s as simple as that.
You can call it flirting or whatever you want, but it’s a legit and pretty big sign he is attracted to you. He’s trying to win you over, and he’s doing everything in his power to do so.
His efforts to impress you aren’t something even a best friend would do. He has one pretty clear goal in mind: to make you fall head over heels for him.
10. He’s reaching out more frequently
In friendships, communication is usually frequent and equal. However, that won’t be the case in a woman-man friendship where one side has stronger feelings than what you would usually have for a friend.
This leads us to the following conclusion: if your guy friend is always texting you on social media and calling you first, if he’s always the one who initiates communication, if he sends you a good morning message as soon as he opens his eyes in the morning, it means he is eager to spend more time with you.
The reason is pretty clear… He’s become addicted to you. He misses you every second and wants to talk to you. He wants to know where you are and what you are doing because he cares about you deeply.
11. He showers you with compliments
He keeps complimenting you, even on days when there is nothing to compliment you on. Those compliments may sound awkward to you sometimes, but they are all just clear hints he likes you.
Okay, it’s your best friend‘s duty to compliment you whenever they see that you’re feeling down, but showering you with compliments isn’t part of a good friend‘s job.
Your guy friend is complimenting you simply because he is expressing what is in his heart and mind. In his eyes, you’re perfect, and he’s trying to convey that admiration he has for you through compliments.
12. He’s already introduced you to his best friends
And, this is IMPORTANT – he hasn’t only met up with you and just any friends, but his male friends. The unspoken rule is that when a guy introduces you to his family and his pals, he’s serious about you.
This means he is proud to have you in his life and he is ready to show you off to anyone; his group of friends is the most important test he believes you will pass.
He doesn’t want to keep you a secret because he wants everyone to know he cares about you.
13. He is super curious and interested in your love life
It’s true that your friends need to be included in your love life. However, and I think you’ll agree with me, we always talk about it more with our female friends than we do our guy friends.
Guys often don’t like to be included in those things because they’re afraid you might ask them for relationship advice, and they are aware they truly suck at it.
Yet, if you have noticed he’s been curious about your dating life, I’m sure it’s not because he’s just being a good friend. It’s clear that he likes you in a romantic way as soon as he’s interested in that part of your life.
He wants to get a glimpse into what things you like or dislike in a romantic relationship, so he can use it to win you over. Of course, he also wants to find out whether you’re seeing someone or not.
14. He’s jealous of all the other guys around you
If he’s uncontrollably jealous of all the other male friends you have and all the other guys who approach you, it’s a huge sign he likes you.
It also means he won’t be able to hide it any longer. He’s coming apart at the seams, and one day, when he sees another guy flirting with you, he’ll explode, and all of his romantic feelings will come out.
His jealousy is another great sign of the weakness he has for you. He isn’t brave enough to admit that he wants to be with you, but it also pisses him off when he sees other men trying to win you over.
15. Making you feel safe and comfortable is his main priority
Whenever you hang out together, either he walks you home or he insists on you getting back to him to make sure you arrived home safely.
He is protective of you simply because he cares about you. He wants to be sure that you are safe and he will do his best to keep it that way.
Don’t get me wrong, a friend should care for you in a similar way too. However, I’m sure you’ll notice how the level of your guy friend‘s protectiveness changes and increases once his feelings for you start changing too.
16. In your times of need, he’s always the first one to come
Does he not stop calling you when he knows you’re sad? Will he not leave you alone when you feel down until he is positive that you are feeling better? It’s legit – he has deep feelings for you!
You also know that he is the first person you can and will call every time you need advice or get into trouble because you know he will be there in the blink of an eye.
It feels like your problems are his problems too. He puts his heart and soul into figuring out how to solve it because all he wants is for you to feel happy and safe.
17. He makes it loud and clear: you’re his #1 priority
If there is a situation where he has to choose between you and something else, he will choose you. He always chooses you over everything and everyone else because you’re the most important person in his life.
You will always be his first choice in everything – his main and most significant priority.
Moreover, he will always squeeze you into his schedule, even on his busiest days. He simply likes spending time with you more than anything else and wants to make it clear to you that he is and always will be there for you, no matter what.
18. He respects you in every possible sense
He respects your opinion even if it differs from his own. He will never try to put you down or make you feel uncomfortable.
He will always hear what you’ve got to say and take it into consideration, even if he doesn’t completely agree with you.
He supports you in everything you do. He celebrates your accomplishments as his own. He knows your boundaries and tries hard to stick to them. Are there any bigger signs of respect? I don’t think so either.
And just so you know, respect is one of the most beautiful and honest expressions of love.
19. He’s never broken the honesty code
He will always tell you what he thinks. Even if you don’t like it, he will tell you if he thinks you are making a mistake.
He cares about you, and he doesn’t want to see you get hurt. Even if it means that his truth may hurt your feelings a bit… He knows you’ll eventually understand that he did it for your own well-being because he wanted to protect you.
He wants to be honest with you because he wants you to love the real him and not just the exterior picture of him.
He always tells you when something is bothering him because he wants the two of you to solve it together and move on.
20. He clearly shows it, and you certainly know it: he’s your hero
I’m sure his behavior confuses you and makes you wonder if he’s your boyfriend or if you’re still just friends. If your guy friend is showing most of these signs above, I think I don’t even have to say that it’s more than obvious he has some kind of burning desire to be with you.
He starts spending a lot of time with you because he wants to get to know you – the real and raw you.
He wants you to allow him to get close to you, closer than you’ve ever allowed anyone else to come to you. And if you like him back, you should allow him to enter that zone. I’m sure that the more he gets to know all of your flaws and perfections, the more he’ll fall in love with you.
You also know that he isn’t only your best friend, he’s your hero – the person who is always there, even after you try to push him away. Even after you try to drive him away, he always finds a way to come back to you.
That man accepts, respects, and loves you in every possible sense and under every possible condition. That’s a rarity nowadays, and you should definitely do whatever is in your power to keep him in your life forever.
How Can You Tell If He Only Likes You As A Friend?
Well, one thing is for sure: you definitely shouldn’t blindly believe his words. He might say he is just a friend, but he might actually be hiding his feelings because of the fear of rejection or because he doesn’t want to lose you as a friend.
If he likes you only as a friend, he’ll definitely behave only as a friend. That means flirting and intimate physical contact are off-limits.
He’ll behave the same when you’re alone and when you’re hanging out with your friends. He doesn’t hide anything, so there is no need to treat you differently when alone and when in public.
He’ll also date other women, which wouldn’t be the case if he had romantic feelings for you. And he’ll even share details from his dating life or seek relationship advice from you because he sees you plainly as one of his bros.
Trust me, you will know if your guy friend sees you only as a friend or if he likes you in a romantic way… You just need to observe his behavior and body language when he’s around you. And, of course, his eyes. If he’s into you, his eyes will spark every time he looks at you.
Can A Guy Just Be A Friend?
To be completely honest, maybe I’m not the right person to answer this question because my opinion regarding this topic is definitely divided.
I have several guy friends, and all those friendships are strong and lasting. I’ve never felt any romantic interests or sexual tension between us or anything similar during the time we’ve been such close friends.
I see all of them as my brothers, not ones by blood but by heart. They’re my protectors, my greatest supporters, and my biggest fans. Honestly, I can not and never could imagine my life without them in it.
I have female friends, too, and I truly adore both of my besties. However, those ‘broships’ are really something special and wholesome.
On the other hand, I’ve also experienced the other possible scenario of this story – the not-so-great and truly painful one.
One of the guys I always considered my best pal admitted that he didn’t see me as just a friend. We hung out as friends for over a year, and all that time, I really had no idea about what was truly going on.
In his defense, there were so many little things and hints that were pointing to what was really happening, but it was my mistake that I didn’t realize them in time.
To make a long story short, we both ended up hurt. He, because his love was unrequited, and me, because I lost such a good friend.
I simply couldn’t allow myself to lead him on because I honestly thought and still think he deserves someone who’ll be able to reciprocate his love.
I know you hoped for a relationship expert opinion regarding this topic, but all I have to say is that it’s possible. Men and women can be just friends; however, the possibility one of them will start catching romantic feelings is always somewhere in the air.
In Closing
Some people say that if a guy likes you, he’ll admit it directly. However, I say that you shouldn’t believe in that kind of, excuse my French, crap.
A man isn’t any less of a man if he hasn’t got the courage to come clean about his feelings. That is the wrong perception we all have of true masculine bravery.
Also, romantic feelings shouldn’t be expressed through words. It’s a person’s deeds that really count when it comes to love.
That’s the main reason I don’t agree with those ‘some people.’ If you’re unsure whether your guy friend is into you, if you can’t stop asking yourself, ‘Is he just a friend, or is he trying to get out of the friend zone?’ you should only focus on his actions.
The answers to all of your questions are hiding behind his deeds. And, of course, his eyes. After all, the eyes never lie, nor can they ever hide the real truth.
