Guy friend asks me for dating advice

Updated November 11, 2020

Medically Reviewed By: Lauren Guilbeault

Let’s say that you’ve known someone for a while, but lately, you notice that your relationship is veering into something more. It could be that you’re close friends, or even best friends, and there are changes occurring in the way you interact with one another. Your friendly feelings are developing into something more, and that’s a good sign he’s into you. Maybe, you hold each other’s gaze for longer than you used to, or maybe, conversations that used to be friendly are bordering on flirty. 

Another possibility is that you met someone recently and you are wondering if they like you as more than a friend. Sometimes, it’s hard to differentiate subtle cues of romantic interest from friendliness or a bubbly, sociable personality, and as a result, you experience genuine confusion as to if someone’s into you or not. Other times, you just want to get an idea as to if someone likes you before you make a move or take things forward.

It could be an office buddy, or a male friend you recently started getting close to. It is mostly believed that due to societal standards, guys don’t display emotions as much as the female gender- most men tend to suppress their emotions and feelings- and this makes it hard to decipher if a guy likes you or not. Maybe you like him and are interested in dating him, but you are not sure if the feeling is mutual. And if you are the shy type, you may be too embarrassed to talk to your female friends about it as you do not want them to make a fuss over the issue; and of course, approaching him to ask directly isn’t an option.

Every girl at one point or the other gets to that place where she is wondering about a male friend – “Does he like me or not?” No one wants to be left in the dark or spend too much time wondering. The good news is that it’s possible to gain clarity on the situation so that you don’t have to wonder anymore. Look out for these signs he likes you as more than a friend so that you can be sure to know where the relationship and friendship is heading. Here are some of the biggest signs a guy is interested in you romantically, and the signs he doesn’t want to be just friends.

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12 Signs He Wants To Be More Than Friends

1. He Remembers The Details Of What You Tell Him.Men, and people in general, are not always good listeners. According to research, men, in particular, are not all too good at remembering details. Studies show that men only use one side of their brain when listening, while women use both sides. When men listen, they process language using the left hemisphere of the brain while women process language through both the right and left hemispheres. Since emotions are processed primarily in the right hemisphere, and language in the left, men also have a difficult time connecting words to feelings as easily or effectively as women can. But, when a guy likes you, he’ll seem more engaged in what you’re saying, often maintaining eye contact and open body language while you speak. So, when he’s listening actively, he’s telling you that he’s a man who likes you. Furthermore, men are problem solvers and are quick in decision making. They want nothing more than to fix a situation and get it over and done with, while women take the time to listen and process information carefully, mentally storing details for future reference. So, it goes without saying that men are also conditioned to actively listen. When a woman initiates a conversation, the man automatically assumes she is seeking his advice or assistance-something that he can solve for her. Some say that men are not good at remembering details because they're wired to be the protector and provider. They look at things as the big picture, while women are experts and remembering everything from anniversary dates and birthdays to details of a weekend away and every word said in an argument five years prior. So, if you find that your guy friend is patiently listening and remembering the details of what you said, there's a good chance he's into you more than just a friend. When a male friend doesn’t just listen to you to give a reply but is actively listening to you with care and attention; or he remembers details of things you have discussed with him previously or he asks you deeper questions about something you shared with him, then this is an obvious sign that he cares about you. If he remembers the littlest details- your birthday (that’s not so little right?), your favorite color, your best friend’s name, even your dog’s favorite food and every single thing about you, he is definitely into you.

2. The Way He Talks To You Differs From The Way He Talks To Other People. Pay attention to how he talks to other people in comparison to how he talks with you. Are his mannerisms the same when he talks to his friends and other women, or are they more flirtatious with you? A guy who likes you will use more flirtatious language, but only with you. Does he seem more excited to talk to you, ask you more questions, use a different tone of voice, or give you more physical cues? Do his eyes light up a bit more? If it’s a guy who likes you at work, he might stray off-topic from work related issues. When you compare and contrast his behavior with others and his behavior with you, especially if you’re together with a group of people and he still engages with you more or treats you in a way that makes you feel special, it’s a potential giveaway to the fact that he’s into you and sees you as more than a friend. Another strong indicator would be compliments. If your male friend loves to shower you with compliments in the presence of others and when you are alone, this could be a great way to know he likes you. Compliments are a great way to gauge if a guy really likes you and wants something deep with you. Does he compliment you on the littlest things that you don’t even pay much attention to, or comments on unique tidbits about your personality? Or even notices subtle changes in your hairstyle or that you used a different makeup? This shows that he definitely cares about your looks and likes you beyond just friendship.

