How to Get a Cancer Man to Forgive You

PDF download Download Article
PDF download Download Article

How do you get the moody Crab of the zodiac to forgive you? As a water sign, a Cancer man is sensitive and emotional, especially when he feels hurt or upset. To navigate the waters of forgiveness, you’ll need to approach him with patience, understanding, and reassurance. We’ve put together a thorough guide to getting a Cancer man to forgive you with the help of expert astrologists. If you’re ready to smooth things over with your Crabby friend or partner, read on!

How to Get a Cancer Man Back

  1. Figure out why he’s upset.
  2. Reach out to him first with a sincere apology.
  3. Attentively listen to him and follow up on your apology with actions.
  4. Be emotionally forward with him.
  5. Give him space if he needs it.
  6. Make him feel like you care about him.
1

Determine why he’s upset.

PDF download Download Article
  1. A Cancer man is unlikely to tell you directly why he’s annoyed or angry. He’s highly intuitive because he’s ruled by the moon, and doesn’t get when other people aren’t—he wants you to know why he’s hurt without telling you. Think about his values and goals and identify what you did or said to go against them (if it isn’t obvious). What seems like a small accident to you might be seen as a lack of caring by him.
    • Watch his behavior and body language while you talk about different subjects. If he appears moody or withdrawn, that’s a hint about what he’s feeling down about.
    • A surefire sign he’s irritated by something will be his aloof or sour attitude.
    2. Advertisement
2

Be the one to approach him.

PDF download Download Article
  1. They retreat into their shell to avoid causing an argument. Your Cancer guy will be more willing to open up if you approach him first. When he’s hurt, he expects his partner to understand what they’ve done and take the necessary steps to make it right.
    • In a Cancer man’s ideal world, his partner will be the one to acknowledge the words or actions that hurt him every time.
    • Join him on the couch or sit facing him when you want to talk to him. Try to match his stature to start a 2-way conversation.
    • If you can’t see him in person, try sending him a friendly text to see if he has time for a quick phone or video call.
3

Offer a sincere apology.

PDF download Download Article
  1. He’s sensitive and doesn’t take being hurt or betrayed lightly. Tell him you’re sorry and get specific about what you’re apologizing for to show you understand the impact of your actions. Be as genuine as possible—a Cancer man can always tell whether you’re actually sorry or just saying it to get him to lighten up. [1]
    • Be prepared to apologize multiple times. It takes a while to convince a Cancer man you’re truly sorry or trustworthy again.
    • Use “I” statements to take ownership of what you did. For example, “I’m sorry that I blew you off last night” or “I feel horrible that I told Lauren about your secret.” [2]
    • Explain your behavior without getting defensive. Say things like, “I was just so stressed out that I blew up at you” instead of “I’m sorry I blew up at you but it wouldn’t have happened if you had just texted me sooner.”
    2. Advertisement
4

Listen to his response carefully.

PDF download Download Article
  1. Let him talk freely while he responds to your apology or opens up to you. Resist the urge to interrupt him or get defensive—he’s non-confrontational and will shut down again if you push back too hard. He needs to know you’re absorbing what he’s saying, so show him you’re actively listening by: [3]
    • Making eye contact and leaning in towards him.
    • Asking questions or paraphrasing what he said.
    • Listening and reacting without making judgements.
5

Give him space to process his feelings.

PDF download Download Article
  1. Let him come back around to you when he’s ready—trying to pressure him into forgiving you might push him farther away or make him believe your apology wasn’t sincere to begin with. Give him space when he needs it and know that he will come back around in a couple of days as a new man.
    • Remind him that you’re always available when he’s ready to talk with the occasional text or handwritten note.
    • Tell him things like “I’m always here to talk when you’re ready,” “Just let me know when you’re able to talk to me again,” or “Take your time, you know I’m always here for you.”
    • Because Cancer is a cardinal sign, he will initiate conversation with you again when he feels the moment is right.
    2. Advertisement
6

PDF download Download Article
  1. This is especially true for Cancer men who are naturally a little suspicious and need to feel secure that you mean what you say. Instead of grand gestures, show him random acts of kindness (like surprising him with coffee or visiting him at work) every day to show you genuinely appreciate and like him. Here are some other things you can do:
    • Keep all of your promises to him, no matter how big or small.
    • Check in with him frequently to see how he’s feeling.
    • Shower him with attention.
    • Cook for him or bring a dessert or sweets to share.
    • If you’re close enough, try hugging or hand holding (Cancer men value physical touch).
7

Wear your emotions on your sleeve.

