Flirting is like a delicate dance that shows hints of interest and attraction.
Interpreting these signs wrongly can lead to either an embarrassing situation where you think they like you when they don’t or a missed opportunity for romance.
To avoid these situations, it’s incredibly important to pay attention to someone’s words of choice.
While they aren’t indicative of anything on their own, they’ll be key in determining whether that man you’re seeing just sees you as a friend or fancies you romantically.
So watch out because if a man uses these 17 phrases in a conversation, he really fancies you.
1) “You’re the only one I’ve told this.”
If he tells you something that he’s never told anyone else, then it simply means that you occupy a special place in his heart.
Whether it’s a dark secret, a weird philosophical thought, or an embarrassing memory, it shows that he trusts you.
Think about it. If he tells you this, then it means that he wants you to know that he thinks you’re special to him.
2) He uses specific compliments
We’ve all heard the “you’re so beautiful” compliment before.
And I’m not saying that the person who told you that didn’t mean it.
But when a compliment is incredibly specific? It means that man is paying a lot of attention to you. He’s incredibly attracted to you, and he can’t help but notice your finer details.
A man once told me that he was in love with how I held my pen when I was writing. It was a weird yet funny compliment back then, but it led to a lot of flirting. Now, that man is my partner!
3) “I’ve missed you.”
Now, this is a very common phrase.
But look: men don’t typically tell someone they miss them casually. Maybe they’ll tell their friends if they’re close, but a woman?
He likely won’t tell that to a woman he’s only friends with. If he tells you he misses you, then that has weight.
4) “How’s your family like?”
When you marry someone, you marry their family too. It’s a fact of relationships that younger people, in particular, forget or have not realized yet.
So if he asks you about your family a lot, with questions like:
- How’s your relationship with your parents?
- How’s your dynamic with your siblings?
- How often do you visit family members?
Then he just might be envisioning a future with you. He’s asking so he can see if your family dynamic is compatible with his personality.
5) “You’re so [insert quality here].”
If a man keeps bringing up how a certain quality of yours amazes him, then he’s most likely attracted to you.
Whether it’s your fashion sense, intellect, or sense of humor, if he’s constantly bringing up how much he admires you, then he’s definitely into you.
This is doubly true if he thinks you’re unique or different.
And no, I’m not referring to men telling you that “you’re not like other girls” (because that one’s a red flag). Rather, if he notices the quirks in your individuality, then he’s probably head over heels for you.
6) “I want to get to know you better.”
I mean, if he’s this straightforward with it, are there any more questions?
Of course, when people have just started being friendly with one another, they will naturally try to get to know each other.
However, if he has a crush on you, he just might explicitly state that he wants to get to know you better.
7) “This reminds me of you.”
If he texts you about something while you’re not together, telling you that something reminded you of him, it only means one thing:
You’re always in the back of his head.
Granted, people also say this to friends. But again, take note of how intensely and how often he says these things. The more he does it, the likelier it is that he’s interested in you.
8) “I’ll help you with that.”
Men will do their best to appear strong and reliable to the women they are interested in. It’s dating theory 101: the most capable males are often the ones who get the best female.
It can be about anything:
- Driving you around;
- Helping you move;
- Walking your dog;
- (And my college boyfriend even offered to help me with my papers!).
If he’s always offering to help you—and especially if he goes out of his way to—then he’s definitely trying to impress you.
If you’re interested in him as well, let him help you, and make sure to let him know that you appreciate it.
9) He teases you
Banter is the bedrock of flirting.
If teasing and banter are a normal part of your interactions, then he’s trying to cultivate a light and playful atmosphere within your friendship. This makes it conducive for feelings of trust and attraction to grow.
Because here’s the truth: guys don’t really grow up from the if-I-like-a-girl-I’ll-tease-her phase. They do it when they’re young and in school. And they’ll do it well into adulthood, too.
Yes, friends tease each other too. But people tend to only tease members of the sex they’re not attracted to.
Besides, he’s probably constantly trying to make you laugh because he’s dying to see that smile of yours again!
10) He uses pet names with you
And if your teasing involves pet names? Oh boy.
Pet names are particularly flirty. They also signal a higher level of intimacy between the two of you, even if you are not officially dating him.
It shows that you have an exclusive inner world with him—an inside joke, if you will.
11) He talks positively about his female family members
If he’s always name-dropping his mother or his sisters—and, more importantly, talks about them positively—it’s not because he loves them.
Well, it’s not just because he loves them. He’s also signaling to you that he has a good relationship with the women in his life.
He’s implying that he understands women and knows how to treat them right.
12) “I’m worried about you.”
Concern is a strong indicator of attraction.
And men don’t tend to express concern to people whom they merely consider friends. If he’s concerned about you, then he’s likely constantly thinking about you.
It’s their way of showing affection and protectiveness.
13) “I feel upset.”
In the same vein, emotional expression is something men only do with people they completely trust.
After all, most men feel the need to be stoic. They feel like they should, for the most part, face their problems and frustrations alone.
Vulnerability is not something they take lightly. If a man confides in you about his struggles and emotions, then it means that you’re very important to him.
And as we said above, he might even tell you that you’re the only one he’s told you about it!
14) “If we were dating…”
Well, he’s just being explicit now, isn’t he?
Because what’s the point of bringing that up if he’s not trying to imply that he’d like to date you?
In truth, the fact that he even says this means that dating you has crossed his mind—and, well, that he doesn’t really mind.
If he tells you the things he would say or do if you were dating, he’s making you imagine dating him as well. Of course, he’s also trying to tell you that he’d be a good boyfriend!
For example, he might say things like:
If we were dating, I’d:
- Always buy you flowers;
- Drive you around;
- Listen to your problems;
- Pay for the bill;
- Give you my sweater.
They usually say this after something similar has happened to you.
For example, a few years ago, I was given flowers after I gave a presentation. A man who liked me told me that he’d always buy me flowers, no matter the occasion.
15) “You just get me.”
If he tells you this, then he means that he thinks no one understands him more than you do.
It’s a testament to the trust he has for you, as well as the closeness of the bond you share with him. And he just might want to take your bond to the next level.
And you know what? Science backs this up. It’s proven that we are more likely to be attracted to people who we trust and feel safe with!
16) “Thank you.”
Of course, we say thank you all the time to all sorts of people in all kinds of situations.
But if he’s thanking you for important and personal things, like…
- Being there for him;
- Listening to him;
- Understanding him;
- Making him laugh;
- Those cookies you made him;
- Allowing him inside your world.
…then he just might be in love with you.
17) “I love your smile”
Look, yes, it’s just a cheesier, roundabout way of saying he thinks you’re beautiful.
But he also means that he likes it when you’re happy—more specifically, that you’re happy with him. He likes it when you express yourself or when you exude your specific energy.
So if he’s always making you laugh or smile and then complimenting you about it, then I’m willing to bet a few dollars that he has feelings for you.
Wrapping up
Word choice, along with body language, tone of voice, and other patterns of behavior, often reflect a person’s intentions and inner thoughts.
Flirting, after all, is often indirect. So, by using these kinds of phrases, he’s likely dropping hints about his attraction towards you.