How to understand that only friendly feelings remain. How to distinguish love from feelings of falling in love, affection, passion, hobby, friendship, what a person just likes: comparison, signs, psychology, test

Psychologists say that a woman who believes in her can have a friendship with a man. If a lady is sure that men are always looking for an excuse to get closer to a friend, then she herself, willingly or unwillingly, will provoke him to daring steps. It turns out that whether we can be friends with a man depends on how much we believe in it and are ready for it.

And yet, sometimes it happens that even women who believe in friendship between different sexes are faced with situations when, under the guise of friendship, a man tries to get into trust and win a woman's heart, persuade her to love or even marriage. In the most cynical cases, men can, under the pretext of being friends, hide their desire to get sex from an inaccessible lady. And having reached their own, they disappear without a trace from her life.

If you are tormented by a dilemma of how to define friendship between a man and a woman or love, first of all, you need to understand, is it friendship? Friendship is characterized by more than just a desire to hang out, drink coffee, or go to lunch between office chores. A friend remains a friend even in a difficult situation. He helps to get out of problems, is ready to listen to nagging and will always help at least with advice. If you succeeded in defining friendship, and you see that there is one between you and the man or between your man and the alleged rival, it is time to move on to the next stage - to look for signs of a man's love. Here are just a few of them.

Increased emotionality

A man in love, first of all, gives himself away with emotions. And although many men are good at hiding their feelings, you can easily see if he is feeling anxious or jittery when he talks about his girlfriend. Sometimes men begin to show dissatisfaction or concern if other people ask them about the nature of a relationship with a certain lady. But if you see that he rushes to her on wings and that there is urine, and from her comes excited and satisfied, it is quite possible that this is not just friendship, it is love.

Desire to care

This sign is the most complex and controversial. The desire to help, to care can be present in a simple friendship, but if it is too exaggerated, and if he begins to put the priorities of a particular lady above all others, it is quite possible that he is already in love.

Sexual motives

A man who is not just a friend, but longs for more, often shows his interest in having sex with this woman. He can "probe" the waters by telling jokes and stories on an erotic topic, he can try to discuss intimate problems, but not just like that, but trying to find out exactly how a woman solves similar problems with her men, and whether she has these problems. He looks into her eyes 90% of the time that they communicate, and cannot look away. Finally, he can be interrupted in mid-sentence, being hypnotized by her movements - the way she straightens her curls or shakes her leg.

It happens that a man expresses his sexual intentions quite directly, but here the question arises not about how to determine whether it is friendship between a man and a woman or love. And about whether you need and want to continue this relationship. The fact is that even between friends of different genders from time to time, sparks can slip. Sometimes so-called "friendly sex" can even happen. However, this does not mean at all that the relationship will be over. Friends with many years of experience say that often, for the sake of friendship, they forgive it and do not get hung up on such moments, realizing that from time to time there can be such "jumps" between friends.

He always has time for her.

Friends can help each other, without this there is no way. But unlike lovers, they know the measure in this matter. They will not rush to solve each other's questions in the middle of the night with rare exceptions - if something terrible really happened. A man in love is blind in this matter. He can rush to solve completely stupid and far-fetched questions of his woman-“friend”, even risking his own well-being, sleep or health.

There are other aspects of this quality as well. If you do not touch on the problems, then in a normal situation, a man in love behaves as if he forgets about time. He can miss the last train, does not look at his watch, ignores calls and reminders from relatives when he is at a meeting with her.

He is glad to introduce her to all his friends.

Men are extremely closed in matters of personal relationships. They may be ashamed to introduce their legal wife to their business partners or training buddies. And as a woman they fall in love with, they usually do not want to show anyone for a long time. And only after his feelings turn out to be quite strong and stable, the man begins to take her to friends and acquaintances, to acquaint her with her sisters, brothers and parents.

He forgets about other women.

Friendship between a man and a woman often begins with the fact that they cry to each other "in the vest" about a failed relationship. They are pleased to learn the views of the opposite sex on their problem, to listen to sober and balanced advice.

