Men can sometimes pick up on the fact that you like them way before you utter a single word about it. He may notice your body language when you’re around him, how you respond to his texts, how much attention you give him, and how your energy shifts when he enters the room. Yet, him knowing you like him doesn’t always mean he will make a move. Why? Well…
Some men don’t like showing vulnerability. Others aren’t sure how you will react. Many men are afraid of rejection. Others want to make sure the girl they are interested in feels the same way. So if you are questioning whether or not he knows you like him but is choosing to hide his feelings, consider these signs.
8 Signs He Knows You Like Him But Is Hiding His Feelings
1. He Makes Excuses to Be Around You But Avoids Showing His Interest
The biggest sign he knows you like him but is hiding his feelings is that he will find reasons to be around you. He shows up where you’re at, starts random conversations with you, asks your opinion on things, or any number of excuses to talk to you.
But when it comes to making his feelings known, he avoids giving away that he is into you.
He might show up every time you are talking to someone who needs help. If you mention something in passing, he remembers it. If you casually ask for a favor, he is always one of the first people to step up.
When these things happen consistently, you can start to see his affection through his actions when his words may not show it.
Men who know you like them but are hiding how they feel will often do things like this to stay in your life. They want to keep you around without putting themselves in a position that directly addresses how they feel about you.
Most people overlook these signs because they happen once or twice. It doesn’t mean anything when a guy smiles at you or checks in with you once. But when a man continues to go out of his way to create reasons to talk to you, there is a reason why.
Read also: 6 Clear Signs He Sees You as His Future Wife
2. He Teases You About Liking Him or Bringing It Up Indirectly
Guys will often try to bring up the topic of you liking him without actually asking you. Instead of simply asking, “Hey, do you like me?” he may joke about you liking him, playfully tease you, or make comments to see how you react.
“I thought you just wanted an excuse to talk to me” or “You like me don’t?” said while laughing are examples of what he might say. He is essentially throwing it out there in the form of a joke, but sometimes people say things jokingly when they want to ask the question without having to feel vulnerable about getting an answer.
After he says something, watch how he reacts to your response. Does he lean in to hear your reply? Does he laugh to cover up his nervousness? Is he suddenly more intrigued? If he does these things after telling a joke like that, he could very well be testing you to see if his assumption about you liking him is correct.
Asking someone you like if they feel the same way can be nerve wracking. So many guys will say something indirectly and hope you say something back that confirms his suspicion.
Read also: 15 Boyfriend Birthday Surprise Ideas That He’ll Never See Coming
3. He Seems Totally Confident Around You Then Suddenly Acts Nervous
Just because a guy can feel like a completely different person around the woman he likes doesn’t mean he will act the same around everyone else. He may be totally smooth around everyone else, but when he is around you, he suddenly becomes a nervous wreck.
When he knows you like him and he likes you back, it’s normal for him to have some difficulty controlling his emotions. You may catch him acting totally cool and collected one minute, and then the next he avoids eye contact and suddenly becomes self conscious about what he’s saying or how he looks.
Attraction makes us nervous. Sure, he knows there’s a chance you like him too, but he is also thinking about what happens if he says something and you don’t feel the same way.
Nervous behavior can often be a stronger sign than words. It may not be verbal, but his body language and actions will tell you everything you need to know.
Read also: 12 Simple Things That Make Men Feel Deeply Loved
4. He Notices How You React to Him More Than Others
Paying attention to your reactions is one of the things a guy does when he knows you like him but is hiding his feelings. He will notice how you laugh at his jokes, respond to his stories, or take his advice because your opinion matters to him.
He may watch you laugh at his jokes to see if you’re really laughing because they’re funny or if you’re laughing just to be nice. He may look at your face when he tells you something personal to him and study how you react when he opens up to you.
When someone doesn’t care about your opinion, they usually aren’t too concerned with how you react to things they say. Someone who likes you won’t care about being right all the time. He cares about knowing how you feel.
When a guy is checking in on your reaction to things, it also ties into emotional intelligence. He may be picking up on the unspoken feelings between you two without having to ask directly.
5. He Gets Jealous But Works Hard to Hide It
Jealousy is tricky. It can mean many things and just because a guy may display signs of jealousy doesn’t mean he likes you. But if he suspects you like him, how he acts when you mention other guys can speak volumes.
“If you hang out with Jessica again, can I come?” He will suddenly ask questions and take an interest in something he normally wouldn’t. He may joke around about the other guy or make excuses about how he’s “just happy you found someone.”
A guy who knows you like him but isn’t ready to admit it will often hide his jealousy behind excuses like those mentioned above.
The biggest thing to notice is not if he does this once, but if he does this every time you mention another guy around him. If he’s normally cool with you hanging out with other guys but gets defensive or suddenly interested when certain people come up, he may like you more than you realize.
6. He Gives You Special Treatment but Brushes It Off as “Just Being Friends”
When someone likes you, they will often treat you differently than everyone else. But if he knows you like him but is hiding it, he may go out of his way to help you or make your life easier and then brush it off by saying, “Oh, I was just being nice” when someone calls him out on it.
He helps you more than others, remembers random details about you that nobody else does, checks up on you, or constantly tries to find ways to help you with your problems. Guys who are afraid to show how they feel will often provide you with what you need or want without blatantly making it about something more than friendship.
