How to Tell if a Guy in Middle School Likes You

Co-authored by Joshua Pompey

Last Updated: November 29, 2024 Approved

Sometimes it can be really hard to tell if a guy likes you or not! Lots of people get butterflies or feel nervous around their crush, and that can make it tough to figure out if he’s interested in you or just sees you as a friend. Learning how to watch his body language, verbal cues, and his interactions with you will help you figure out if he likes you back!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Noticing His Body Language

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1
Check if he looks at you often. Do you ever glance over at him and catch him staring at you? If you do, there is hope that he likes you. Be careful not to look at him too much--he might just be looking at you because you’re staring at him! ^{[1]
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Expert Source

Joshua Pompey
Relationship Expert

Expert Interview. 27 November 2019.}
- Reader Poll: We asked 1101 wikiHow readers, and 57% of them agreed that the biggest sign that a guy likes you is if he makes frequent eye contact . [Take Poll]
If he is smiling at you a lot, he probably likes you. Think about the last time you saw him. If he smiled at you often and for no real reason, there’s a good chance he’s interested in you. ^{[2]
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Expert Source

Joshua Pompey
Relationship Expert

Expert Interview. 27 November 2019.}

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3
Notice where he sits. Guys don’t go out of their way to sit next to people they don’t like. If he often sits beside you or close to you when he doesn’t have to, he likes you. ^{[3]
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- Try getting to class or lunch really early and sitting down before everyone else. If he goes out of his way to sit near you, that’s a good sign!
- He might be a little too shy to sit next to you. Check to see if he sits nearby instead!
4
See if he tries to touch you. If he touches you or reaches towards you while you’re talking, he probably likes you! Tickling, poking, hugging, and tapping your shoulder are all signs he’s interested in being more than friends. ^{[4]
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Expert Source

Joshua Pompey
Relationship Expert

Expert Interview. 27 November 2019.}
- If you don’t like him touching you, don’t be afraid to say so. It’s important to stand up for yourself.

Quiz

wikiHow Quiz: Does My Crush Like Me?

Having a crush is the best thing in the world—except when it’s the worst! All those lovey-dovey butterflies can quickly turn into nervousness. Suddenly, you're stuck analyzing their every move, wondering whether or not they like you back. Luckily, we’ve got the perfect quiz for you! Answer these questions, and you'll learn to identify the secret signs that your crush is into you, so you can stop worrying and start loving. Take this quiz to finally get your answer!

1 of 20

Does your crush follow you on social media?

Totally—they tag me in posts and always comment on mine with inside jokes.

Yep. We don’t interact publicly, but I get sooo many DMs of memes from them.

Yeah, we like each others’ posts but that’s it.

No, they never accepted my follow request.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Talking to Him

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A guy who laughs, stutters, makes weird jokes, or avoids eye contact when you talk is probably nervous around you. A lot of middle school boys are really nervous around people they like, so this is a good sign! ^{[5]
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Do you ever find him butting into your conversations with a friend? This could mean he is trying to spark a conversation with you and wants to talk. Let him! Joke around a bit to let him know you accept him. ^{[6]
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3
Watch to see if he tries to talk to your friends. Is he coming up often and talking to your friends but not necessarily you? He may be working his way around to you, and using your friends as the excuse to be nearby. ^{[7]
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- It can be hard to tell if he likes you or just likes your friend. If he talks to the same friend every time, he probably likes them. But if he talks to a different friend every time, he might like you!
If you never really talked before but he’s suddenly interested in chatting with you, that’s a really good sign that he likes you. A good way to tell is if he makes excuses to start conversations with you, like asking for a pencil when you’re on the other side of the room. ^{[8]
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5
Look for compliments in his conversation. People usually don’t say nice things about people they don’t like. If he’s giving you compliments when he doesn’t have to, he is probably interested in you! ^{[9]
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- For example, things like "I really liked your presentation" or "That jacket looks nice on you" might indicate that he likes you.
6
Ask him if he likes you. This takes some courage, but if you’re already talking to him and he’s showing a lot of signs of liking you, it’s okay to just ask! He might get embarrassed, but if he really likes you, he’ll say so. ^{[10]
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- You can just say “I like you a lot. Do you like me?” It’s best to tell him you like him too first, otherwise, he might think you’re making fun of him.
- If he avoids answering or even says no, just play it off as a joke. You can say “Just kidding!” and change the subject.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Recognizing Flirtatious Behavior