If you absolutely do not want friendship with a man to move to a different level of relationship, you should sound the alarm after he begins to refuse to meet with all other women, except for the one with whom he is friends. This means that falling in love with him does not allow him to build normal relationships with anyone other than his beloved. At this point, a man can destroy a long-term relationship with another woman, if any.

The list of criteria for distinguishing “just friendship” from other relationships could be continued. However, the conclusion we want to draw is that an observant woman with good intuition will not miss the moment when friendship with a man begins to flow into something more. To do this, you need to be open to observation and be attentive to the man. Then everything will become obvious and everything will fall into place.

Friendship between a man and a woman - is friendship between a man and a woman possible.

One of the most discussed on the Internet, and not only in it, is whether it is possible.

Oh, how many copies were broken, what verbal battles were going on over the friendship between men and women, what kind of evidence was not provided.

We can only say one thing, friendship is possible between a man and a woman, but this phenomenon is quite rare. In addition, friendships between women and men often develop into much more.

Friendship between the sexes is much more difficult than between two men or two women, but both sexes benefit from such a relationship more than in normal situations.

In general, we can safely say that friendship between man and woman is possible only if the lady believes in her and is ready for her. Below we present a small menu that will help you navigate through a fairly large article.

Friendship between women and men and society

For a long time, it was believed that friendship between the sexes was impossible. This statement takes its roots from ancient times, from the time when a woman was waiting for a man-earner near a fire from a hunt and there could not be any other relationship between them. Based on this, it was believed, and many psychologists still believe (it should be noted that this is quite justified), that the reasons for the relationship between women and men are not friendship and respect, but protection and reproduction.

That is why for a long time friendship between the sexes was not even considered. Today, much has changed in the world, it is not uncommon for a woman to act as a breadwinner, and primary instincts fade into the background. Today, the role of protector and the desire to reproduce are gradually fading into the background, and men and women go in for sports together, etc. socialize together.

But even today, friendships between men and women are rare. The fact is that in addition to those obstacles in the form of instincts that we have cited above, there are also several pitfalls that threaten friendship between a man and a woman.

What interferes or may interfere with friendship between a man and a woman

The motives of friendship between different sexes

It is far from always clear what particular motives prompted a man and a woman to friendship, and this is not always clear even for themselves. Quite often, many people mistake the desire to attract the attention of the opposite sex for friendship. It is also worth remembering that motives can change over time, and no one is safe from falling in love with their boyfriend / girlfriend and waking up one fine morning in the same bed.

In general, it is very difficult to distinguish friendships from romantic ones, so even the participants in these relationships themselves often do not understand when these relationships change and move from friendship between a woman and a man to a completely different stage. Curiously, 62% of those surveyed said that there is a sexual overtones in their friendship.

Moreover, women consider this a rather negative factor, while men, on the contrary, believe that a share of sexuality or even sex with a friend will only strengthen friendship. Especially often, sexual and romantic motives become the reasons for friendship between men and women in three specific groups. Here they are, those groups in which the risk of friendship developing into romance is especially great (although one can argue whether this is a bad thing).

  • Teenagers. In this group, very often the friendship between a guy and a girl develops into something more. This happens because at a young age it is much more difficult to control their feelings and emotions, in addition, often adolescents themselves do not understand what it is, friendship or already an affair.
  • People who are married but unhappy in it. In this case, dissatisfaction with emotions and those relationships that the partner receives from this union affects. In this case, instead of sorting out their own relationship with their spouse, many often look for the missing positive emotions and romance on the side, friendship with a representative of the opposite sex provides excellent opportunities for this. In addition, many, realizing that the marriage is unhappy and sooner or later will disintegrate at a subconscious level, make friends with members of the opposite sex, in which they are simply subconsciously looking for a "backup" option for themselves. Those. in other words, they are looking for a replacement for their spouse, often without even realizing it.
  • Those who wish to get married or start a long-term relationship. Everything is very clear here. Such people are looking for just a couple for themselves and often consider friendship between women and men simply as the beginning of a relationship. Sometimes this happens on a subconscious level and there may be no "intent", and sometimes it is.

Love under the guise of friendship

No, this does not mean that if you are a woman and are friends with a man, then it is highly likely that you are in love with him. But, you cannot say the same about the other side of the friendship, who said that he is not secretly in love with you.

Distinguishing love from friendship is actually not difficult, but we will talk about this a little later in the section on how to distinguish friendship between a woman and a man from love.

Jealousy because of friendship

If you are married or preparing to enter one, or even you just have a serious relationship with a regular partner, then your friendship can cause real jealousy. Friendly relations between a man and a woman are rare, therefore they rarely find understanding.

So, try not to get a situation where you pay your friend / girlfriend more, or even as much attention as your spouse. Moreover, as we wrote above, friendship is not easy to distinguish from falling in love, and sometimes it grows into it. Be careful, this kind of friendship between a man and a woman can damage your union with your loved one.

Unrequited love

Another pitfall of friendship between a woman and a man can be unrequited love. Before making friends of the opposite sex, think about it, and if you suddenly fall in love, but he / she does not, then is this friendship worth the suffering that you will receive from unrequited love.

Many do not think about it, or are sure that this cannot happen to them. However, as we have already said, no one is safe from the fact that friendship between women and men does not develop into love.

How to distinguish friendship between a man and a woman from love

Here we will tell you how to understand that your man is not just friends with a woman, but this is something more. All the differences between love and friendship are given for a situation where a man is tested, but for a woman this is also mostly true, so read to everyone.

He does not hesitate to introduce his girlfriend not only to friends, but also to relatives.

In the event that a man begins to introduce his girlfriend to his friends, relatives, business partners or work colleagues, then he should be seriously worried - most likely, the friendship between them has long developed into an affair. The fact is that a man does not like to advertise his personal life, so the woman with whom they are in love at first is not shown to anyone at all.

Only after the friendship between a man and a woman has grown into love, and the feelings have already managed to “settle down” and get stronger, does he begin to introduce her to his friends and relatives. So, if he starts dragging his girlfriend around with him everywhere, it is worth not just thinking, but already starting to sound the alarm.

Time, he always makes time for his girlfriend

Friends, of course, make time for each other. They help solve problems, they can even rush headlong in the middle of the night, but only if something really important has happened. In the event that friendships have grown into something more, the man's behavior changes.

He begins to devote a huge amount of time to his "girlfriend", and he is ready to risk his well-being and even health for her sake, to break loose in the middle of the night and rush to solve her problems that are not even worth a damn. Also, friendship between men and women can be distinguished from love simply by paying attention to another sign associated with time.

If a man is in love, then he simply loses his sense of time (happy hours are not observed - this is about him). Spending time with his "girlfriend" he will start to be late, he will not answer insistent phone calls or requests to return home immediately, etc. In general, when friendship develops into love, he will lose his head and counting time, you will understand this right away.

Emotions, emotions - there is no place for friendship between a man and a woman

Pay attention to the emotions that accompany their friendship. Despite the fact that men do not advertise their feelings, it is not difficult to notice the changes. Does he talk about her all the time? Is there fanaticism in his eyes? Does he say only good things about her and protect her from attacks?

Does he get mad and nervous when asked whether they are friends or something more? Does he fly to meet her on wings? After meeting her, is he happy and emotionally aroused? If so, then it is worth starting to sound the alarm, most likely this friendship between the sexes has begun to develop not yet into love, but in love for sure.

He wants to have sex with her

Of course, whether he strives for sex or not, only he can say for sure. However, this can also be recognized in time.

Usually, when a man begins a friendship with a woman for the sake of sex or simply feels sexual attraction to her, he begins to tell erotic anecdotes, to be interested in the intimate details of a woman's life, by chance begins to "pull" the interlocutor to talk about sex, her preferences in it, problems, etc. .d. In general, he just begins, hiding behind friendship between the sexes, to test the waters. In this case, treason is likely.

These eyes are opposite

If friendship between men and women begins to develop into love, then men's eyes and his gaze will give him away. A man in love 90% of the time looks the object of his adoration directly in the eyes, it is easy to notice. Also note that his gaze, and he himself, can literally freeze with the exciting movements of a woman.

