Ever noticed a slight smile or glance from him?
The shy guy in the class or the introverted coworker might have fallen for you, but you’re not sure about it, and it’s understandable.
Differently from alpha males who reveal their intentions directly, a shy man is more reserved.
Shy guys spend their time fighting their feelings for you.
Fortunately, psychology and body language cues can help us understand whether this shy guy likes you or not.
So brush off all the insecurities and join us in this article as we explore 19 of the most common signs that show a shy guy who likes you.
19 Signs a Shy Guy Likes You:
1. He Throws You Secret Glances
Eyes are the window to the soul, they say. The nature of a simple glance can show what stories they’re playing in their head. Everyone has a scenario in their head whilst looking.
How can you know if it includes you?
Are they thinking of kissing your lips or getting closer? Or they’re brainstorming ideas about their own matters? Secret repeated glances are a sign of the attractiveness toward you.
So if you notice them throwing a quick glance or looking the other way as soon as you turn your head, it’s probably the first one.
Shy guys are most of the time living in their heads, conjuring romantic scenarios and searching for details. However, their eyes will reveal what they feel if you’re attentive enough to search for signs.
2. He opens up more through texting
Online messaging is where shy guys display parts of their personality that they wouldn’t show in real life.
It’s easier for him to open up, make jokes, and be more straightforward when you’re not physically near him.
What should you look for when a shy man chats with you online to confirm whether he has a crush on you or not?
These are some signs a shy guy likes you through texting:
- He sends emotional emojis, GIFs, and forwards romantic content.
- He attempts to flirt and open up about hot topics
- He replies in an instant most of the time
If his messages sound unnatural, he has likely asked his friends for dating advice. (Weird, but that happens a lot, and it sounds generally odd. That’s why 86% of Gen Z admit to questioning their friends’ dating advice.)
But the point is that this shy guy likes you so bad that he’s trying everything to get your interest.
3. He Stutters When He Talks To You
Shy guys tend to become overwhelmed with emotion, especially when they’re trying to express their feelings.
Stuttering is a sign of overflowing emotions and a common trait of shyness.
Stuttering doesn’t have to be as intense as in someone who suffers from it.
Even small actions like forgetting a name, speaking too fast, and stumbling over words, count as stuttering due to your presence.
For a shy guy who likes you, such high emotions are difficult to manage.
4. His Friends Are Asking You About Him
When a shy guy likes you, he’ll want to know what you think about him. But he’s too shy to ask you face-to-face.
So the easiest way to know your opinion is through your mutual friends.
When they ask you for an opinion on their friend, pay attention to the language used and tease them why they’re asking.
If they have no particular reason, they’re likely hiding the fact their friend likes you.
At this point, if you’re good friends, you can get them to spill the beans on the reason behind this question and whether their guy friend likes you.
His friends might already know that he has a crush on you and they’re curious to know if you like him back.
5. He Looks At You And Smiles To Himself
You can’t help but smile when you see a person who makes you happy.
And if this shy guy likes you, and can’t help smiling, it’s understandable.
From an alpha male, you can expect a bold smile while holding eye contact or winking at you. Meanwhile, shy guys act differently.
Since keeping eye contact is challenging for them, they’re likely to look away and smile at themselves.
Depending on what direction he looks when smiling, it could indicate what’s on their mind too.
If he’s looking down to the right, he’s probably feeling intense emotions.
If he looks to the left, he’s trying to recall something nice to say.
6. He Attentively Listens To You
Many women tend to like men who starve them for attention. It’s what’s considered sexy nowadays.
But when a shy guy likes you, he’ll listen attentively to every word you say. He’ll always give you the attention you want, so don’t take it for granted.
Does he behave similarly with other peers as well, or only with you? Does he put his phone away every time you have something to discuss?
Such a small gesture could signify respect but it goes as far as displaying affection as well.
Because attention is the most pricey asset someone can give you. Our smartphones are constantly demanding our attention nowadays.