3. His Body Language Gives It Away. In addition to physical touch itself, there are certain body language cues that people use when they like someone. This body language serves as signs a guy likes you. If someone likes you, they’re likely to have open posture when they’re with you (for example, he may appear relaxed, comfortable, and attentive, with lowered or rested shoulders), gaze at you for longer than he looks at other people, whether it’s from across the room or when you’re looking at each other directly, or sit and stand closer to you than he would with others. He might even appear nervous or sweaty in your presence. His face may flush every so often. If you notice your male friend acts differently when you are around him- tries to act cool in front of you, is quieter or acts sweetly whenever you are around, this may be an indication that he wants you, as guys don’t really do that except they really like you. If you like him back and want to get some extra information about what’s going on or make a subtle flirt toward him, you might say sweetly and coyly, “are you blushing?” Pay attention to how he reacts to that question, and you might just see a response that serves as a dead giveaway. That’s why body language provides the top signs a guy is attracted to you romantically and wants to be more than just friends.

Also, when a man likes a woman, he may occasionally mirror her body language- i.e. holds eye contact, imitates her speech patterns or gestures. These signs a guy likes you are a bit easier to spot during the course of a conversation. If your male friend does this, this is one of the subtle signs he likes you, respects and admires you, wants to gain mutual trust and also creates connection with you. If he begins to use similar language to you, like shortened words or slangs, or he imitates some of your mannerisms like using your hands or touching your hair when talking, he likes you. If you also notice that he ‘accidentally’ touches you now and then- not in a wrong or invasive manner, but playfully and decently- this is a very significant clue. Guys usually like to touch ladies they have a crush on, even in the slightest possible ways, just about anything that allows him to feel you. Another positive sign that a male friend likes you is if he smiles at you a lot. For example, if this guy is a shy person, but whenever he sees you, a smile lights up on his face or he constantly maintains eye contact, this is to give a hint that he is into you, and wants to be more than just a casual friend. Does he look away quickly when you catch him staring? Then he is probably interested in you but shy. If his eyes wander to your mouth when you are together, he definitely likes you.

4. He Starts The Conversation. Does he reach out to you any time he can find a reason to do so? Perhaps, substantially more than you reach out to him? If so, this could be a sign that he either really wants to be close to you or that he wants to be more than friends. It also shows that he thinks he can stand a chance with you as more than just friends. Maybe, he asks you questions that he doesn’t really need the answer to for the purpose of starting a conversation, or he makes an effort to inquire about how your day is going on a regular basis. He’s excited to talk to you, and he’ll take any chance he gets to do it! He makes use of call and text, and might take the chance to wish you a good morning and a good night, even if it’s just to open the conversation. If your guy friend started doing this out of nowhere, or if you meet someone new and they’re always reaching out, it might be because there’s a pressing thought on his mind that he can’t get the courage to verbalize, which would be that he likes you.

5. He Likes All Of Your Pictures. This might seem a little bit silly, but if he likes all of your pictures and posts on social media and you’re seeing other signs that he’s interested, it could very well mean that he likes you as more than just a friend. Sure, friends like each other’s Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook posts. They react to each other’s Snapchats or public Instagram stories. However, if he likes every single one of your pictures and heart-reacts to every Facebook post you make even though you feel they make no sense to him, or if he frequently initiates chats and conversations, there could be something there.

6. When You’re In A Room Full Of People, He Pays Attention to You The Most. Say that you’re out with a group of mutual friends, or that you’re at a party and he happens to be there. Although there are a good number of other people to talk to, he chooses to turn your way. It might even seem as though you’re the only two people there, despite being in a crowded or well-filled room, because his eyes and his attention are on you and you alone. This might happen in more subtle ways as well. For example, even if he’s engaging in the rest of the group, he might place extra focus on getting your opinion and asking you questions, may keep prolonged eye contact with you or he might just look at you more than he looks at other people who are around.

