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16 Signs a Shy Guy Likes You (But Is Scared to Ask You Out)
Is he dropping all the clues that he likes you but is not ready for a confession? He’s not relationship-phobic, just shy! Here are signs a shy guy likes you!
Shy guys often have an air of mystery and adorableness around them — something that many of us can’t help but fall for! Fortunately, signs a shy guy likes you back can be evident if you pay attention. However, they can be difficult to comprehend, as reserved men tend to keep their feelings under the sheets, and may not be very good at expressing them.
Such guys often lack social confidence or feel overwhelmed with a fear of rejection. This is exactly why it is not realistic to expect a shy guy to confess his feelings straightforwardly. In such cases, you can either take the lead and ask him out yourself, or you can drop hints that would encourage him to make the first move. However, before you do this, how can you tell if a shy guy likes you first?
Well, as the guy is a bit timid, he won’t come out to you directly, revealing his feelings — but he’ll certainly drop cues here and there. And, this article will help you pick those cues. Now without any further ado, let’s take a look at common, telltale signs a shy man is attracted to you.
16 Signs a Shy Guy Likes You, But Is Too Afraid to Confess
1. He’ll Make Efforts to be with You
Shy or not shy — love makes people do similar kinds of things, one of which is making efforts to be with the person you are attracted to all the time. Now “all the time” sounds a bit creepy! But if a man is attracted to you, he would make conscious efforts to spend quality time with you.
This would mean canceling other plans to take you out for a movie, wrapping up work quickly to see you, and texting you good morning or good night messages. These may look like small gestures but are a good indicator of whether the person really cares for you.
When a guy likes you, he would put in a lot of effort to spend time with you. As cheesy as it sounds, this is how most romances begin — that excitement to see each other over a cup of coffee, dropping your crush at their home, waiting for their message, and so on. So if you notice these signs in a guy, it could mean he really likes you.
2. He Steals Glances
Have you ever felt that this guy that you like often steals glances at you? If yes, chances are he, too, is into you. Shy men often refrain from making direct eye contact. However, a lack of eye contact doesn’t mean they are not confident, it’s just they are not huge fans of confrontation. You may catch him looking at you affectionately, then looking away awkwardly. If this happens frequently, it’s a surefire sign he finds you attractive.
3. He Is Too Fidgety When You Are Around
Is his nervousness at its peak when you two are together? Perhaps, he clumsily drops off his phone, spills coffee on his shirt, or fixes his hair way too much. These might come across as chronic gawkiness or signs of social anxiety, but if a shy guy is into you, this could simply mean he is nervous around you since he likes you so muchQ
4. He Listens Intently
For most people, if there’s one trait that they pray they get in their partners is having the listening skills. After all, who wants to be with someone who can’t lend a patient ear to their partner? When it comes to shy men and their love language, one thing is commonly seen — they listen patiently!
You may think, “He sits next to me but doesn’t talk a lot!” However, since they often find it challenging to open up a conversation, they find it much easier to listen to people they love. When a shy guy likes you, you’ll observe him listening to you keenly and intently. Moreover, he’ll remember the little details that you share with him, which takes us to the next point,
5. He Remembers Little Details About You
So it was weeks ago when you told him that even though roses are a symbol of love, you are allergic to them and would prefer getting lilies to any other flower on a special occasion. And now when it’s your birthday, you find the guy that you’ve been talking to with a bouquet of your favorite lilies and chocolates as a surprise — what does this scream? Well, it’s a big sign that he’s into you.
A person who just “listens” might forget things that you tell him/her, but someone who is eager to know more about you would “listen” with an intent to grasp all the information you have shared and use it at the right time to make you happy. Like, in the above example — giving a girl lilies instead of roses. If you find this quality in a guy, it might mean he wants to start a relationship with you.
6. His Friends Know You
Shy people often confide in people they are close to — this could be their friends, family members, or even colleagues. If a reserved guy is coy about confessing his feelings directly to you, that doesn’t necessarily mean he won’t share his feelings with his friends.
You might get questions from his friends about your likes, dislikes, and preferences for a man. In certain cases, you might even directly be asked if you like him — if you know his friends very well. (If not, and you feel like they are intruding on your space, don’t be hesitant to nip it in the bud and ask them not to confront you with such questions.)
7. He Has Cute Nicknames for You
One thing that people do in love is call their respective partners with a cute nickname. If a guy likes you but is reticent about his feelings, he will come up with different ways to show his love, one of which is giving you cute, cheesy nicknames.
8. He Is There for You
Even though he is shy, a guy in love won’t ever like to see you in trouble. Come may what, he will be there for you whenever you need him, both in good and tough times. Whether you are in proximity to each other or live far away, he will just be one call away, and that shows his compassion toward you. When you are sad, he’ll do everything that he can to cheer you up. When you are happy, he’ll be up for a celebration. This shows he cares for you and wants to start a relationship with you.
