7 Obvious Signs Your Crush Likes You, So Ask Them Out Already

There’s no denying it, y’all: Telling someone you’re crushing on them without knowing whether they feel the same way is pretty daunting. But there’s no reward without risk, and if you don’t tell that special someone how you feel, then you may miss out what could be a beautiful relationship. If you’re hoping to minimize that potential risk, there are certain signs your crush likes you back, and looking out for those signs can help you feel more confident approaching your crush. Even though there’s nothing wrong with confessing a potentially unrequited crush, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of knowing your affection is reciprocated before you make a move.

Unfortunately, if you’re hoping there’s a fail-safe way to tell if your crush likes you, then you’re going to be disappointed. Attraction is fickle and strange and everyone expresses it in different ways. And someone who’s crushing on you may make their feelings known, others may do everything in their power to keep you from knowing how they feel out of fear. You’ll never know the truth if you don’t take a chance, but if you’re wondering how to know if your crush likes you back, then you’ll want to watch out for these seven telling signs.

They Always Get Right Back To You

If they never let a text sit on read for longer than 20 minutes, then you're golden. Someone who’s potentially interested in dating you you will want to make you a priority, and text communication can tell you a lot. As Julie Spira, online dating expert and author of Love in the Age of Trump: How Politics is Polarizing Relationships, previously told Elite Daily, “If someone really likes you, they’ll be responding to text messages quickly, especially in the first hour of receipt to keep the spark alive.” And while not everyone is reliable with their phones, chances are that even an inconsistent texter will be looking out for your texts if they’re really into you.

They Send You Lots Of Memes & GIFs

You may misinterpret a GIF response as laziness, but these kind of texts are actually a good sign. It suggests that you and your crush share a familiarity, and they understand what appeals to your funny bone. "Someone who sends lots of GIFs and memes is a creative person who’s thinking outside the box," April Masini, relationship expert and founder of Relationship Advice Forum, previously explained to Elite Daily. “Instead of using the standard emojis, this GIF sender is looking for something to express feelings that is beyond what’s normal."

They Interact With You On Social Media

If you’ve crushed hard on someone before, you already know how tempting their social media is. So, if someone really likes you, chances are there's evidence on your social media. “They'll start commenting or liking your pictures and continue doing so over a number of days. The comments will usually be worded in a way to get a response out of you. Kind of like innocent flirting,” Cherlyn Chong, a dating and breakup recovery coach for professional women, previously told Elite Daily. A few likes could just be friendly, but if they’re liking all your photos (and providing comments), then chances are they’re trying to get your attention.

They Make Light Physical Contact With You

A good way to figure out whether or not someone is into you is to pay attention to whether or not they find ways to touch you. Touching you on the shoulder or back, grabbing your forearm when excited, or especially brushing a hand against your leg or knee are good signs that your crush likes you back. “When someone is excited to see you, you’ll notice it with their body language, starting with a smile,” Spira explained. That smile may then be followed by other signs of affection: a hug, a touch of the hand, or an arm against the shoulder. “Smile back and embrace it if you feel the same,” she added. This will show that you appreciate the gesture.

They Strike Up Conversations & Ask Questions

When you’re in person, someone who's really feeling you will make a point of striking up conversation. “For example, if you’re at a gathering, they'll talk to other people but will keep circling back to you. They'll ask you about what you're interested in, about your job, etc.,” Chong said. According to her, someone who's into you is going to find any reason to be in contact. If it seems like they're going out of their way to find excuses to send you messages, there’s a good chance they're catching feelings. “They'll ask about your day and start sending you things they think you'd like. They might also invite you out somewhere with a group of friends, sort of like a date, but something they can also pass off as a friendly gesture,” Chong added.

They Look Away When You Catch Them Staring

Playing eye-tag is a pretty big sign that someone's attracted to you and wants to chat. As love biologist Dawn Maslar previously explained to Elite Daily, "Maybe you are in a crowded area and notice someone looking at you. When you look, they turn away. However, moments later, you notice they are looking again." While looking away might seem like a bad sign, the truth is that they know they just got caught openly gawking and probably feel awkward about it.

They Get Easily Flustered Around You

Even Shawn Mendes can get a ~little bit nervous~ around his crush, and if someone is crushing on you, then it’s possible their nervousness will give it away. "We can easily lose our cool composure and become self-conscious," relationship expert Susan Winter previously told Elite Daily. "We may spill a drink, stumble, or get flustered in our speech." If a crush seems to be looking at you in a way that gives off a nervous vibe, then there's definitely a chance that you're the reason they're trippin' out.

Go ahead and take a chance. Even if your crush doesn’t feel the same way, the worst thing that can happen is that you end up flattering someone.

Sources:

Julie Spira, online dating expert and author of Love in the Age of Trump: How Politics is Polarizing Relationships

April Masini, relationship expert and founder of Relationship Advice Forum

Cherlyn Chong, dating and breakup recovery coach

Dawn Maslar, love biologist

Susan Winter, relationship expert

Editor's Note: This story has been updated by Elite Daily Staff.