How To Know If A Guy Loves You But Is Hiding It

Does he like you? Does he find you attractive? There's no way to know. He is your friend, but all of a sudden, the question of how to know if a guy loves you pops in your head. You don't know how to detect it....

Whether it's a colleague, a friend's brother, or the cute guy from the pub down the road, it can be hard to tell if someone likes you. Do you always second-guess yourself? Wondering whether he's just being friendly or if he likes you? Look for some of these signs that he does indeed like you.

1. He's always stealing your stuff, but you don't mind because it means he's thinking about you. 

So, you've met this guy and he's great. You really like him, but he isn't always good at saying how he feels—so lately you've been wondering: does he really like me?

One of the easiest ways to tell is if he's stealing your stuff. People don't just steal stuff from someone they don't care about! We all know how important it is to be considerate of other people's things, so when someone takes something from you, it means they're thinking about you a lot.

Maybe you have an old sweatshirt or some socks that you don't wear anymore. Wear them around the house and wait to see if he starts wearing that shirt or those socks around the house after you do. Or maybe there's a piece of jewelry that you don't wear much anymore. Put it on every once in a while and see if "it goes missing" soon after.

If he steals your stuff but doesn't move on to bigger items like your wallet or computer, then you know it's because he wants to keep it small and private—that way, only the two of you can share this knowledge! It may seem confusing now, but trust us: once he starts taking your things left and right, you'll

2. He'll let you win at video games every once in a while.

Are you super into some guy, but he's just not letting on? It can be hard to tell if a guy is into you, or if he's just being polite and nice. Here's a tip: keep an eye out for video games. If he lets you win every once in a while (when you're playing something you both know you're terrible at), that's usually a good sign that he likes you!

3. He only makes fun of your friends, not you.

One thing to look out for is how he interacts with your friends. When you're together, does he make fun of their clothes, the way they laugh, or their taste in music? If so, it could be because he's jealous of the time they get to spend with you. He might be doing this to make himself feel better, since he's not getting attention from the person he really wants: YOU!

If he's making jokes at your friends' expense but always seems to be on your side and supportive of what you do and say, it could mean that he has a crush on you. He may also be trying to impress you by putting down someone who isn't "good enough" for him—or someone who never will be! That could indicate an interest in dating or a desire for more intimacy with someone else in general, but it doesn't necessarily mean there's anything going on between them.

4. He'll stop talking to his friends mid-conversation to respond to you.

His friends are talking to him, and he's listening. He seems to be having a good time... but then you send him a text. Suddenly, he's staring at his phone. Boom—he's no longer engaged in the conversation.

This is a pretty good sign that he likes you. Guys can be pretty stubborn about how they use their phones, and if he'll suddenly stop paying attention to his friends because of you, it means he thinks you're important (even if he doesn't want to admit it).

5. He'll never, ever turn down a chance to hang out with you.

You know how it is when you have a crush on someone: you'll do anything to be around them. You'll sit in the back of their class, find out where they work and go to the same coffee shop every day, or walk your dog in their neighborhood every afternoon. This is no different for guys! If he's interested in you but shy about it, he might be a little awkward about the whole thing, but he will still take any opportunity to spend time with you.

If he's not that into you, on the other hand, he might make excuses for why he can't hang out. He might say that he's busy when it's really because hanging out with your whole group feels like too much work.

6. When he eats all your food, that's how he shows his love for you and also his love for eating food.

When it comes to figuring out if your crush is into you, it can be hard to tell. And when you're also trying to figure out if they're hiding their feelings, it's even harder. But there might be a clue that can help you solve the mystery—and it's all about his stomach.

We all know how important and sacred food is in our lives (and in our hearts, of course). So if the guy you're into is eating ALL your snacks and treats, he might just be showing his true love for you… esp. if he's hiding his feelings!

How does this work, exactly? Well, it's pretty simple: every time we eat our favorite foods, we feel a rush of joy (and sometimes an extra rush of dopamine). And because this guy loves you so much (whether he knows it or not), he can't resist helping himself to some of your favorite snacks. If he really loves you, chances are he'll try to sneak them in secret so you don't even know they're gone until later.

So next time you go to grab a snack from the fridge and realize it's gone missing (or maybe not even there at all), don't fret! It just means your crush has been admiring you secretly.

