11 Indirect Hints to Show Your Crush That You Like Him

Let your crush know how you feel without coming out and saying it

Co-authored by Imad Jbara and Dev Murphy, MA

Last Updated: October 13, 2024 Fact Checked

The thought of telling your crush that you like him might be a bit scary! If you're nervous about getting rejected, it can be helpful to show your crush that you like him before you talk about your feelings. Give him little hints that you're interested with your body language, text messages, and attitude. Eventually, you might even work your way up to actually telling him how you feel, so if you get the vibe that your feelings are reciprocal, don’t hesitate to speak up! Check out our expert tips for hinting to your crush that you're into him, including advice from professional dating coach Imad Jbara.

How to Hint to Your Crush That You Like Him

Smile at him and make eye contact so he knows he has your attention.
Playful and respectful touching will let him know you want to be more intimate.
Go out of your way to talk to him and ask him questions about himself.
Compliment him and make him feel good about himself.
Engage him in lighthearted flirting and teasing.

1

Smile and make eye contact.

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If you look like you’re open and engaged, he’ll respond positively. During a conversation, look him in the eyes so that he knows you're giving him your full attention. Many people don't make eye contact when they're talking to someone, so this will make him feel special and important. Smiling also sends the message that you’re happy to be talking to him, which is a great way to drop the hint. ^{[1]
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Research source}
- Try not to stare directly at him all the time. Too much eye contact can come off as aggressive or overwhelming. ^{[2]
 X
 Research source}
- If you have no facial expression and you’re looking away from him while he talks, it’s going to send a subconscious message that you aren’t interested in talking to him.

2

Brush against him in a playful way.

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Casual and respectful touching is a great way to drop the hint. “Accidentally” brush against him in the hall, put your hand on his shoulder when you laugh at his jokes, and go out of your way to hug him first when you run into him and his friends. This kind of light touching is a big sign that you’re comfortable around him and are interested in pursuing a relationship, Jbara says. ^{[3]
X
Expert Source

Imad Jbara
Dating Coach

Expert Interview. 5 November 2019.}
- When you hug him, hold it a little longer than you normally would. If it’s reciprocal and he holds the hug as well, it’s a huge sign that he’s into you.
- If you haven’t known him that long, test the waters first. Try getting a little close to him and then backing out of his personal space. If he has a negative reaction or moves away from you, just take it slow. ^{[4]
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 Research source}
- A little casual touching is fine, but don’t go out of your way to grab, hold, or touch him in an aggressive way.

3

Show your interest with actions.

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If you’re shy, hint that you like him with small gestures. Small, meaningful actions or favors can go a long way in showing him he’s on your mind and that you’re paying attention to him. ^{[5]
X
Trustworthy Source
Greater Good Magazine
Journal published by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, which uses scientific research to promote happier living
Go to source} This could also open the door to casual chatting with him, which will propel your relationship forward.
- Try dropping by his desk with a latte from his favorite cafe or offering to take class notes for him when he’s out sick for the day—something small but meaningful that shows you see him.

4

Go out of your way to talk to him.

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Making an active effort to interact with him will show him you care. If you go to the same school, get up and go talk to him at lunch. Shoot him a text message out of the blue to ask how he’s doing. If you’re at a party with a bunch of friends, leave them for a minute to go talk to him one-on-one. Showing him that you’re interested in hanging out with him will help you develop a personal relationship. ^{[6]
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Research source}
- If you sit around just waiting for him to make the first move and talk to you, he may assume that you aren’t interested in him.

Quiz

wikiHow Quiz: Does He Like Me?

Some guys can feel like a total mystery. How can you figure out if he likes you as just a friend—or if he wants something more? Take this quiz to find out!

1 of 15

When you two are in a room filled with other people, how often do you catch him staring at you?

Constantly! I swear, he’s always looking right back at me.

I’ve noticed him staring a few times, yeah.

I think I’ve caught him staring once or twice.

Nope, I’ve never noticed that.

5

Compliment him.

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If you make him feel good, he’ll want to be around you. Tell him you think his new haircut looks really cute or that his new shoes are really cool. You can also compliment him on his intelligence by saying something nice about his performance in class, or comment about how kind he was to someone. Everyone loves a compliment, and he’s going to be more likely to want to pursue a relationship or look at you as a potential partner if you build him up.
- For example, you might say something like, “That test was really hard! I can’t believe you did so well; you’re so good at math.”
- If you want to compliment his looks, you can say, “That shirt really brings out the color of your eyes. I love it!”
- But you don't necessarily have to tell him that you think he's hot or the cutest person you've ever seen: “I don't really like using physical compliments,” Jbara says, “I like more questions about what's on you like, ‘Oh, those are great shoes, it works well with your outfit, are you a stylist?’ Stuff like that, where…you're commenting on something that they created themselves, something a little different.” ^{[7]
 X
 Expert Source
 
 Imad Jbara
 Dating Coach
 
 Expert Interview. 5 November 2019.}

6

Make an effort to hang out.

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Go out of your way to invite him to events. It doesn’t even need to be romantic or date-like; just ask him to do things with you. If everyone is going out for drinks after work, ask him to tag along. If you and your friends are heading to the mall, send him a text asking if he wants to meet you there. This will make it absolutely clear that you enjoy spending time with him, which is a great way to indicate you have a crush. ^{[8]
X
Research source}
- If you don’t have his phone number, ask for it ! You can always play it off like you just want help with the homework every once in a while or something.
- If he ever invites you anywhere, go! The more time you get to spend together, the stronger your bond will grow. Spending time together is the best way to work your way up towards an actual relationship.

7

Ask him a lot of questions.

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People like talking about themselves, so ask him questions about himself. Give him plenty of room to open up and share how he feels. Asking questions will send the message that you’re interested in learning more about him. It will also give you plenty to talk about so that you can continue to move things forward. ^{[9]
X
Research source}
- If you’re just getting to know one another, questions like, “What do you do in your spare time?” and, “What’s your favorite movie?” are great ways to get him talking.
- Deeper questions are a great way to build on things once you know one another. Things like, “Where do you think you’ll be a year from now?” or, “What would you do with a million dollars?” are great ways to spark a meaningful dialogue.
- You can ask him questions about you as well. Something like, “Do you think I look better with long or short hair?” gives him an opportunity to say something flirty.

8

Engage in some lighthearted teasing.

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A little playful banter is a great way to drop the hint. For one, this will inject some comedy into the conversation every now and then. On top of that, a little fun teasing is a subtle way of demonstrating your comfort and vulnerability around someone. It’s also a great way to relieve a little bit of tension if things ever get serious or awkward. ^{[10]
X
Research source}
- For example, you might use phrases like “You’re such a brat!” or “Your laugh is so funny to me; I love the way you giggle.” Try to keep it sweet, and don’t say anything authentically critical or mean.
- Try dropping hints that you're single, and maybe suggest he's the type of guy you're looking for: "I wish I had a hot date for Friday night. You know, maybe someone about your height, who loves [insert thing he loves.]"
- Don’t force this one. If you aren’t a naturally playful person, don’t worry about trying to tease him.
- At the same time, Jbara advises, without flirting , without “physical contact [and] a little bit of teasing, a little back and forth,” your crush may believe you only like him as a friend. ^{[11]
 X
 Expert Source
 
 Imad Jbara
 Dating Coach
 
 Expert Interview. 5 November 2019.}

9

Keep conversations going.

