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

  1. Smile at him and make eye contact so he knows he has your attention.
  2. Playful and respectful touching will let him know you want to be more intimate.
  3. Go out of your way to talk to him and ask him questions about himself.
  4. Compliment him and make him feel good about himself.
  5. Engage him in lighthearted flirting and teasing.
1

Smile and make eye contact.

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  1. 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]
    • Try not to stare directly at him all the time. Too much eye contact can come off as aggressive or overwhelming. [2]
    • 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.
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2

Brush against him in a playful way.

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  1. “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]
    • 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]
    • 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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  1. 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] 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.
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4

Go out of your way to talk to him.

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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?

5

Compliment him.

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  1. 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]
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6

Make an effort to hang out.

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  1. 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]
    • 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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  1. 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]
    • 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.
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8

Engage in some lighthearted teasing.

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  1. 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]
    • 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]
9

Keep conversations going.

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  1. 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]
    • 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?”
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10

Make a joke about dating.

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  1. 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]
    • 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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  1. 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]
    • If you spend a bunch of money on a gift, you may actually scare him away. Keep it small and simple.
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Community Q&A

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Add New Question
  • 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.
  • Question
    What should I do if he likes someone else?
    Samantha L. Campbell
    Community Answer
    Focus on making your relationship stronger by being friends. If you're there for him and support him even when he's not dating you, he'll know that you really care about him. When he's not interested in anyone else, be more forward with him by flirting, making plans to hang out more, and texting him more often.
  • 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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      Tips

      • 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]
      • 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.

      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • 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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      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      It might seem scary to tell your crush you like him, but if you give him some subtle hints, eventually he'll figure out that you're interested. The next time you see your crush, give him a compliment to make him feel special. You might congratulate him on his latest test score or say you like his new haircut. Smile at him when you see him and make direct eye contact to show you're really interested in what he's saying. You can even try gently touching his arm during a conversation or hugging him when you see him so he gets the hint. If you have his number, text him every once in a while so he knows you're thinking about him. To learn how to hang out with your crush one on one, read on!

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