PDF download Download Article
  1. The best way to get through to a Cancer man is to be emotionally vulnerable—tell him how you really feel and how badly you wish for him to forgive you. Let your emotions show through your tone and body language. Use a soft, serious tone, make eye contact, and face him directly while talking.
    • The guarded Crab is more likely to let his walls down when he sees you being open and honest first.
    • A Cancer man deals with pain slowly. It may take him some time to reciprocate your openness, but it’s only because he’s afraid of being hurt again.
    2. Advertisement
8

Reassure him that you care.

PDF download Download Article
  1. Tell him explicitly that you care about him, you appreciate your relationship with him, and that you never want to do anything to jeopardize it again. Even if he’s still hurt, your constant reassurance will rebuild his confidence and eventually convince him to open up to you again. Let him know you appreciate him sharing his emotions with phrases like:
    • “Thank you so much for letting me in. It means a lot.”
    • “I’m glad you feel comfortable enough to tell me how you feel.”
    • “Your feelings are important to me. Please know I want to hear them, whenever you’re willing to share.”
9

Bring up good memories.

PDF download Download Article
  1. Get sentimental with him and reminisce about the fun, bonding moments you’ve had together to butter him up. Tell him stories of obstacles you overcame together, wild nights out you had, or times that he was there to support you. When he remembers how good your relationship was before, he’ll be eager to get back to the way things were. [4]
    • If you two are dating, visit the spot where you had your first date or do an activity that reminds him of your early relationship to make him nostalgic for you.
    2. Advertisement
10

Spend extra time together.

PDF download Download Article
  1. It reassures them that you care and soothes their jealous or possessive tendencies. In the days and weeks after your apology, put in some extra effort to see your Cancer guy more often to strengthen your relationship. Try to make spontaneous plans so he feels like you genuinely want to see him instead of just sticking to an obligatory itinerary. Cancer men usually enjoy:
    • A game night at home with a small, close circle of friends.
    • Cooking or dining at a high-quality restaurant.
    • A quick outing to a new place, like a day trip to a nature park.
11

Make him smile.

PDF download Download Article
  1. He values a good sense of humor, so go ahead and crack a few jokes around him to make him chuckle. Don’t stress about being the funniest person in the world—a few good-natured quips will get the job done.
    • He’ll also appreciate a few compliments to boost his self-esteem. He cares a lot about his loved ones and appreciates when they recognize his good qualities.
    • Make sure your compliments are genuine. If he thinks you’re just buttering him up to make the whole thing blow over, he’ll stay upset.
    2. Advertisement

Learn How to Date a Cancer with this Expert Series

Cancers are a complex mix of loyalty, romance, and dynamism. It can take patience to attract a Cancer, but it's absolutely worth it. This expert series will help you date the Cancer of your dreams.
1
How to Meet and Date a Cancer Sign
2
Flirt With a Cancer
3
Cancer Compatibility: What Zodiac Sign Is Most Compatible with Cancer?
4
Deal with a Moody Cancer Man
5
Cancer Woman: Her Dominant Personality Traits & Characteristics
6
11 Ways to Make a Cancer Woman Jealous

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      • Remember that every Cancer man is an individual. These options might work for most Cancer men, but you should use your judgment and knowledge of his personality to determine what will work the best.
        Thanks
        Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      The Art of Astrocartography: Intrepreting Your Chart Lines
      How to
      Read an Astrology Chart
      The Top 12 Reasons Why Aquarius Gets So Much Hate
      How to
      Know Your Rashi
      What’s the Most Hated Sign, According to Experts?
      Which Planets Are Friends & Enemies in Astrology?
      How to
      Predict Child Birth from a Horoscope
      A Capricorn's Weakest Personality Traits, According to an Astrologer
      What’s the Most Common Zodiac Sign?
      Ruling Planets in Astrology: Which Planet Rules Your Zodiac Sign?
      What a Leo Man Looks for in a Woman
      Twin Flame Numbers: Decoding Popular Patterns
      How to
      Find Your Astrological Sun and Moon
      Libra Lucky Numbers (& What They Mean for You)
      Advertisement

      Expert Interview

      Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about zodiac relationships, check out our in-depth interview with Stina Garbis .

      References

      1. ↑ https://astrologycosmos.com/what-happens-when-a-cancer-man-is-mad-at-you/
      2. ↑ https://psychcentral.com/blog/psychology-self/2017/11/forgiveness-apologizing-responsibility#6
      3. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/in-it-together/202006/active-listening-skills
      4. ↑ https://i.thehoroscope.co/cancer-anger-the-dark-side-of-the-crab-sign/

      About This Article

      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 53,721 times.

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement