3 Little Hints Women Give When They Really Like You (That Most Men Miss)

Men are not the masters of the subtle. We're the gender that laughs at farts and watches Jean-Claude Van Damme movies, and we wouldn't know subtlety if it hit us over the head with a brick (which it probably wouldn't do, since, you know, it's subtlety and all).

As such, many of us have problems when it comes to dealing with women. Women communicate very subtly, and guys are looking for something more along the lines of a large neon sign declaring that you're willing to sleep with us or that you'd like to see us thrown through a plate glass window.

The prices of neon and plate glass are through the roof though. So, until we learn to communicate better, here's a look at a few of the more subtle signals a woman might send that a guy will completely miss.

Here are 3 little hints women give when they really like you, that most men miss:

1. They'll look at you, then look away

You Think: You're coyly telling a guy that you're interested in him. This is the easiest way to show interest in someone, with one study from 2024 stating that sharing and receiving eye contact predicts mate choice after a 5-minute conversation.
He Thinks: He's got something on his face that you don't want to look at for very long. Either that or you're trying to figure out what kind of beer he’s drinking. Guys tend to take the "looking, then looking away" thing as an insult, and end up giving a cold shoulder to women genuinely interested in them.

2. They'll use verbal innuendo

You Think: By dropping suggestive words, you're initiating a romantic flirtation or otherwise getting your message across.
He Thinks: You're using weird words. Guys completely miss verbal innuendo from women regularly, because the words we use for innuendo are so different from the words that you use. Again, we're looking for something obvious. Dropping words into a conversation isn't going to work unless you're being fairly explicit.

Hints Guys Always Miss Eduardo Simões Neto Junior / Pexels

3. They'll find ways to touch you

You Think: You're flirting by making excuses to touch him, wiping some lint off of his shirt, or touching his shoulder when he says something mildly amusing. According to 2015 research from the University of Kansas, flirting with body language is one of the most obvious ways people show romantic interest.
He Thinks: You're flirting, but he's unlikely to notice the touches unless you stick with it. Once again, I've got to point out that guys are less sensitive to subtlety than rocks — the first few flirting attempts go right over our heads. Keep at it, though, and he'll figure out what you're getting at. Have you noticed a guy completely missing what you believe to be an obvious signal?

Hints Guys Always Miss iona didishvili / Shutterstock