7. He Wants Alone Time With You.  Despite the way this may sound, it isn’t meant to be innuendo. The same way that he pays the most attention to you even in a room full of other people, he seems to want to hang out with you one on one. He might ask you to come over for dinner, go hiking, a picnic on the beach, to go to a bar, an arcade, or an event with you alone, or to hang out and chill at his place – just the two of you. Some people like to hang out with people one on one because they have social anxiety or like to have deep conversations with one or two people, but if you typically see each other in groups and he wants to spend time with you one on one specifically, it’s a good sign that he’s into you and that your personality and your company appeals to him.

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8. He's Tongue Tied.Even the most astute male communicator will flounder under your mere presence if he's really into you. What was once an effortless and smooth dialogue when he saw you as just a friend has now become a nervous search for the perfect words. A guy who likes you will want to choose the right words, so he might get a bit tongue tied. Even if his words are shaky and he’s a bit nervous, he’ll likely make some effort to maintain eye contact. So, if you find him suddenly tripping up his words and tongue tied, it could be a sign he wants to be more than friends.

9. His Reaction To Your Presence.One way to know for sure if your guy friend likes you is to watch how he reacts when you enter a room. If a guy likes you, you’ll be able to tell from his body language when you’re around him. A guy who likes you may begin to act a bit different around you, might stumble over his words or even try to show off when you are around. Does his posture change, so he looks taller? Does he fix his hair or straighten his clothes? Does he try to keep consistent eye contact with you? Does he look down at his shoes to make sure they're tied? Does he tuck in his shirt to avoid appearing messy? A man who likes you at work might defer to you more in meetings, or focus on you instead of the speaker. This is a subconscious reaction to your presence and is a sure sign that he's not only looking forward to seeing you but that he wants to look his best around you at all times and wants to impress you. This may also play out in terms of cracking jokes and throwing teases just to see you laugh.

10. He Makes His Feelings Known:He asks you out! We're not talking about going out as buddies to the movies on a Sunday afternoon, or going out with a group of friends for a barbeque. If a guy wants to be more than friends with you, he's going to want to be alone with you on a real date. It might not be the most expensive restaurant or the most extravagantly-planned day, but it will be just you two, and it will be special. He'll know what you like (because, again, he remembers the details), and he might plan the date around those interests.

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11. He’s Willing To Drop Everything For You. It’s true that a good friend is there for you when you’re down, but a partner (or someone who wants to be your partner) will often react in a particular and more loving fashion when you’re in need. Is he the first to ask, “hey, are you okay?” or “do you want to talk?” when you’re sad? Does he try to cheer you up when you’re down and pay close attention when you talk about how you feel? Does he seem genuinely interested rather than dismissive? Does he rub your back or hold you when you’re upset? If so, this tells you two things. First, it tells you that he truly cares about you. Second, it tells you that he’s making an effort to show you that he’d be a supportive partner. Everyone shows that they like someone in different ways, depending on who they are as a person and how eager they are to tell you how they feel, but at the very least, this tells you that he has regard for your emotions and wants to comfort you, which is an excellent thing to have from anyone in your life. If your male friend is always willing to help you out more than a friend would, or he helps you with your work even if it is tedious or boring work, then he probably likes you and wants you to be more than a casual friend. If he usually finds any and every excuse to spend time with you, then there’s something there. Afterall, will someone always crave for avenues to spend so much time with another person if he doesn’t like you? Of course not. You may also notice that he finds it hard to say goodbye to you after a conversation or meeting. You both may have spent the whole night talking about not so important things, yet it feels like the best conversation ever and he doesn’t even want to stop- of course, you don’t too. #winks. You are most likely in his heart if he always wants to drop everything just to spend a lot of time with you.

