When a guy tells you he likes you (5 signs)

This blog-post is all about when a guy tells you he likes you and what you need to know about it. We will discuss how to analyze his intentions and things you need to yourself think about. We will also talk about what you should do and not do when a guy tells you he likes you.    

What does it mean when a guy says he likes you?

The words ‘I like you’ might catch you off-guard at times or it might land you up in a state of confusion of what to decipher out of this confession. Given below are some possibilities of what an ‘I like you’ confession could mean. Analyze your situation and try to see which of the situations mentioned below seems befitting for you.  

• He is attracted to you and likes being with you. 
• He is appreciating a specific quality you possess.
• He adores you but does not love you yet. 
• He is fond of you as any other regular person. 

It could mean that he is attracted to you and likes being with you 

This is an obvious one. For any relationship to proceed there has to be some fondness and liking between two people. This stands true for parent-child relations, siblings relations, among friends, and among colleagues too. It essentially means that the person appreciates your presence in their life. 

But you have to decipher what is the equation you share with the guy who just told you he likes you. If you two have been close, talking often, working in close quarters there are high chances that his ‘I like you’ confession is coming from a place where he is attracted towards you and wants more from your relationship. 

He could be wishing that you two take your friendship a level forward and probably go on dates to get to know each other better. 

It could be an appreciation of some specific quality 

‘I like you’ can also be a very specific compliment. 

I like you physically could mean he likes your body and finds you physically attractive. He probably likes how you carry yourself, how you dress up, and the general vibe you bring into the room you walk in. He must be appreciative of the confidence you possess.  He might be expecting a date or a hook-up with you.  

I like you psychologically could mean that he likes the mature emotionally understanding side of you. This does not necessarily mean that he is sexually attracted to you but he likes how understanding you are as a person/friend/professional. 

I like you does not involve the high degree commitment that ‘I love you’ does

If you have been quite close to a guy and you are expecting him to reciprocate the signs you have been showing him and he says ‘I like you’ it could mean that he likes you but is not ready for a commitment right now. 

Probably he thinks it is a good idea to date casually for a while and see how things naturally unfold between you two. Or, he must like someone else too and is uncertain about his feelings towards you but, at the same time, he does enjoy your company too. In such a situation it feels like a safe bet to say that he likes you but not promise you anything more at the moment.

Very often, ‘I like you’ does not mean you are exclusive to each other. But, there is also a possibility that your fondness could turn into love sometime if your equation strengthens.    

It could also mean that he simply is fond of you as a person  

Sometimes the confession could be a plain honest appreciation for you as a person. So before you rush ahead and jump to conclusions about their intentions, make sure you leave a possibility that it is not necessarily a romantic comment.

‘I like you’ is a clear indication of fondness. But being fond of somebody does not have to mean that they are expecting a flirty or romantic equation to bloom between the two of you. 

A guy who is your colleague could say ‘I like you’ in the sense that they appreciate you for your work ethic, hard work, and enthusiasm.  A guy friend could say so to show that they value you as a person.   

What should you do when a guy tells you he likes you? 

‘I like you’ as a confession can be quite vague at times. People would not know how to respond and what is the takeaway message for them from the confession. Here are some things you should ideally do when a guy tells you he likes you. 

Clarify 

Ask him what he means when he says he likes you. If you are unsure about what he is intending and wish to get clarity just ask him what he means when he says he likes you. It is quite upfront to do so. But, it is better than running on assumptions and not knowing where you would land up, possibly with disappointments because of misunderstanding. Know 

Communicate 

Tell him if your feelings are reciprocal, meaning tell him if you like him too. 

If you do not feel the same way about him then mention that too. Simply say “I believe my intentions must have misled you by telling you I am expecting more from our equation, but at the moment, I do not feel the same. I hope you understand.”

Ask for some time 

If you are unsure about your thoughts and feelings about him when he says he likes you, ask him to give you some time to think things through at your end. There should be no pressure to respond straightaway. If you are being pressurized to respond immediately, it is probably not a healthy sign for a relationship. 

Listen to your instincts 

When a guy tells you that he likes you, you will almost immediately get a good or bad feeling about the whole thing. Listen closely, that is your inner voice or your instinct.  

If you have been spending a lot of time together or have been talking to each other, having honest conversations you might have not realized how you actually feel about it but you might actually like him back too. But at that moment, listen to your inner voice and act based on it. People often give reactions without thinking or any consideration of what they actually feel but have not had the time, have not made efforts to think about their feelings.         

Smile 

Given that you like him back and you are flattered by his words but cannot fetch the right words to speak at the moment, simply smile. Smiling and blushing are important body language cues for a person to know if you are interested in them too.    

Disclaimer: Do this only if you are interested in him too. There is no need to feel obliged to do it as a polite response, nor do you have to smile in front of creeps. 

Things you should NOT do when he says he likes you 

While we have looked at things we should ideally do when a guy says he likes you, there are things one must not do upon receiving this confession. Read on!

Say you like him too just to not make him disappointed or angry

Stating that you like him back just to not make him upset is not the right thing to do. Do not make fake promises and assurances of liking him back if you are not truly interested in him.  

Just simply say: “This might sound rude but I would prefer to be honest with you. I do not like you in the same sense you like me. I would prefer our equation be as it is right now, that makes me feel comfortable.” 

Laugh or ridicule him 

When someone confesses something out-of-the-blue or something we are not expecting to hear from them, it is possible that our immediate reactions be something very absurd or even humiliating for the person. Reactions like laughing at him or mocking him can make him feel like you are belittling him and his emotions. 

The courage it takes to confess to someone how you feel about them might be lots. There is a lot of thinking back and forth that a person does before admitting it to you. 

Telling him you don’t like him back but showcasing the opposite behavior

When you tell him that you do not share the feelings for him as he does about you but giving him all the vibes that you are into him can be confusing for him to understand. It can be detrimental for the friendship or any equation you both share. More than that, it is unfair to him when you give him mixed signals. 

So, know your boundaries. Things do not have to be awkward between the two of you but know that some changes might be necessary so as to not let him stay hung up on you because you are giving him hopes through your behavior.     

Conclusion 

This blog-post was all about when a guy tells you he likes you and what you need to know about it. We discussed how to analyze his intentions and things you need to yourself think about. We also talked about what you should do and not do when a guy tells you he likes you. 

Frequently Asked Questions: When a guy tells you he likes you

References 

16 Honest Ways to Respond When a Guy Says He Likes You & Not Hurt Him

https://tosaylib.com/how-to-respond-when-a-guy-says-he-likes-you/