It can be easy to spot signs a guy likes you, but how can you tell if a guy is genuinely interested? 

How do you know if a guy is playing you or really likes you? Is he interested or just friendly?

This article will help you to come to the right conclusion and be able to know if you should wait for him to make a move and pursue a relationship with him. 

Table of Contents

• How to tell if a guy is genuinely interested
• How to tell if a guy is genuinely interested over text
• How to tell if a guy is genuinely interested online
• Is he interested or just friendly?
• How to know if a guy is playing you or really likes you
• Signs he is interested in you romantically
• Signs he likes you more than you think
• Signs he secretly wants you
• FAQ

How to tell if a guy is genuinely interested

1. He contacts you often

When a man is consistent in communicating with you through the various communication channels, be it through call or text, it is an early sign a guy is genuinely interested in you.

Not so many days go by without hearing from him. And also when you reach out to him, he does not ignore your calls or texts.

2. Consistency in wanting to see you

When a guy has been consistent in wanting to see you, even when you decline he does not stop the chase; it is a way to tell if a guy is genuinely interested.

Most guys are not consistent in chasing a woman who is just a fling, they stop chasing within just 2 weeks. 

If you feel like he is genuinely happy to be around you even when there are no sexual favors, then he is genuinely interested.

READ MORE: 30 Signs he wants you to notice him

3. He wants to know you better

When a guy is genuinely interested in you, he will begin to take interest in your personal life. He will want to know the interesting and boring details of your life. 

He will ask you a lot of questions including if you are in a relationship, your expectations, your hobbies, background, family, skills, interests, dislikes, and aspirations. 

If you mention that you sing or play sports, he might come to watch you perform. In that way, he is also getting to practically know you, which is one of the signs he likes you more than you think.

4. He compliments you often

A way to tell if a guy is genuinely interested is when he compliments your physical appearance and other subtle features. He will compliment your intelligence, how you treat people, your achievements, your cooking, your talents, how you challenge him intellectually, and how you make him feel. 

If a man only focuses on your physical appearance, it may be a sign he only wants you for your body.

5. He responds to your texts timely

When a man has strong feelings for you, he will be quick to respond to your texts. He will never leave your texts hanging like he never saw them or make an excuse that he forgot to respond. 

When a man does not respond to texts during certain times it can a red flag that he is a married man or he is in other relationships. 

6. He’s been spending time with you

When a guy really likes you, he will want to spend time with you so that he gets to know you better. He will also want to spend time with you so that he can win you over and give you the opportunity to fall for him before he asks you to be his girlfriend.

If he always suggests a meeting with you, or he wants to come and see you most days after work, it is how to tell if a guy is genuinely interested.

7. He is open to you

A man who sees a future with you will open up to you. He will want you to know him better and he will be willing to answer all the questions that you ask him. 

He will tell you about his past experiences, his upbringing, occupation, family including kids if he has, past relationships, his hobbies and interests, fears, dislikes, beliefs, and values.

A man who wants to make you his will even be vulnerable around you, he will allow you to see the weaker side of him that other people do not know. When a man can be vulnerable to you, it is a sign he likes you more than you think.

8. When you ask him to do something he does it

A man who likes will always want to impress you and will want to build trust. So if you happen to ask him to do something for you, he will do it. He hardly ever refuses when it comes to you. And you can count on him to deliver. 

If you need help with manpower, he is your guy, or if you need him to buy you something on his way to you, he does it. If this guy always goes out of his way to help you, then he is genuinely interested in you. A man will not be consistent in delivering if he is not in love with you. 

9. He remembers your birthday and other important dates

If you have mentioned that your birthday is coming up, he will remember and do something special for you. He will even ask you what your plans for your birthday are because he is planning to take you out. He might also give you a gift. 

When a guy is just playing you or does not have genuine feelings for you, he will not see the need to memorize your birthday and even give you a gift, unless if you have forced him to do it.

READ MORE: Signs an older man is falling in love with you

10. He notices the little things about you

When a guy really likes you, he will notice the finer details about you that most people would ignore. He will notice if your clear face now has breakouts, or if you have gained weight or lost it, if you have changed your hairstyle or you are wearing a new outfit or your mood has changed.

11. His close circle knows about you

If his friends already know about you and you sometimes chill with some of his couple friends, it is a good sign he is falling in love with you and he sees a future with you.