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Show you’re invested in what he has to say. Otherwise, he may assume you don’t like him. If he asks you a question, answer it and then ask a similar question back—ideally, an open-ended question that will keep the conversation flowing. Whether it’s in-person or over text, try to respond in a way where you give him an opening to build on the conversation. ^{[12]
X
Trustworthy Source
American Psychological Association
Leading scientific and professional organization of licensed psychologists
Go to source}
- If he texts you out of nowhere and asks, “How are you doing?” saying, “I’m fine,” it won’t give him anything to really work with. Alternatively, saying, “I’m fine, but this math homework is kicking my butt! I’d rather be watching Mad Men right now,” gives him a few topics to continue the conversation with.
- It can be hard to do this in person if you’re nervous around him, but try to limit your one-word answers and actively engage in whatever he’s talking about.
- For example, if he asks, “Have you seen this new Jason Statham movie?” responding with a flat “No” doesn’t really move the conversation forward. Instead, you might say, “No, have you?” or “Yes. It was really good, and I’d love to see it again. Are you going to the movies soon?”

10

Make a joke about dating.

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Joking about being together is a great way to put the idea out there. A little lighthearted comedy about dating is a great way to suggest that you like someone. It’s also a smart way to figure out if he likes you back. If you make a joke like this, and he leans into it a bit and plays along, he probably likes you. If he says something like, “Yeah, like we’d ever end up together,” then you can backtrack a bit and play it off like you were kidding.
- “If [your crush] says something to you, you can make it a joke,” recommends Jbara. For example, say “‘Oh my God, are you flirting with me?’ And then immediately…you're making the conversation sexual now… you're making it a game, it becomes fun, but at the same time it's flirting and now you're building sexual tension.” ^{[13]
 X
 Expert Source
 
 Imad Jbara
 Dating Coach
 
 Expert Interview. 5 November 2019.}
- You could make jokes about him being your “History class husband” or “work boyfriend” because the two of you spend so much time together.

11

Give him a small gift.

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A little gift shows him that you think about him when he’s not around. Gifts are a great way to send a subtle message that you care about him. You don’t need to spend a ton of money either—a little doodle or a candy bar can be a perfect gift. If you can, try to choose a gift that relates to an inside joke, previous conversation, or hobby that the two of you share together. ^{[14]
X
Trustworthy Source
Greater Good Magazine
Journal published by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, which uses scientific research to promote happier living
Go to source}
- If you spend a bunch of money on a gift, you may actually scare him away. Keep it small and simple.

Community Q&A

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Question

What if he's popular and a lot of people have a crush on him?

Samantha L. Campbell

Community Answer

Try to make yourself stand out from others with your personality and kindness. Show him that you're a good person by reassuring him that you're there if he ever needs to talk, and ask him to hang out whenever he's free. Try your best not to get jealous of other people and focus on making your connection with him stronger.

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Question

I've known my crush for a few months and we're friends. We have class together and sit in front of each other. What if I tell him how I feel and things become awkward?

Samantha L. Campbell

Community Answer

Instead of confessing your feelings right away, consider giving smaller hints to him. Start by touching his hand when you're talking or giving him compliments when you see him. Suggest that you should hang out together outside of class and do more romantic things, like seeing movies or going to lunch together. That way, he'll have an idea that you like in him without making you confess your feelings.

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Playing “hard to get” is rarely a good way to get a guy to like you. The guy you like may assume you aren’t interested in him. ^{[15]
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Be yourself. There’s no point in trying to start a relationship with someone if you have to put on an act to get him to like you.

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Keep looking at him, not creepily, but just until he notices you're looking. Then, when he looks at you, quickly look away, and watch his action carefully after.
Laugh and smile a lot so he knows how happy you are to be around him.
Don't be too subtle -- a guy might not pick up on it.

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Dating Coach

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11 Indirect Hints to Show Your Crush That You Like Him

How to Hint to Your Crush That You Like Him

Steps

Smile and make eye contact.

Brush against him in a playful way.

Show your interest with actions.

Go out of your way to talk to him.

wikiHow Quiz: Does He Like Me?

When you two are in a room filled with other people, how often do you catch him staring at you?

Compliment him.

Make an effort to hang out.

Ask him a lot of questions.

Engage in some lighthearted teasing.

Keep conversations going.

Make a joke about dating.

Give him a small gift.

Community Q&A

Video

Tips

Tips from our Readers

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