12. He Doesn’t Mention Other Girls (And Doesn’t Like It When You Talk About Other Guys). If a guy likes you, it makes sense that he wouldn’t talk about other romantic interests around you. You’re the one that’s on his mind, and he wants you to know that he’s available. Most guys check out countless numbers of girls every day. If you are not more than a friend, he won’t even have a problem telling you that a girl he saw at the bus stop is hot. But if he likes you and wants something deep with you, you will be the center of his world and the only girl he has eyes for. Additionally, if you’ve ever brought up other romantic interests to him, he may have shown jealousy, disappointment, or sadness, though he may try to hide it, but deep inside, lots of questions are popping up in his head. If you’ve ever mentioned feelings for someone else, or even if you’ve talked about missing an ex-partner, how did he react? Did his face fall a little bit? If so, that’s a potential sign that he likes you – especially if he’s flirty with you in any capacity. If he hasn’t mentioned other girls and you haven’t mentioned other guys to him, you can also look at if he’s reciprocal when you flirt or not. If you’re shy and haven’t made a move yet, it might be tough to gauge how he feels for sure, but if you have tried your hand at flirting with him and he reciprocates, it’s a sign that he likes you and wants to take things up a notch. Pay attention to his behavior when topics surrounding romance come up – that might be your greatest hint.   

Much of the time, you’ll notice several of the signs above if a person likes you. However, there are times when someone – especially if you’re close friends – will try to hide their feelings so as to not ruin your friendship. Even when you have a hunch that someone likes you, it’s natural to be nervous and to want as much clarity as possible. If you like him, pouring your heart out without knowing how he feels can be anxiety-inducing. If you’re nervous and want a professional to talk things through with, or you need relationship advice or dating tips, you might consider seeking the help of a mental health professional. Regardless of if you see someone online or in your local area, you deserve a safe, comfortable space to talk things through.

In summary the biggest signs that your friend he’s actually a guy who likes you involve his actions and his body language, as well as the things that he just comes out and tells you. While just one of these telltale signs taken alone isn’t the perfect indicator that he’s romantically into you, it’s hard to say “he’s just a friend” when a lot of these signs are taken together.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do I know if a guy likes me?

If there’s a guy in your life, especially a guy who’s already a good friend of yours, you might be looking at signs he likes you more than a friend. There are some subtle signs and some more obvious signs he’s into you romantically. For example, paying attention to your stories, sharing tons of photos and stories of the two of you together on social media, and asking specific questions about your love life are signs he’s interested in you as more than just a friend and wants to know if he stands a chance. Other ways to know if a guy likes you are:

• He leans towards you to close up the space between you both whenever you are sitting close to each other. When you are having a conversation, he may lean from side to side, place his hand on his hip to take up more space and to appear ‘in charge.’ This is known to be an age-old power pose which men use to show that they are capable and strong.
• He encourages you to do things you have been desiring to do. He motivates and supports you to do things that make you happy or helps you grow, and shows you that he has your best interest at heart and wants to see you thrive.
• He initiates conversations between you both. Sends opening texts, makes calls, and tries to set up dates. He shows it in his actions, not just words, that he likes spending time with you.
• He wants you to meet his friends and brings you around to his friend group. He talks to his friends about you and is also concerned about what you think of the people he cares about.
• He doesn’t check his phone when he is around you; he focuses his attention on you fully throughout the time you both spend together. This is a good sign that he really likes you.
• He wants to show you the things he really likes, and wants you to do the same. Showing someone your favorite things is more like showing them more of yourself, and also a way of checking if they are also into those things, so if he does this, then he definitely likes you. It’s that simple.
• He takes you along to family gatherings and events, is ready to talk to his mum about you, or shows you to his family, this is a good sign to show that he is interested in integrating you into his family and circle.
• If he willingly says yes to almost anything you ask him to do, or doesn’t like to disappoint you, then he most likely is into you.
• He behaves or says that he misses you when you are away from each other.
• He gives you comfort when you are having a hard time, and is always trying to see to it that you are fine.
• He asks you lots of questions, maybe to know more about you or get your opinion on matters. This is a subtle sign, but it is definitely a sign nonetheless, because it shows that he cares about what you think.
• He treats you more specially than he treats other ladies and offers you support.
• He will be there at important events in your life and may sometimes sacrifice his commitments to get something done for you.