So if he decides to show full attention to what you’re saying over using his phone, he feels something about you.
7. He May Act Unusual Around You
Stuttering isn’t the only way in which their emotions overflow. Part of a shy man’s weird behavior is also carelessness when they’re emotional.
Heck! They can’t help but feel anxious about your perception of them.
You might notice their friends pointing out their weird behavior because they’re surprised too.
For instance, if you state that you like sports like you do, and hear his friends say to him “But you’ve never liked sports…!”, it means that he’s trying to get your attention by acting unusually.
Other unusual behaviors would include attempts to “steal attention” from the group so that you’re looking at him.
8. He Blushes When You Compliment Him
Shy guys blush easily when someone compliments them, but when you do it, their reaction is more prominent if he likes you.
When one receives compliments from people he respects or strangers, they continue the conversation normally. But when you compliment him, he’ll blush and get confused for a bit.
He’s probably thinking “Does that compliment mean she likes me?!”.
So keep in mind that through compliments, you’re giving him some kind of hope that you like him back.
It may not be much enough to comfort or hurt him but it’s something he’ll latch on to when he fantasizes about a response.
9. He Treats You Differently
Does he switch places or shifts just to stay close to you?
Think about it for a while.
Even though he might lack the courage to be straightforward about his feelings, he’ll snatch every chance to impress and stay closer to you.
- But does he do the same with other females?
- Does he behave the same?
Observe him when you can and you’ll confirm whether he’s a player or a keeper.
Surprisingly, he could attempt to interact with other girls just to see your reaction, he’ll go the extra mile only for you if he likes you.
10. He Mirrors Your Body Language
We always try to embody the behaviors of the people we adore. This happens often with role models but also with the people we like intimately.
That’s why couples adopt each other’s habits after staying together for a few months.
Behavior adaptation in this case is known as mirroring, and you’ll see him mirror your expression or reactions and body language.
One way to make use of mirroring in our case is by purposely crossing your legs/arms, biting your lip/tongue, or performing another expression and seeing how he acts.
11. His Friends Tease Him When You’re Around
Guys tend to discuss whom they have a crush on. Even if he’s shy, he’s got a few friends with whom he shares his secrets.
Normally, they will nudge him to tell you that he likes you, or simply will tease him just for fun, knowing that he’d feel uncomfortable.
It’s the nature of friends to do that. So the next time you notice his friends teasing him about you, he definitely likes you.
Just look at his face and you’ll understand more.
- Is he blushing, keeping his head down, or looking away?
- Does he try to distract himself by staying on his phone or working on something?
If this shy guy likes you, you’re sure to notice these obvious signs.
12. He Tries to Look Impressive
It’s time we break a truth in front of you all. Unlike women, men get dressed only when they want to impress someone special.
We don’t care much about looks as we do about comfort. The only time we make compromises is when something big is at stake.
And the attention of a crush is important.
Any other man who thinks the same, has hit the nail on the head because research shows that 80% of women are ready to give up even having intercourse for a whole year to have a better-dressed partner.
So when he dresses up, fixes his hair, uses quotes collected from movies/books, or even acts manly in front of others, he’s trying to impress you. He secretly wants you to give him hints because he has fallen for you.
13. He opens up more through texting
Online messaging is where shy guys display parts of their personality that they wouldn’t show in real life.
It’s easier for him to open up, make jokes, and be more straightforward when you’re not physically near him.
What should you look for when a shy man chats with you online to confirm whether he has a crush on you or not?
These are some signs a shy guy likes you through texting:
- He sends emotional emojis, GIFs, and forwards romantic content.
- He attempts to flirt and open up about hot topics
- He replies in an instant most of the time
If his messages sound unnatural, he has likely asked his friends for dating advice. (Weird, but that happens a lot, and it sounds generally odd. That’s why 86% of Gen Z admit to questioning their friends’ dating advice.)
