Surefire Signs a Guy Likes You (But Is Too Scared to Admit It)

Unless you’re a secret mind reader, you’ve spent a little time – okay, maybe a whole lot of time – wondering if a guy likes you. Every girl has.

Just like women, men fear rejection. There are many possible explanations for why a guy who likes you hasn’t admitted it yet.

MORE: This is Exactly How to Know if a Guy Likes You For Sure

Being patient when you like a guy can be tricky, but do yourself a solid and take the time to make some observations. Once you have a better idea of whether or not he likes you, then you can decide how you should best proceed.

Read on for the signs that a guy likes you, as well as some advice on what to do about it.

When a guy likes you, it will be one of his missions in life to occupy the same space as you. This is especially true if he’s trying to decide whether you like him or not. Testing the waters by consistently being around you is a passive way to start making moves.

We’re naturally drawn to people we like. Notice how regularly he ends up conveniently spending time with you. If you seem to constantly “bump into each other,” be aware that it’s probably not a coincidence.

MORE: The Top Signs He Doesn’t Like You 

2. He acts differently with you.

Even if you’re trying to play it cool, you naturally act differently around that special person you like. You can’t help trying to present the best version of yourself and to be as alluring as possible.

Look at how your crush acts around you, and compare it to his behavior with others. Does he turn up the dial on his charm, showcasing his best jokes and witty one-liners? Does his focus shift wholly on you as soon as you open your mouth? Is he quick to offer his help with anything you might need, perhaps even suggesting it before you realize you need it?

Even the most introverted of men will quietly betray their feelings in the presence of the woman they like. You just need to look for it.

MORE: How To Know If A Guy Likes You

3. He stares at you a lot, but gets shy when you catch him.

There’s something rather adorable about catching a guy looking at you, especially if he then promptly looks away. He might cock his head to the side and pretend to be deeply intrigued by the nearby wallpaper. But just like you’ll have a hard time hiding a smile, he’ll have difficulty feigning disinterest.

A guy can’t resist looking at the woman on his mind. When he’s in the same room as you, you’ll probably be able to feel his gaze constantly in your peripheral vision. If he’s quick to hide this, or if he frequently breaks eye contact when you’re speaking, he’s struggling to hide his real emotions.

MORE: Ask a Guy: What Are the Signs a Guy Likes You? 

4. He smiles a lot around you.

When we’re overcome with a positive emotion, it is really just about impossible not to smile. While this human trait is a bit of a bummer when you’re trying not to laugh at an inappropriate moment, it sure is handy when deciphering how a guy feels about you.

A smile can be more than a response to something pleasant or amusing. It can also be an effort to appear approachable. Pay attention to how often a guy smiles in your presence, particularly if he seems to be attempting to mask it. It could be that his body and his brain are in opposition, and those lips are trying to tell the truth.

MORE: Exactly How to Tell if a Guy Likes You – Here Is How to Know For Sure

5. He’s nervous around you.

When our nerves and ambition are at war with each other, the result is often noticeable anxiety. This is another emotion that our bodies have a hard time concealing. Your mouth goes dry, your voice cracks, and your fingers find absolutely anything nearby to fidget with. Suddenly you can’t remember basic information, such as your own phone number.

Freezing up like that is, of course, wildly uncomfortable. When a guy finds himself blushing or unable to communicate the way he wants to, his instinct might be to withdraw from the situation. Be conscious of the events that led up to that quick departure, or else you might be confused about its meaning.

MORE: Signs a Guy Secretly Likes You 

6. He jokes about you ending up together.

Disguising something serious with a joke is like throwing a safety net in front of it. There’s plenty of room for denial when a man says something in jest. If the reaction is poor, he can briskly claim that he was just kidding.

If, however, the reaction seems positive, he might push the boundary a little further. He might crack the same joke repeatedly, or raise the insinuated stakes. Definitely be deliberate in how you respond to jokes like this because he’s using your reaction as a way to decide how to move forward.

7. He gives you subtle compliments.

Subtle compliments are another way to feel you out without risking major humiliation. By making a comment that a friend or family member could also easily make, he can still feel like he’s in a safe zone.

Instead of telling you that you look super hot in that dress, he might tell you that you’re a really good listener. Maybe he’ll appreciate your handiwork on a project. Whatever it is, it will be genuine and said with intention.

8. His friends know about you.

It could be that while he’s apprehensive about talking to you, he’s comfortable enough with his friends to have told them about his interest. Shy or not, a guy who’s talking about you to his friends is a guy who is undeniably interested.

If you share mutual friends, you might find out about this conversing that way. The dead giveaway of this would be if you meet one of his friends and he says: “oh, you’re so-and-so!” If your crush is also standing there, you might see a somewhat mortified look on his face at this point!

