How to Know if a Younger Girl Likes You

Co-authored by Imad Jbara and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: November 26, 2024 References

Younger girls are often super fun, confident, and upbeat. It’s not surprising if one caught your eye! If you’re developing a crush, you might be wondering if the feeling is mutual. The good news is that there are lots of common ways to tell if someone is flirting with you, no matter their age. Keep reading for lots of great tips!

Things You Should Know

See if she smiles, laughs, and makes direct eye contact with you.
Watch her body language to see how relaxed and open she is.
If she likes you, she might make excuses to get closer or touch you.

1

See if she makes a lot of direct eye contact.

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If you've got her undivided attention, it's a good sign that she's interested. ^{[1]
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Expert Source

Imad Jbara
Dating Coach

Expert Interview. 5 November 2019.} She might gaze deeply into your eyes or make eye contact for several seconds before she looks away. These are both promising signs that she wants to make a connection. ^{[2]
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Research source}
- Another good sign is if you catch her glancing your way from across the room. If you want to flirt back, hold her gaze.
- Is she glancing away a lot or does it seems like she's not giving you her full attention? This might mean that she's bored, uncomfortable, or wants to be somewhere else.
- Reader Poll: We asked 1543 wikiHow readers to tell us what the clearest indicator was that a girl liked them, and 50% said prolonged eye contact. [Take Poll] Every girl is different (and you shouldn’t assume she likes you unless she says so), but this could be a strong sign that she’s interested!

2

Watch for open body language.

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She'll turn towards you while keeping her arms uncrossed. A lot of body language is subtle—she probably won't realize she's even doing these things! If she likes you, she'll angle her legs or shoulders toward you or lean in slightly so she's closer to you. ^{[3]
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- Crossing the arms and legs is usually a standoffish body signal. It means she's closing off to you or feeling vulnerable.
- If she's showing open body language, match her signals. This is called mirroring and it shows her that you're receptive to her, too.

3

Look for big smiles if she enjoys your company.

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A young woman will usually break into a broad smile if she likes you. It's hard for some people to hide their emotions so she may bust out a big grin when she sees you. This tells you she feels good around you and you make her happy. ^{[4]
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Research source}
- She might also give you subtle, half-smiles if she's being flirtatious.
- Batting the eyes might seem cliche, but it is actually something that people do when they’re flirting. If a young woman is fluttering her lashes at you, she probably likes what she sees.

4

See if she lowers her voice when she speaks to you.

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A drop in pitch might indicate she’s flirting. Some women speak in a low, husky voice when they're attracted or feeling a little romantic. You might even find yourself doing this, too, if you're interested in her. ^{[5]
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- She might also make her voice a little softer on purpose. Go ahead, lean in closer to hear what she’s saying!

5

Watch if she stands close to you.

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A girl might be into you if she finds excuses to touch you. She may brush up against you or just stand near you when you're together in a group. If she doesn't initiate much physical contact, try this—try touching her arm briefly while you're talking. You can use her reaction to gauge how she feels about you. ^{[6]
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- If she smiles and doesn't pull back, great job! You might even find that she starts initiating more physical contact if she's interested in you. If she doesn't smile but doesn't pull away, keep flirting and continue to gauge her reaction.
- Of course if she backs off, make sure to respect her space and boundaries.

6

Ask yourself if she's usually available to you.

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If she’s always up to hang out, she probably likes you. Everyone’s busy, so it’s totally normal if sometimes your friends don’t feel like meeting up. But if you realize that this young woman always says yes to plans, she definitely loves to spend time with you. ^{[7]
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Expert Source

Imad Jbara
Dating Coach

Expert Interview. 5 November 2019.} And there is probably a little spark!
- Being available also means that she’s quick to respond to texts and social media messages. Keep the conversation going so that you can deepen your connection.

7

Notice if she laughs a lot around you.