12. He values your opinion

When a man sees a future with you, he will run to you before he makes decisions. He will ask you what you think of his outfit or the next furniture that he wants to purchase. If he got a job offer at a place that is far from you, he will want to hear what you think about it. 

When the decisions that he makes seem to revolve around your preferences, it is one of the clear signs a guy is genuinely interested in you.

13. He does thoughtful gestures for you

Sometimes he might just surprise you with your favourite treats, or book tickets to an event that you love. Sometimes it can even be fixing an item of yours that was broken or even just offering to drive you.  

14. He pays attention to you

When a man is falling in love with you he will enjoy listening to you. Conversations will not only be about him and praising him, but he will want you to feel free to talk to him about anything. He will also ask you questions and be interested in your views. 

When a man only talks about himself, brags about what he has or what he can do, and minimizes your feelings; then the future does not seem too bright for you. 

15. He asks your friends about you

If a man talks to your friends about you, asks for your contact details, ask if you are in a relationship, what you like, or what gift he can get for you, it is one of the signs he will make you his girlfriend soon. He would not ask your friends about you if he was not serious about you.

16. He has clearly expressed his feelings for you

If a man has already told you that he loves you, you make him happy and you are what he wants in a woman, then it is a clear sign he really likes you and not just playing you.

How to tell if a guy is genuinely interested over text

1. He initiates texts

When a guy is genuinely interested over text he will check up on you often. He will be the one to initiate conversations. He will be the first person to say “hi”, “how are you?” “How was your day?” and other topics that he wants you to discuss so that he can have an excuse to keep talking to you.

2. He responds to your texts instantly

Signs a guy is genuinely interested over text is when he is very quick to reply to your texts. When you text him, within a couple of minutes he’s already replied. 

The speed of his replies is one of the signs he caught feelings through text.

If he does not respond timely, it means there was a valid reason, but you are confident that he always responds when he gets a chance.

3. He always seems happy to hear from you

If you text him first, you can see the excitement in his response. It is like he has been waiting to hear from you. 

The body language of a guy secretly in love with you is when he smiles every time he sees you. 

But even through text, he will be smiling when texting you (although you won’t see it) but you will see it in his quick response, lengthy responses, and even asking you a question after his reply. 

4. He does not give one-word answers

How to tell if a guy is genuinely interested over text? He will not text one-word replies. He will put in some effort (even if he does not like texting).

He won’t type one-word responses like “K” “gud” “ok” “yep” “idk”, he will try to type full sentences.

You are even able to read his emotions from the way he answers you.

5. He texts you even when he is with other people

He might tell you that he will be with his family or with the guys or attending an event. But he still texts you and have a decent conversation with you although he’s with other people. 

If he still texts you although he is busy, then it is a sign he likes you through text. 

6. He responds to all your texts

When a guy likes you, he will respond to all your texts. He will never leave any of your texts hanging or read your texts but does not respond.

However, some guys can leave some of your text hanging just to get your attention.

But if a guy stops responding, it can also be a sign he’s losing interest through text.

7. He wants to do more than texting

When a guy likes you, he will do more than texting. He will want to call you, or even do a video call. He will also want to meet up with you. 

If he does not want to do more, it may be a sign that he’s not really into you.

How to tell if a guy is genuinely interested online

1. He texts you to login so he can talk to you

How to tell if a guy is genuinely interested online is when he always wants to communicate with you. If you happen to be offline he will text you and tell you that he is online can he talk to you. 

He also avails himself if you want to talk to him at a time when he is not online.

2. He is always genuinely happy to talk to you

When a man has strong feelings for you, he will always be happy to talk to you and this joy can also be noticed through an online conversation. If it is a video call, you will see his smile and if it is through text you will see it in his responses.

3. He is making plans to see you in person

Signs a guy is genuinely interested online, is when he makes tangible plans to meet up with you in person. He will even give an expected timeframe of when it should happen.

You want to be careful of someone who asks you for money to come and see you. If a man is serious about you, he will make a plan.

4. His close circle knows about you

He has already told you that his friends and family know about you. And sometimes if they happen to be with him during your video call, they do come and greet you. If he has already introduced you to them it is a sign he is genuinely interested in you.

5. He replies instantly

When a guy really likes you, he will reply to you instantly. Even if he is still receiving messages from other people, it is you that he prioritizes. 

6. You know his daily schedule

When he has caught feelings online, he will include you in his schedule. You will know everything that he gets up to and he will be interested in your schedule. He always keeps you up to date with his life and you feel like you know him even if you are a distance apart.