MORE: Signs He’s Into You But Is Scared to Admit It 

9. He remembers the important stuff.

Even the people who love us the most will occasionally forget important details or dates in our lives. It takes legitimate effort to memorize personal information about another person’s life.

Examples of this would be remembering your birthday – or even, say, your great aunt’s birthday. He might check in with you after a significant interview or test. If you mention that you’re going to a family reunion on the weekend, don’t be surprised if he asks how it was when he sees you two weeks later.

Don’t pass this off as him just being friendly, or suggest that he has a bizarrely good memory. Only a guy who likes you will remember all of these things.

10. He “accidentally” touches you a lot.

Remember how in elementary school, a boy who liked you would poke you in the ribs or give a tug on your hair? It was maddening and confusing to be told that boys do that because they like you.

As those boys turn into men, one of their first instincts for showing affection is still going to be physical touch. While the maturity level of these touches will – hopefully – be significantly different from those playground days, the sentiment remains the same.

A hesitant guy isn’t going to straight-up place a hand on your thigh, but he might give it a playful nudge. His high-five might last a couple seconds longer than you’d think normal for a friend. Regardless of what the physical touch is, you will feel how it’s different from what a buddy would do.

MORE: Signs He Likes You But is Scared of Commitment

11. His body language.

You’ve probably heard that a person’s pupils dilate when they look at someone they like. This is true, although a challenging clue to observe without accidentally looking a little bit like a lunatic. There are other body language signs that are easier to note and do not require intense inspection of one’s eyeballs.

Check out his general stance when he’s talking to you. Does he lean in, angling everything from his face to his feet in your direction? Are his arms open, rather than crossed? Is he making steady eye contact? When he does make eye contact, do his eyes search your whole face?

A reluctant guy might do his best to hide tells like these, but at least a couple are going to sneak past his defenses.

Make sure to also read this article on body language signs that mean he definitely likes you.

12. You can tell he likes you.

No matter how much you like this guy, make an effort to be rational and objective about the evidence. Don’t read into something that isn’t truly there just because you like him. In the long run, this is only going to cause you more pain.

But maybe your “spidey senses” are on fire, and you’re positive there is a spark there. It could be that you’re right and the reason he hasn’t made his move yet is just that he isn’t ready. He might need time to work on issues of his own before he’s ready for a relationship.

So What Should You Do?

You’ve determined he likes you and is scared to admit it, so now what?

It’s a delicate balancing act to indicate your interest in a guy without coming on too strong. If he’s super shy, or simply not ready to date, excessive flirting could send him running in the opposite direction.

You’ll have to use your best judgment here. Open the door by attempting some mild flirtation. Smile at him, compliment him, and let your gaze linger on him a few seconds longer than normal. If he leans into this behavior, it’s safe to turn up the dial on your seductive prowess and amp up the flirting. Make it indisputable that you are interested in taking things to the next level.

If a guy truly likes you and wants to be in a relationship with you, he will go beyond showing signs and will actually make a move so long as you show some level of reciprocal interest. That really is all you need to go.

If your initial alluring attempts are met with a neutral or negative reaction, back off. It could be that, for a myriad of potential reasons, he’s just not into beginning a relationship right now. That’s okay, and it’s better to know as quickly as possible so you don’t waste your time.

Redirect that energy to nurturing your own life and spirit. Maybe he will get over whatever it is that’s stopping him from making a move, or maybe a relationship with him is just not in the cards. Either way, you can focus on living a life that is perfectly rich and fulfilling with or without him.

I hope after reading this article you know for sure if a guys likes you but is scared to admit it. But I also want to make you away of two crucial moments that will determine if your relationship lasts or if you end up heartbroken. At some point, a guy will ask himself: Is this the woman I want to commit myself to? The answer will determine everything. Do you know how a man decides a woman is “girlfriend material” as opposed to “fling material”? Do you know what inspires a man to want to commit? If not, you need to read this article next: The #1 Things Men Desire in a Woman

Here is another issue almost every woman will face: He starts to withdraw and seems to be losing interest. He doesn’t text back, he is less attentive, and something is just off. He seems like he’s pulling away and you might lose him completely— do you know what to do about it? If not, read this right now If He’s Pulling Away, Do This...

These Are the Signs A Guy Likes You But is Too Scared to Admit It:

1. He’s always around you.
2. He acts differently with you.
3. He stares at you a lot, but gets shy when you catch him.
4. He smiles a lot around you.
5. He’s nervous around you.
6. He jokes about you ending up together.
7. He gives you subtle compliments.
8. His friends know about you.
9. He remembers the important stuff.
10. He “accidentally” touches you a lot.
11. His body language.
12. You can tell he likes you.