When someone you’re interested in shows interest in you, it’s often a strong indicator of attraction. This can include things like mirroring your movements, leaning in close to you, and dropping not-so-subtle hints.
From body language cues to verbal hints, here are some ways that you can tell someone is attracted to you:.
1. They ask you personal questions
The way someone reacts to you can tell a lot about their feelings for you. For example, if they blush around you or become nervous, their body is likely responding to the physiological reaction of adrenaline (faster breathing, warmer palms) that’s a natural result of attraction.
They might also ask you personal questions to get to know you better. People are generally more open about themselves when they feel a strong connection with someone. This could mean telling you about their family and friends, a big part of their life, or even embarrassing secrets.
Touching is another powerful sign of attraction. If they play with your hair or brush their hand through it, this might suggest a desire to connect intimately with you. It might also be a sign that they want to make you laugh. Laughter has been shown to make people feel more satisfied and supported, both of which are important aspects of feeling close to someone.
2. They make direct or indirect eye contact
When people are interested in someone romantically, they tend to make a variety of different signs. These might include romantic conversation starters and intimate questions, but they also might include body language and behaviors that show interest. Eye contact is one such sign. If their gaze drops from their mouth to yours or they look you in the eyes at a regular interval, they might be into you.
Their eyes can also tell you if they like you by indicating their level of intimacy. For example, if they make a point of looking you in the eye at a close distance and then looking away, it can indicate a level of intimacy that isn’t appropriate for a group of friends.
Other signs that they’re into you might include mirroring behavior or their body posture. For example, they might mirror the way you move your hands or smile a lot. They may also lean in when talking to you and keep their body open (spread legs, arms out). These are all signs of attraction that don’t depend on biological sex or gender identification.
3. They lean in
Someone who likes you will often want to close the physical gap between you. For instance, they may lean in or find ways to touch you more than once during a conversation. This is a non-verbal sign of intimacy, partnership, and agreeableness that signals a desire to bond with you.
Some people will also remove any physical barriers between you, such as condiments, menus, silverware, and beverages at a restaurant table. Similarly, they may try to get physically closer to you by sitting next to you or moving their chair toward yours.
In addition, a person who likes you will usually try to mirror your body language and make the same facial expressions. They may even change the pitch of their voice to appear more deep or feminine. And they will look for any reason to touch you – from patting your arm while laughing at your jokes to touching a stray hair on your shoulder.
4. They touch you
Touch releases the bonding hormone oxytocin, so it’s an instinctive way for people to try and strengthen their connection with someone they like. Whether it’s brushing against your arm as they sit next to you or reaching out to touch your hand, these are powerful signs of attraction.
Men will also tend to examine a woman’s body when they are attracted to her, which can include “dipping” their eyes down to look at her belly button or raising their eyebrows in a flirtatious way. According to sex and relationship therapist Courtney Geter, this can be interpreted as an expression of sexual interest.
Another powerful indicator of attraction is laughter. People who are attracted to each other will go out of their way to make the other person laugh, which is a great sign that they like you.