Contrast his behavior towards you with how he treats other people. Someone who likes you will put in more effort when they’re around you. It may not always be verbal, but you will see the extra effort he puts forth when he’s spending time with you compared to others.
This also tends to happen right when guys start developing feelings for someone. They may offer special treatment because they like you, but hold back on mentioning how they feel.
7. He Pulls Away When He Starts Feeling Too Attached
If he knows you like him but has not admitted it to himself (or you), he may pull away when he starts feeling too attached. One minute you’re talking, having a good time and laughing. The next he goes cold on you and acts like you two aren’t connecting.
It happens because men know when they start feeling close to someone. When he knows you like him, that familiarity can scare him into pulling away.
Again, this doesn’t mean he isn’t interested. A lot of guys create distance because they feel like their feelings are starting to outpace how ready you are to show yours. They pull back to give themselves time to figure things out without losing the person they like.
You should still take note of whether or not he continues to show interest over time. Someone who likes you will struggle with vulnerability sometimes. But he will always go back to showing you the same amount of attention he did when you first started talking.
8. He Acts Like He Knows You Like Him, But Avoids Taking the Next Step
This is probably the most obvious sign. He acts like he knows you have feelings for him by giving you the opportunity to confess every now and then. He flirts with you, spends time with you, compliments you, and sets the two of you up in romantic situations but will hesitate when it’s time to make his move.
Could be because he is shy. Could be he’s been hurt before and isn’t sure how you will react. Maybe he doesn’t feel like your hints are strong enough to mean you’re into him. Or maybe he is just waiting for you to make the first move because he wants to be 110% sure before risking his feelings.
Ask yourself if the attention he gives you is someone who genuinely cares about you or someone who just likes the idea of you liking him. There’s a difference between nervous and someone who isn’t actually attracted to you.
When two people like each other, the healthiest relationships are built on communication. If he knows you like him but won’t take action, try to have an open conversation about how you both feel.
How Can You Tell If He’s Just Being Friendly or Hiding His Feelings?
Guys can be pretty smooth. You like him, so every time he smiles at you, laughs at one of your jokes, or sends you a simple text it means something. Truth is, most of it will mean nothing.
You’re looking for consistency in his actions. Does he make time for you? Does he remember the small things you tell him? Does he try to keep in contact even when he doesn’t have to? Does he try to talk to you every day?
Someone who is just being friendly can be nice to you, but someone with hidden feelings will put in more effort than someone who is just being friendly. It will feel more personal.
You should also notice how he treats you when there is no reward for doing so. A lot of people are great at showing you attention when they want something. A guy who likes you will show you attention when he wants something and when he doesn’t.
What If He Knows You Like Him? What Do You Do?
Don’t force the issue. If you think he knows you like him but is hiding his feelings, don’t start pushing him to tell you how he feels. Make it an environment where you both feel comfortable opening up.
Give him subtle hints that you appreciate the time he spends with you. Smile, show interest in what he has to say, ask questions, and allow your conversations to transition into more personal topics.
Don’t kill yourself trying to figure out his every move if he’s not making things clear. While attraction and chemistry are important, you deserve someone who will meet you in the middle. You deserve someone who isn’t afraid to show their feelings.
Why Would He Hide His Feelings From You If He Knows You Like Him?
The obvious answer is because he is nervous. But that isn’t always the case. Some men are afraid of rejection even if the signs are blatantly obvious to everyone else.
Others don’t want to ruin a friendship by telling you they want more than what you two have. Some men haven’t had the best experiences with past exes and aren’t sure how you will take it when they tell you.
Don’t jump to conclusions too quickly. Just because he may be shy about telling you how he feels doesn’t mean he is not interested.
Just remember that if he likes you, his feelings will eventually catch up to him and he will tell you. You deserve someone who will be clear about how they feel.
Conclusion
He may say things that clue you in on whether he knows you like him or not. But more often than not, he will show you through his actions. He may avoid telling you he likes you, but he won’t avoid making you laugh or showing you he cares.
Look for patterns in his behavior. When trying to tell if he knows you like him but won’t admit it, see if he continuously goes out of his way to spend time with you. See if he treats you different than other people. These are clues that he may like you too.
But don’t forget to take care of yourself in the process. You don’t need to sit around and wait for him to say something for the rest of forever. Let him know you enjoy his company and see where things go. If he really likes you, he will be sure to let you know.
FAQ
Can a guy know you like him and still not make a move?
Yes, guys know all of the signs too. He could be shy, not sure how you feel about him, scared you’ll reject him, or waiting for you to make your move.
How can you tell if a man is hiding his attraction to you?
A lot of times guys who are attracted to someone else will go out of their way to talk to you, seem to notice small details about you, act nervous around you, or treat you differently than everyone else.
Do guys test girls they like?
Some do, yes. Whether it be by teasing you about liking him, bringing it up indirectly, or purposely watching your reaction to certain things he says.
What’s the difference between a guy that’s just being friendly and a guy that likes you?
A guy who is just being friendly will be nice to everyone. A guy who likes you will take notice of the small things you tell him, try to spend as much time with you as possible, and actively seek you out when you don’t ask.
Should I confess my feelings to him first?
There is nothing wrong with telling a guy you like him first. If you feel like you want to be frank about your feelings and sense that he feels the same way, go for it! Taking the chance can help both of you feel comfortable and get rid of any uncertainty.
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