7. He compliments your dress sense every time you wear pants instead of a dress.

In my experience, one of the clearest signs is that he compliments your dress sense every time you wear pants instead of a dress.

Guys are always commenting on how nice you look in your favorite pair of jeans. They love it when you put on a dress, but when you put on pants, they go nuts!

If this guy tells you how great he thinks you look in your favorite pair of jeans every time he sees them, then chances are, he's got some feelings for you.

8. If things get too quiet in the conversation, he'll always think of something else to talk about.

You know how when you're talking to your crush and you run out of things to say and it feels like the awkwardness is just oozing out of you? If that never happens with him, he's probably into you. Guys who want to make a good impression will do their best to keep any silence at bay.

And if he's nervous around you? Even better. It means he really cares what you think of him.

9. He asks a lot of questions about your life.

When he asks questions about your life, that's a sign he loves you but is hiding it.

The best way to know if someone loves you is to ask them. But we all know that's not always the most practical solution. So what other signs can you look for?

If he asks a lot of questions about your life, that's a good sign that he loves you but is hiding it! He might be asking because he wants to be with you and help make sure you're happy—and maybe even because he wants to work out how to let you down gently when you ask him if he loves you.

10. He keeps finding excuses to touch you.

If you're wondering how to know if a guy loves you but is hiding it, pay attention to how often he finds excuses to touch you. Does he gently squeeze your shoulder or grab your hand? Does he find reasons to brush up against you? You can tell a lot about a person's feelings based on body language, and when a person is trying to hide their feelings for someone else, they might be self-conscious about accidentally giving away the game by touching that person.

11. He gives off some intense eye contact.

If you're on a date with a cute guy, and you think he likes you but isn't sure how to express it, pay attention to the way he looks at you. Eye contact is one of the easiest ways to tell if someone is into you—and if they have feelings that they're trying to hide.

He may be shy or afraid of rejection. He may be worried about his friends judging him for falling for you. Whatever it is, if a guy can't seem to take his eyes off you when you're together, it's a sign that there's something beyond friendship between you.

12. His body language changes when he's around you.

One of the clearest signs that a guy loves you but is hiding it is his body language.

If he's always smiling more when you're around, or if he's bouncing on his toes and acting extra energetic when he sees you, that's a good sign he's into you.

And if he seems to sit up straight and be very conscious of his posture when you walk into the room, that's another sign he wants to impress you.

Similarly, if he has a habit of playing with his hair or touching his face when you're talking to him, that could be a sign that he's nervous around you and might have feelings for you.

If there are signs of increased body warmth around him as well—if it seems like there are butterflies in his stomach—that's another positive sign.

On the other hand, if his head goes down or he looks away when he sees you, or if he avoids eye contact with you, those could be signs that something is wrong.

Also, if his feet are pointing away from you instead of toward you while you're talking to him, that could be another sign that something is amiss.

13. He jokes about being your boyfriend.

If he jokes about being your boyfriend, then he might just be really into you.

When a guy likes you and is hiding it, he might tease you mercilessly about you two being together. He might even tell stories about how you're the love of his life and talk about what an amazing girlfriend you are. It's a way of testing the waters to see how you respond to the idea of being with him in that way.

It could also mean that he just enjoys joking around with you. When a guy likes you as a friend, it's not unusual for them to tease you about all sorts of things. It doesn't always mean that they secretly want to be your boyfriend.

The best way to know for sure is if he does other things on this list or if he's told someone else that he likes you. Then it could be pretty clear that it's more than just joking around.

14. You are the first person he calls when something good happens to him.

He always seems to be in a good mood around you, and he can't stop smiling whenever he sees you. He wants to spend as much time with you as possible, and he never gets tired of being around you. He tells you how amazing you are, and he does everything in his power to make sure that you know how much he cares about you.

You are the first person he calls when something good happens to him. When something bad happens, he also turns to you first because he knows that you will make him feel better. He doesn't even care if other people see him being affectionate toward you because he is proud to have someone as wonderful as yourself in his life.

He can't stop thinking about all of the wonderful things that are going on in your life and all of the amazing things that are yet to come for the two of you together. 