He stopped noticing other women.

Everything seems to be clear here. If she and only she begins to exist for him, he absolutely does not pay attention to other women, even just as people, and this is not due to increased attention to you, then it is highly likely that his friendship with a woman has grown into love.

> A small test that will help you understand what it is - love or just friendship between a man and a woman

Test

  1. Do you think that he is all so positive that he simply does not have any flaws? Or, if they even exist, and figs with them, will you close your eyes to them for the sake of your friendship?
  2. Listen to yourself and answer the question - you are attracted to him by his hairstyle, body, eyes, face, etc. in general physical data?
  3. If he were a woman, then your case of friendship between a man and a woman simply would not take place (in other words, if his appearance were different, you would not be friends with him)?
  4. Remember if too often you want to be alone with him, to be in a romantic atmosphere, to sit at a romantic candlelit dinner only together?
  5. Do you want to touch him more often, do you get annoyed if you do not succeed?
  6. Will it upset you if your friend gets married or just has a sweetheart?
  7. If your friend is in the company of other women, then strive to attract his attention (call, write an SMS, find yourself there completely "by accident")?

If you have not answered a single question - Yes, then there is really only friendship between you and nothing more.

If, however, you answered at least one question - Yes, then, most likely, in addition to friendship between a man and a woman, there is also romance in your relationship. This is not yet falling in love, but close to it.

How to maintain friendship between a man and a woman, and not let it grow into something more

If you want the friendly relations between you and the man to remain extremely friendly, then you should not be alone too often. Yes, some problems need to be solved in private, but only those that really require it. The rest of the problems are best solved without retirement.

Try not to avoid not only words and situations that can arouse romantic feelings, but even thoughts. Try to avoid talking about overly explicit topics. Too much frank communication, especially about sex and everything related to it, will quickly lead you from friendship to bed. Respect your friend's right to privacy. Also, do not allow even in your thoughts and dreams romantic scenes with the participation of your friend, and even more so in bed.

Pros of friendship between men and women

According to the majority of respondents, friendship between man and woman has a huge number of advantages.

For men. Representatives of the stronger sex admit that friendship with a woman gives them the opportunity to communicate on other topics that they would never discuss with their male friends. So that friendship with a woman is a way out for many men.

For women. Women, in turn, believe that the main advantages of friendly relations with a man are that they can joke, chat and discuss many problems without any malice, feeling of rivalry, frustration, etc., everything that is associated with communication with a friend ... Here everything is explained simply, a man for a woman cannot be absolutely rivals in any way.

The most common problem situations associated with friendship between a woman and a man - how to react and what to do

I fell in love with my boyfriend / girlfriend

What to do in the event that the friendship between a man and a woman nevertheless turned into love and you fell in love with the one with whom you are friends. The only option in this development of events may be a heart-to-heart conversation, in which it is worth talking about your feelings. You will not get better from the fact that you will suffer in silence. Moreover, it is possible that he / she also has romantic feelings for you, but due to the fact that they value your friendship too much, he does not dare to tell about them.

You should take this first step. In the event that your love is not mutual, and he / she says that friendship between you is all that you can count on, you should stop all contact with this person. Yes, we understand that it is painful and difficult, but even the friendship between you will have to be abandoned.

The only way. It is necessary to refuse any contact with this person for a time, which will be enough for your feelings to cool down. Continuing friendship with this man or this woman is not worth it, as this will only exacerbate your suffering, and you will harbor unrealizable dreams. It is quite possible that this is just an "influx" of feelings on your part, which often arise in friendship between women and men, and it will quickly pass.

My boyfriend or girlfriend fell in love with me

The first thing to remember with such a development of the situation with friendship between the sexes is that the decision cannot be postponed and should not be delayed. Talk to your friend or girlfriend honestly. If there can be no other relationship besides friendship between you, then tell him or her about it right away, you should not torment your friend with unrealistic hopes, this will only intensify the blow.