But the point is that this shy guy likes you so bad that he’s trying everything to get your interest.
14. He’s Following You On Social Media
Unless you’re in a relationship or are not interested in one, you’ve used it at least once to get the attention of your crush or simply to check them out.
It turns out that social media is the ideal venue for shy guys to find love.
Since they’re not so good at communicating their feelings face-to-face or hanging out in pubs to get girls, they’ll rely on their DMs to find love.
If he’s following you on social media, he’ll check your followings to understand your interests and view your profile often. He’ll share interesting content with you and view your profile often if he likes you.
Someone who has a crush on you will view your socials often. And if you want to know who likes you, keeping an eye on profile views is a good move.
Not all platforms let you do this, but platforms like LinkedIn and TikTok allow you to see who has seen your profile.
For other social media channels like Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook, keep an eye on Story viewers and people who interact with your posts.
15. He Tries To Be In Your World
How many times does he ask you about your profession, hobbies, or goals? Does he always initiate conversations about things you’re deeply passionate about?
If “Yes”, then it’s clear that he’s attempting to enter your world.
Talking about topics you care about makes you happy and he wants to see that happiness.
It might not mean much, but for a shy guy being the cause of your happiness means a lot. Simply listening to his opinions produces satisfaction in itself.
When he’s gained enough confidence about your rapport, he might take a step further and show his feelings. But firstly, he wants to make sure to understand your struggles, goals, and motivations.
16. He Opens Up To You
How many guys share their personal life with you?
No matter how close you could consider them as friends, they’re usually reserved.
When a guy starts sharing personal aspects of his life early and quickly, it’s a sign that he wants a more intimate connection with you.
Whether it’s through social media or in-person conversations, if you’re one of the first people he shares his struggles, past, and personal goals, he’s aiming to get you to feel him.
Maybe if you know all about who he has been and who wants to be, you’ll be inspired to walk the same path together.
17. He Gets Very Protective of You Overtime
Unless a guy is your relative or likes you, he’ll hardly attempt to get protective.
Even though shy guys aren’t always behaving like machos every time other men are passing by, they have their ways of showing their protectiveness.
Some of them could include:
- He doesn’t want you to walk alone at night
- He is the one to take you to the doctor
- He gets sad when you’re been reckless
- He asks you to text him when you arrive at your destination
- He supports you if you want to be independent
If you’re included in a conflict, he won’t be afraid to get physical either.
18. He Stops Responding When You Talk About Another Guy
Shy guys are usually introverts and overthinkers. He’ll always doubt you might like other guys unless you’ve confirmed the opposite.
But simply talking about other guys will get him upset. Why? Because it sounds as if you like them. And his way of revolting about this is by replying late or not replying at all.
It’s his way of attempting to show you that he’s interested in you and gets jealous when you talk about other guys. He wants you all for himself.
If you want to confirm your doubts about whether this shy guy likes you or not, just start talking about other guys on purpose and observe his reaction.
19. He Supports You No Matter What
It’s impossible to like someone without loving or respecting what they do. And research shows that a supportive partner is important in a relationship.
The moment he supports you, he has sympathy for what you do and takes the role of the partner without telling you anything yet.
However, often guys will fake their interests to get closer to the woman they like. But you’ll be able to notice someone who doesn’t really care about what you do. They’ll fail to understand when you talk about details.
But a shy guy will do his due diligence to really show support for what you do and even try to get involved by asking for advice, or offering help.
20. He Knows The Small Details Of Your Life
Secrets bond us closer to each other.
Whether it’s with friends, relatives, or partners; the more intimate details someone knows about us, the more connected we feel with them.
How many people know what you’ve shared with him? The smaller the circle, the higher the probability of him liking you.
Was he the first to ask or you decided to share these details because you felt comfortable? These are good questions to ask and will reveal a lot.
Paying attention to these signs will confirm whether this shy guy likes you at work or not. The more you tick, the higher the chances for this shy guy to have fallen for you.