Why is my guy friend constantly asking about my love life?

A guy friend who is always asking about the state of your love life is exhibiting one of the signs he likes you more than a friend. In fact, it's a big sign that he is interested in you romantically. It means he's looking for more information about your feelings towards him, even though he seems to be asking about other guys and relationships in your life. The chances are that he's looking to see if you're interested in him without asking you outright if you like him in a romantic way. He might be trying to gauge your interest in a way that is subtle rather than giving you a clear sign because he is afraid of rejection. 

When male friends ask their female friend all about her love life, it's one of the signs he likes you as more than a friend. Even if you are close friends, it can feel a bit intrusive at times. For example, he might be asking about every guy on your social media; that's a sign he's jealous of other men in your life. If a guy likes you, he'll usually ask if you think another guy likes you. It's because he's trying to size up any competition. While this may seem unnecessary, especially if you return the romantic feelings he has for you, it's one of the biggest signs he likes you as more than a friend. Constantly asking about your love life is his way of sizing up the possibility that you like him back; it's a sign that he likes you as more than just a friend. 

However, it's a huge sign that he wants to be romantically involved with you; it means he likes you. So, the best course of action is to be open and honest about your love life and to encourage him to be open and honest about his feelings, too. You can seek relationship advice from a professional to help you on how to go about this. If he's interested in taking the friendship further, he should eventually stop asking about your love life and start becoming an active participant in it!

Will dating my guy friend ruin the friendship?

If you have guy friends who are exhibiting any of the signs he likes you more than a friend, you might be worried about preserving the existing friendship, even if you are interested in him romantically, too. It's true that in a lot of cases, once you go into a relationship with guy friends, it's nearly impossible to get back to a comfortable and relaxed friend zone. So, this is a normal thing to worry about, since no amount of planning ahead or relationship can restore the friendship that you're enjoying now with your guy friend. It's also normal to be more afraid of rejection, or even embarrassment, than usual when your love interest is a friend.

The fact of the matter is that you can't go into a romantic relationship with a close friend without risking at least some elements of the friendship. If a guy likes you and you like him, and if you're already close friends, then it's best to have a frank and honest conversation about your feelings. Be sure to pay attention to your plans for the future, exactly what you expect as the relationship moves forward, and how you plan to navigate other friendships – such as mutual friends and families, if you're close to each other's families – if and when you start dating. 

Having all of these things squared away and clearly defined at the beginning of the relationship, and seeking relationship advice from professionals will help you keep that close friendship a bit safer from falling apart. Any relationship expert will tell you that communication is everything, and this is an excellent example of that. 

How can I date my friend without risking our great friendship?

When you enter into a romantic relationship with a close friend, there's really no way to remove all of the risk factors. While you might be afraid of rejection or a messy breakup even before you've started dating your friend, it's important to consider the benefits as well as the risks of dating good friends. 

For example, you might be afraid that you'll lose a close and intimate friend. However, since you already spend a lot of time together, the romantic feelings that you have for each are already based on a stronger and more intimate friendship. This means that your romantic feelings have a stronger support than if you were falling for a stranger. He knows your likes and dislikes, and you know his likes and dislikes. If you've talked about relationships together before, he might even know your specific likes and dislikes as they relate to romance. Being afraid of rejection is understandable, but this is definitely one of the perks to a relationship that started as a friendship!

Also, dating your friend puts you in a position to love someone for deeper reasons. If your guy friend has romantic feelings for you, especially after you've been friends for a while, that means he's based his attraction to you on more than just shallow or superficial criteria. It's a good sign that he likes you for more than just your looks; it's a clear sign that he values your relationship as close friends and the intimacy that has been built as you spend more time together.

How can I put my guy friend in the friend zone?

It's a classic story: you're friends with a guy, but the guy likes you. Even if you're a friend he likes, you don't want to get romantically involved. He's more than just a casual friend, but you don't have any romantic feelings for him. You could be avoiding being more than friends with him for any number of reasons, but you want to put him into the friend zone and just keep the friendship how it is. This is difficult since it could impact a lot of patterns in your friendship, such as body language and frequency of calling or texting. Additionally, you're probably anxious about setting a boundary here because you're cognizant of the potential that he's afraid of rejection and don't want to be too harsh. 