15. He always wants to know what your opinions are and how you're feeling.

If a guy loves you but won't admit it or show it, he'll ask questions about your day, or what you think about different things. He'll ask for your opinions on everything from the new restaurant that just opened up downtown to whether or not he should get a new haircut. He'll want to know how you feel about different things in general, and this is usually his way of trying to express his own feelings without being too overt.

16. He respects your privacy and never tries to see if he can get into your phone or social media accounts.

You deserve to be with someone who respects your privacy and never tries to see if he can get into your phone or social media accounts. If a guy loves you, but also respects you, he won't try to poke around in your private messages. He'll know that's not his business—and he knows that if there's something you want him to know, you'll tell him.

If this sounds like something your guy does, hold onto him! It's likely he loves you—and the best part is that he isn't afraid to show it by respecting your boundaries.

17. He'll ask about your day and actually, listen when you tell him about it.

Guys aren't always the best at expressing their emotions. Don't get us wrong—we're not saying they don't know how, just that they don't feel comfortable being vulnerable. So instead of giving you a bouquet of roses to let you know how much they love you, they might show it in other ways—like a sudden interest in your day-to-day life.

If he's asking about your day and actually listening when you tell him about it, then odds are pretty good that he has feelings for you. It means he cares about what's happening in your world, even if it doesn't necessarily affect him.

Another sign is noticing when something changes in your appearance (a new haircut or shirt), and complimenting it—or even remembering details from earlier conversations and bringing them up again later on. All of these things mean that he's paying attention to you and wants to show that he cares!

18. He won't let any of his friends make fun of you. In fact, he'll be the first person to defend you!

If your man or boy is constantly defending you when his friends are making fun of you, that means that he really loves you and he doesn't want anybody to hurt you. If he will be the first person to defend you and if he will respond immediately when his friends start making fun of you, then he truly loves you and cares about you.

19. He does a lot of favors for you, but he doesn't make a big deal about it.

Doesn't every guy do that?? NooOOOoo. Think about it: you might have a male friend who is always there to help you with your stuff—your homework, your job search, whatever—but he hardly ever mentions it. He just does it, because he knows that's what friends do. But if the guy you're interested in is doing it? Chances are he's looking for an excuse to be around more often, and make sure he's in your good graces.

20. He finds ways to be a part of whatever you're doing or talking about.

If he's there when you're talking about being hungry, he might say "I'm not hungry at all—but I just remembered that I have to do something on the other side of town, and I know this great restaurant that is perfect for [whatever you said you wanted]."

Then he'll suggest a movie, and suddenly have to go somewhere, but it's okay because he has the perfect person in mind for you to see it with: him.

When he's around when the thing that you've been so excited about finally happens, he'll be there for it (and probably make sure everyone knows how happy he is for you).

21. He doesn't go for other girls when he hangs out with you.

I know, I know. It's the worst, right? You like this guy, but you don't know if he likes you back.

Well, here's one sign that can help you tell: When you're hanging out with him, does he go for other girls? Or is he just focused on you? If he's focused on you, it's a pretty good sign that he really likes you and that he probably wants to be your boyfriend. ;)

22. He gives you meaningful gifts.

If a guy gives you something that has meaning or is important to him, like his favorite childhood book, or his only pair of Jordans (yes, even guys have emotional attachments to some sneakers), this is a great sign.

It means not only does he trust you enough to share his personal belongings with you, but he wants to see how happy they'll make you. He cares about making you happy and will go out of his way to do so. That's a major sign of love!

23. He smiles a lot when he's around you, even when he isn't smiling at anything in particular.

Pay attention to how he acts around you. If he smiles when there's no apparent reason for him to be smiling, it might mean that he's secretly super in love with you.

24. He wants to impress your father because he wants to marry you.

If he goes out of his way to impress your parents, it's probably because he wants your dad to let him marry you some day. Men who are serious about being with you forever want to get along with your family and friends, since those will be the people you see most often during your life together.

In conclusion, If you are not sure if a man loves you or is just with you for fun, look at his actions. When he says something nice to you, does he say it in front of others? Does he express himself in front of his friends and the people he works with? If the answer is yes, then he loves you! Give him a chance, be open to the idea that there are good men out there, and never give up on love.