Read More: 30 Clear Signs He Wants a Relationship with You
9. He Fumbles Around You
The guy you like might speak very confidently in a meeting that his striking demeanor makes your heart skip a beat — however, when he is around you, you may find him fumbling with words and not knowing what to say next. Does that mean he is not interested in you? No, it’s the complete opposite!
Reserved men are often conscious when talking to the person they are attracted to and that echoes in their body language and the way they speak. So, if he stutters/stammers around you or doesn’t make a lot of sense when in a conversation with you, don’t take it as a weak communication style. It could simply be one of the signs he wants to ask you out but is shy.
10. He Doesn’t Leave a Chance to Like Your Social Media Posts
When a guy is in love with you but is too hesitant to speak up, he will try different ways to show his feelings. He would like all your social media posts and might even leave comments on your posts. This is a surefire sign that he is into you. Having said that, this could also come up as creepy behavior if his comments are not chivalrous or you feel like he is stepping onto the boundaries — in this case, don’t shy away from confronting him and asking him to be respectful of your space.
11. He Mirrors Your Actions
“Mirroring” is a common effect seen in people in romantic relationships. When a guy likes you, he’ll start mirroring your actions, and this mostly happens subconsciously. He might tilt his head in the same direction that you do, eat the way you eat, and hold the drink as you drink — in a nutshell, he’ll mimic your actions.
12. He’ll Get Jealous
It’s quite natural to be protective of the people you’re fond of and get a bit jealous when they are with someone else. If a guy likes you, he might get jealous when you talk about other guys or hang out with them. Plus, as he is shy, he might not make a fuss about it too openly, but he’ll try his best to give subtle hints that he doesn’t feel all right about it.
He may not admit this directly, but if you notice him getting possessive about you or teeny-tiny jealous when you are with someone else (usually a guy), it’s a subtle hint he likes you.
While we are at this point, we must also tell you that being jealous to the point where it becomes toxic should never be considered romantic. Being possessive to an extent where a person can’t see you spend any time with your friends or acquaintances is a huge red flag that shouldn’t be ignored.
13. He Is Protective of You
While as a woman (man, or non-binary individual), you definitely should not feel the need to be protected, the realm of romantic relationships is a bit different. Most men love taking care and being protective of those they are fond of and shy men are no exception to this!
While this guy may appear a bit timid, he won’t leave a chance to check on you when you are home alone or ask you about your health when you are feeling under the weather. This is one of the most common signs a shy guy likes you.
14. You Have All His Attention
Attraction makes us filter out many things — when a man likes you, he will give you his undivided attention, regardless of the time and place, filtering out everything else. Even at a party, for him, everything else will be blurry and hazy, and his eyes will only be on you! If you notice this sign in a guy, take it as a good sign that he is head over heels in love with you.
15. He Preens Himself
When a shy guy likes you, he will put in his best efforts to look good in front of you. You may notice him making subtle changes to his looks or fixing his hair when he is with you.
That said, if you observe that the guy is taking extra care of his physical appearance, take it with a pinch of salt. Observe other things about him as well — his behavior towards you and others, priorities in life, personal views, compatibility, etc.
If he ticks most of the boxes, especially when it comes to being chivalrous, you’ve found yourself a great guy! After all, no one can put on a facade for too long, and men who are genuinely in love, no matter how shy they are, definitely open up sooner or later with the one they love — which brings us to our next point.
16. He Gets Comfortable Around You
Time doesn’t just “heal” everything, it also gives a person the motivation and comfort to do things they couldn’t do in the initial phase of getting to know someone. It may seem out of character, but, once shy men get comfortable, they can be talkative, funny, and perhaps even the life of a party. Once the emotional barrier is broken and he trusts you completely, he will get comfortable around you to an extent where he’ll share secrets with you, tell you about his insecurities and vulnerabilities, etc.
For instance, shy men often avoid initiating physical contact. Even if they would love to get a hug from you, they are unlikely to make the first move. But once the ice is broken and he has opened his heart to you, he may also drop subtle physical cues with a gentle touch to show that he is into you. Stuff like sweeping off a hairstrand from your face or pulling your cheeks gently are physical signs he is into you. Having said that, if you are uncomfortable with the touch, do let him know.
Men, whether they are shy or not, often feel hesitant to approach the one they love. In the case of shy men, the process becomes a lot more complicated. Many times, it may leave you thinking “Is he really into me, or is playing hard to get?” Getting to know about the signs a shy guy likes you can help you observe the behavior better and pick all the cues that he has been leaving. When Cupid is at work, don’t take any chances — if you too like the guy, you can let him know that you are on the same page (either subtly or directly.)
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