First, you should determine if he's actually pursuing a romantic relationship with you. Does he call or text often, even out of the blue? Does he comment on your new dress? Does he have the same favorite band? Is he always raving about your sense of humor? Has he told you outright that he wants a romantic relationship with you? If so, you should have an honest and open conversation about your feelings. First, address how much you enjoy being his friend and how you don't want the friendship to change. Then, acknowledge his feelings and affirm all of the things you like about him: his style, his sense of humor, his commitment to the friendship, etc. 

Finally, explain to him that you just want to be friends. Be sure to explain specifically what this means: Maybe, you'll spend a bit less time calling or texting each other, or you'll spend more time in a group setting instead of one on one. This is a great way to start over if a guy likes you but you put him into the friend zone. As time goes on, you'll also probably have to address what happens when another guy likes you, or when he starts seeing someone else. If he's open to being in the friend zone for the sake of keeping the friendship, that means he's committed to the friendship just like you are. If he continues to try to load more love into the relationship, especially after you've made it abundantly clear that you don't feel the same way, that is a sign of disrespect.

Although it's very possible that he'll make the decision to stay friends, it's also possible that he might back out of the friendship after being friend zoned. If this is the case, it means he's not ready to give up his romantic feelings for you. You should give it time; don't give up on the friendship entirely, but give him time to work through his feelings. Seeking relationship advice from a professional can help you navigate through this period better. Remember, like all friendships and relationships, it's okay if your dynamic grows and changes with the friendship over time.

I friend-zoned a guy, so why is he still hitting on me?

Often, after you friend zone a guy friend, he may still be showing the signs that he likes you as more than a friend. For example, he may constantly be making prolonged eye contact or sending those body language signs. Or, he may be finding excuses to touch you whenever he can. While this means he's still interested in you romantically, there are some ways that you can address this.

First, talk to him about the healthy boundaries that friends, even close friends, have with each other. Tell him exactly how the eye contact and excessive calling or texting makes you feel. If you feel uncomfortable, explain that to him. If a guy likes you, even as a friend, he should respect these feelings and change his behavior and body language signs. Someone who cares about you won't want to make you uncomfortable, after all.

He might respond that he cannot get over his feelings for you. This means he's set on you, and he can't see himself with anyone else. If this is the case, you will likely see some major changes in the relationship, at least at first. With time, you might be able to gain back the intimacy and closeness of your friendship, but it won't look exactly the same. It is important for you to remember – and to remind him – that as the friendship goes on, it should change as it develops. Even if you like the status and comfort of the friendship now, it can still be good as it grows and changes over time.

If a guy likes you and keeps showing the top signs that he wants to be in a romantic relationship with you, even after you've put him in the friend zone, be sure to be clear about your boundaries. You may need to seek relationship advice as to how to go about this. By articulating and enforcing your boundaries, you're showing great respect to both yourself and to the friendship that you don't want to lose. 

Why is my guy friend constantly tagging me on social media?

So, you've been hanging out with this guy friend for a while, but he's recently started tagging you on social media pretty often. If this is the case, it's a good sign that he likes you as more than just a friend. Often, if someone's doing this, he'll like your posts and engage with the things that you say on social media, too. That's another subtle sign that a man likes you. Even if you're hanging out the same amount and doing more or less the same things as always, the fact that he wants to share it on social media for everyone to see means he's wanting people to know that he's paying attention to you and spend a lot of time with you. Social media is just one of the ways that a guy who's interested in you might find excuses to engage with you.

As far as subtle signs he likes you go, subtle signs he likes you are certainly harder to analyze and dissect in comparison to direct communication. That said, if this is a shy guy as opposed to a guy who's more direct, this might be the only way that he can think to communicate his feelings - especially if he's afraid of rejection. Sending subtle signs he likes you rather than overt signs feels a lot safer when someone is afraid of rejection, after all. He might be trying to send this message because he wants to subtly tell you that he has romantic feelings for you. Or, subconsciously, he might be trying to warn off other guys who might otherwise want to get involved with you. Either way, it's one of the signs he likes you more than a friend.