Is he interested or just friendly?

1. Does he try to impress you?

When he tries to impress you it is a sign he is interested. He will pay attention to his image around you, buys you gifts, be careful of how he speaks around you, which is something that a friendly guy will not do. 

2. Does he flirt with you?

When a guy is being friendly he will not flirt with you, but if he is interested he will flirt with you. 

3. Does he get jealous when you talk to or date other people?

If he gets jealous when there is someone that you are giving attention to, it is a sign he is interested.

4. How often does he contact or spend time with you?

If he talks to you or texts you daily, he is not just being friendly, it is a sign he is interested in you.

Read these signs he only sees you as a friend.

How to know if a guy is playing you or really likes you

• If a guy is playing you, he will not invest time in getting to know you, all encounters with him will be sexual. But if he really likes you he will want to know you better.
• When a guy is playing you he will not chase you long enough, but when he really likes you he will do everything to win you over.
• When a guy is playing you he will be inconsistent in his communication, but when he really likes you he will talk to you almost daily.
• If a guy is playing you he will still be in a relationship with someone else but when he really likes you he will leave all the other people for you.

Signs he is interested in you romantically

1. You spend too much time together

One of the signs he is interested in you romantically is when he enjoys spending time with you. He seems to spend more time with you than he does with his friends or even girlfriend.

Even if you can be a group of friends, he will create ways to spend more alone time with you. When you need company, he is always available for you.

2. He sends flirty texts

If he sends flirty texts, with love and heart emojis, it is a clear sign he is interested in you romantically. It can even be simple words like “I like that outfit you were wearing” or “I miss you, when am I seeing you?”

3. He calls you by a pet name

If your guy friend has a sweet pet name for you, like sweety or beautiful or babe it is a sign that he is interested in you romantically. If he only saw you as a friend he would not call you by such pet names.

4. He gets too close to you

If he likes to touch you lightly, or by accident, or tries to move his body closer to yours and gives you some form of eye contact, it is a clear sign he has feelings for you. 

When it is just the two of you he tries to hold your hands, and sometimes even tries to steal a kiss which is a clear sign your guy friend is attracted to you.

5. He introduces you to his friends and family

So if all his friends know about you and you have even met his family members, it is a sign he likes you romantically. 

6. He does not mention other girls when with you

When a guy is interested in you romantically, he will refrain from talking about other women. If your guy friend does not talk about his girlfriend or the lady that he likes, then it is you that he likes.

7. He talks to you a lot

Normal friends can go for days or even weeks without communicating. If it feels like you and your guy friend talk on a regular basis, maybe more than once a week, then it is one of the signs your guy friend likes you romantically. 

8. He acts weird when he sees you with other guys

If he behaves strangely when he sees other men showing interest in you, it is a sign he is jealous because he has feelings for you. 

9. He always compliments you

If a guy seems to compliment you often, it is one of the clear signs he likes you. It means that he pays attention to you and notices every small change in you.

10. He instantly reacts everything you post

Signs your guy friend likes you romantically is when he follows you religiously on social media. He sees everything that you post and likes or comments on it. 

If he does this, it can be a sign that he wants you to notice him online.

11. He buys you gifts

When a guy gives you gifts on special occasions like your birthday, Valentine’s day, or even a Christmas gift, it is a sign he likes you romantically. 

12. He is fidgety

If a guy is fidgety, like he toys with his sleeve or fidgets with a button, it is non-verbal sign that he has a romantic interest in you. 

Signs he likes you more than you think

1. He contacts you often 
2. He wants to spend quality time with you
3. Other people have noticed that he has a crush on you
4. He tries to impress you
5. He is jealous when you entertain other guys
6. He always compliments you
7. He does not mention other girls when with you
8. He can’t say no to you
9. He responds almost instantly to your calls and texts
10. He’s introduced you to his friends

Signs he secretly wants you

1. He seems nervous around you
2. He is jealous when other guys come into the picture
3. He wants to meet up with you alone
4. He distances himself from other people when you are around
5. Your guy friend compliments you often
6. He has been single for a while but keeps spending time with you
7. He maintains eye contact when you are talking to him
8. He keeps tabs on your love life
9. He does not talk about other girls in your presence
10. He is always available when you need him

FAQ

How do you know if a guy is genuinely interested in you?

• He wants to spend quality time with you
• He constantly wants to impress you
• He is constantly reaching out to you
• His close circle knows about you
• When he pursues you, he is not in a relationship with other people