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She'll be happy and joyful if she enjoys your company. If it seems like she's bubbly or lights up when you're together, this may mean she likes you. She may laugh at your jokes or just make really enthusiastic statements. ^{[8]
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- For example, if she says something like, “Wow, I’m so glad you’re here! Let’s have fun!” that’s a great sign that she’s flirting with you.
- Sure, a girl might smile even if she's not into you, but it probably won't be a big grin or the smile might not reach her eyes. A forced smile means she's probably not interested.

8

Pay attention when she talks about the future.

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She might be attracted to you because you're secure. Younger women might want to date someone older for lots of reasons—you're more mature, financially secure, and experienced in relationships. If she starts talking about what she wants out of life or asking you about yourself, it might mean that she's interested in a future together. ^{[9]
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- For example, if she tells you about her passion for her job or education, she may be figuring out if you share those same values.

9

Take it as a positive if she compliments your character.

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A young woman might be drawn to your patience or kindness. She probably appreciates that as an older person, you've settled into your personality. For instance, she might find it attractive that you know how to handle your emotions—better than most of her peers, that is. ^{[10]
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- While it’s cool to have her compliment your smile, it could mean something more if she talks about loving how mature and responsible you are.

10

Notice if she dresses up for you.

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If she's put in more effort to look nice, she's hoping to impress you! Maybe she's wearing a cute new outfit or has done her makeup a little differently. Pay attention to how she's styling her hair, too. Is she trying out new looks in an attempt to get your attention? ^{[11]
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- She might even ask you what you think about her outfit or how she looks. This means she really wants you to notice her!

11

Pay attention to thoughtful things she does for you.

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Young women do this in a variety of ways. She may listen to something you've said and remember it later. For instance, maybe you mentioned that you liked a certain band and she picked up one of their albums for you. If she's putting in the effort to do something nice for you, it means that she values you and is interested in your life. ^{[12]
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- Taken together, all these little clues tell you that she wants you to notice and like her.
EXPERT TIP

John Keegan
Dating Coach
John Keegan is a Dating Coach and motivational speaker based in New York City. With over 10 years of professional experience, he runs The Awakened Lifestyle, where he uses his expertise in dating, attraction, and social dynamics to help people find love. He teaches and holds dating workshops internationally, from Los Angeles to London and from Rio de Janeiro to Prague. His work has been featured in the New York Times, Humans of New York, and Men's Health.

John Keegan
Dating Coach

While you're at it, do thoughtful things for her, too. If you meet a woman younger than you, she'll appreciate your high emotional intelligence from previous relationships. It's important to be with someone who values your maturity and emotional depth!

Expert Q&A

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Question

How do you know if a girl likes you secretly?

Imad Jbara
Dating Coach
Imad Jbara is a Dating Coach for NYC Wingwoman LLC, a relationship coaching service based in New York City. 'NYC Wingwoman' offers matchmaking, wingwoman services, 1-on-1 Coaching, and intensive weekend bootcamps. Imad services 100+ clients, men and women, to improve their dating lives through authentic communication skills. He has a BA in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

Imad Jbara

Dating Coach

Expert Answer

See if she's willing to make time for you. Think of this way—if you really liked someone, you'd do whatever you could to hang out with them, right? The same idea applies here.

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If you’re into her, don’t be afraid to ask her out! Some younger women might be reluctant to make the first move.

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If you don’t like her as more than a friend, don't flirt with her. You don’t want to get her hopes up or waste her time.

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How to Know if a Younger Girl Likes You

Things You Should Know

Steps

See if she makes a lot of direct eye contact.

Watch for open body language.

Look for big smiles if she enjoys your company.

See if she lowers her voice when she speaks to you.

Watch if she stands close to you.

Ask yourself if she's usually available to you.

Notice if she laughs a lot around you.

Pay attention when she talks about the future.

Take it as a positive if she compliments your character.

Notice if she dresses up for you.

Pay attention to thoughtful things she does for you.

Expert Q&A

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Tips

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