Particularly, this behavior is likely to fall into the category of subtle signs he likes you if it is in conjunction with other potential signs a man likes you. If it feels like he's tagging you too much on social media, that's a good sign that you both need to have a frank talk with him about where you both stand in terms of your romantic feelings for each other. 

While social media is a great way to stay connected with friends, it shouldn't be the only way that you and your friends are sharing your feelings with each other. If you find that you're posting more of or with each other on social media, it's a great sign that there are deeper feelings involved. In fact, it's likely one of the surefire signs he likes you more than a friend. If you're showing the same patterns and behavior on social media, it could be another one of those unmistakable signs that you like him as more than just a friend, too. You can seek relationship advice from professional counselors to help you through the process of transitioning from friendship to relationship, and also get tips on how to make the relationship blossom. 

How do I know if my guy friend likes me as more than a friend?

First, how well do you know him? If it's a guy you've known for a while, one of the ways that you will be able to recognize even the more subtle signs he likes you will be that it's a change in behavior. Maybe, he's talking to you differently, or he is initiating more physical contact, even if it's as simple as brushing his hand against your arm or touching your shoulder. If he didn't do those things before, it could certainly be that his feelings for you have grown. Sure, people love friends, and people are affectionate toward their friends, but certain things differ from typical behavior in a platonic friendship. Those are the subtle signs he likes you to look out for.

If you find a guy displaying the general signs that a guy likes you as more than a friend, such as the fact that he pays attention to you or gazes at you a little bit longer than could be read as friendly, you might want additional confirmation. If you're wondering if your guy friend has romantic feelings for you, one of the biggest signs he likes you is that his behavior is different. Maybe, he treats you differently than the rest of the friend group (even the other girls in it), or perhaps, he's your best friend or long-term friend, and he's started treating you differently over the years. If this is a guy who's close to you, especially if you're best friends, you will have a better understanding of his baseline behavior. His baseline behavior might be affectionate and expressive, or it might be the opposite. If he's not normally affectionate or expressive, it'll likely be easier to tell if the way he treats you is out of the ordinary. 

Guys express that they like someone through various cues and actions, and of course, those cues and actions vary from person to person. If this is a guy you've known for quite some time, you'll know if he treats you favorably or if the affection he shows you has increased. For example, if he's a friendly or touchy-feely person all of the time, you'll know that that's typical for him and will know not to read into it too much. However, if the same person treats you differently than he treats others - maybe, he's even more affectionate toward you, wants to spend time alone with you, focuses on you over others if you're there, and he finds excuses to call and text you all of the time - it could very well be that he likes you. Of course, if you're best friends, this could be a predicament of sorts. You don't want to hurt him, but you also don't want to risk your friendship.

Depending on various factors such as if you like him back, whether you do or don't believe that being together would destroy the friendship, and so on, you'll be able to make the right choice for you. Again, there's no real way to avoid the chance that this could jeopardize your friendship or parts of it. That's a definite risk, but there are nuances, and you get to make your own decisions. Sometimes, friends start dating and are together forever. Other times, friends start dating, break up, and can't seem to move past it or patch it up. One thing that's for sure is that a best friend will understand where you're coming from if you're not interested. Yes, it might be painful, but he'll understand. If you're seriously on the fence and the signs aren't overt (for example, if he's super friendly, but he isn't showing physical signs of affection and isn't alluding to the idea that he likes you in any ways that are obvious to you), you might wait until he actually tells you that he likes you to bring it up, or until his actions provide genuine confirmation. 

This is another opportunity to reach out to a mental health provider who will be there for you if you want to talk through it without running the risk that what you say could get back to your friend. One of the best things about talking to a counselor or therapist is that they don't have a dog in the fight and aren't involved in your daily life. Maybe, you just need a place to express your feelings and weigh the pros and cons. When you talk with a therapist, your information is confidential, and you don't run the risk of what you say getting back to your guy friend.