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If he starts showing up where ever you are, he may be following you to find a good time to talk to you. Many boys are shy about talking to people they like, so he might be compensating by just being near you. ^{[11]
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Research source}
If he treats you exactly the same as he treats everyone else, there may not be something there. But if he’s usually outgoing but can’t talk to you, or if he’s a tough guy around his friends but asks you how you’re feeling, there’s a good chance he’s interested. ^{[12]
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3
See if he tries to compete with you. Have you ever found him trying to race you in gym or compete with you on quizzes? Lots of guys try to get to know someone by competing with him. If he’s interested in competition with you, he probably likes you. ^{[13]
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- Don’t be tempted to let him win all the time! Be true to yourself. Changing for another person is never worth it.
4
Watch how he responds when you are with another guy. If he acts upset or hurt when you spend time with another guy, it might be a sign of his interest in you. If you happen to be talking with another guy while he’s nearby, watch to see how he reacts. ^{[14]
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- Don’t try to make him jealous on purpose--it’s manipulative and could scare him away.
- Be careful around guys who overreact when you’re with someone else. It’s okay if they’re just hurt or a little jealous, but if they get angry, yell at you or him, or throw a tantrum, it could be a sign of controlling behavior.
5
See if he gives you a gift. Lots of guys like to give their crush presents. If he gives you anything, even if it’s something small like a sticker or a pencil, he probably likes you and is trying to get you to like him too. ^{[15]
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- Don’t accept anything really lavish, like electronics or money. Just tell him you’d rather get to know him as a person instead.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How do you know if a boy likes you at school?

Joshua Pompey
Relationship Expert
Joshua Pompey is a Relationship Expert and Founder of Next Evolution Matchmaking (NEM) based in New York City, NY. With over 15 years in the industry, Joshua helps his clients navigate online dating and has a success rate of over 99%. His work has been featured in CNBC, Good Morning America, Wired, and Refinery29 and he has been referred to as the best online dater in the world.

Joshua Pompey

Relationship Expert

Expert Answer

If they make a lot of eye contact with you or you catch them staring at you when you aren't looking, it's a pretty good sign they're interested in you. Also, if they go out of your way to talk to you or they text you randomly, they may have a crush on you. The biggest sign is if they randomly touch you by brushing against your elbow, putting their hand on your back, or going out of their way to hug you. This is a sure sign that they're interested.

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Question

What do I do if he looks away immediately when I turn around to look at him? Like he looks really shy and he is. I never see him talk to girls at all, what should I do? In class, I'm the quietest one.

Community Answer

He's probably embarrassed that you caught him looking! If he's quiet too it might be hard to get to know him, but give it a shot!

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Question

If my crush worries about me when I'm by myself, tells me that I'm the only person he can stand in the school, and always asks (only me) for help, could he like me?

Community Answer

He probably really likes you. If he thinks about you when you aren't around and tells you you're the only person he likes, that's a sign that he's interested. It may also be a sign that he's very clingy, so be careful!

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If he likes someone else or has a partner, don't try to take him from them. It will make you seem desperate and mean.

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Everybody is different. Some boys who like you may not show it at all. Other boys may just be very friendly.

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Don't try to impress him too much! If you're always following him and trying to get him to notice you, you might be scaring him off.

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How to Tell if a Guy in Middle School Likes You

Steps

Noticing His Body Language

wikiHow Quiz: Does My Crush Like Me?

Does your crush follow you on social media?

Talking to Him

Recognizing Flirtatious Behavior

Expert Q&A

Reader Videos

Tips

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