It may also be worth stopping communication with this person for a while, until his feelings cool down, it may even be worth ending the friendship between you, since this is actually not friendship between a man and a woman, but love. Moreover, it is necessary to limit your communication with him or her as quickly as possible. Do not let the feelings singing strengthen in his / her heart, it will seriously aggravate the situation.

I'm jealous of my boyfriend or girlfriend for a friend

Many, answering the question - is friendship between a woman and a man possible, answer unequivocally - No. Based on this, they are very often jealous of their partner towards his friends. For the sake of fairness, it must be said that very often this jealousy and suspicion is not without foundation. First of all, try to figure out what causes your suspicions, why you are jealous.

It is possible that a romantic relationship has existed between them for a long time, but then it is no longer a question of friendship between the sexes and you need to read completely different articles, for example, how to understand that a man is cheating on you, etc. (they are on our website in the section we and men).

Another thing is that you are simply jealous of your partner for a friend, as he spends a lot of time on her / him, pays increased attention, etc. The way out of this situation is simple, as indeed it is from most situations, just talk with your partner tactfully frankly and express your concerns, tell about your feelings and why you do not like their friendship. But only very carefully. But what can not be said under any circumstances, we read below.

Do not accuse your loved one of treason, arguing that friendship is impossible between men and women in principle. This is not so, and by building a conversation on the basis of this argument, you initially doom it to failure, and it will end, most likely, with an ordinary scandal.

Do not try to put him / her before a choice - either me or a friend. Blackmail has never brought anyone to good, this is an act of violence and the reaction will be appropriate, he / she will harbor resentment for a long time.

Do not speak negatively about his / her girlfriend or boyfriend. The fact is that any friendship, including between a man and a woman, brings people closer. Therefore, speaking negatively about his / her close (albeit not as close as you) person without any reason, you will only generate in his / her soul a bunch of worries about the fact that two of his loved ones treat each other negatively. In general, this will not give anything and certainly will not be able to end the friendship between them, but it will certainly create discomfort in your relationship.

Don't try to aggressively control their friendship to the last detail. This will lead to the fact that your loved one will understand one thing - you do not trust him. Nothing good, in general, offend and nothing more.

So, what to do besides talking frankly? Just make friends or even friendships with his / her boyfriend or girlfriend. This will not only be pleasant for your loved one, but he himself will begin to monitor the purity of his friendship between them.

Is male-female friendship and sex compatible?

We immediately declare - friendship between the sexes and sex are compatible a little less than nothing, that is, absolutely incompatible. Remember that true friendship always rests on respect, and here it is, after sex, according to the results of all imaginable polls, it disappears instantly. Sex between friends will lead to remorse, loss of respect for oneself and a friend or girlfriend.

This is especially true for people who already have a soul mate. If your friend strongly hints at sex, while he has his own soul mate, then you should think about his moral qualities.

Also at this moment it is worth asking the question, is not friendship between you just an excuse in order to achieve banal sex? This is especially true of cases when sex is offered well, very persistently, practically imposed. In any case, we recommend avoiding sex with people whose friendship you value. But, if this happened, then there are several options for action.

Friendships can be ended. You can continue your friendship and slowly but surely rebuild trust in each other. You can transfer a relationship from the category of friendship to romantic (for someone it will work).

But, if you have not decided to end your friendship between you and go to a romantic relationship, then you must not allow the repetition of sex - this is simply necessary in order to maintain friendship between you. Read more in the section of the article - how to maintain friendship between a man and a woman.

Psychologists say that a woman who believes in her can have a friendship with a man. If a lady is sure that men are always looking for an excuse to get closer to a friend, then she herself, willingly or unwillingly, will provoke him to daring steps. It turns out that whether we can be friends with a man depends on how much we believe in it and are ready for it.

And yet, sometimes it happens that even women who believe in friendship between different sexes are faced with situations when, under the guise of friendship, a man tries to get into trust and win a woman's heart, persuade her to love or even marriage. In the most cynical cases, men can, under the pretext of being friends, hide their desire to get sex from an inaccessible lady. And having reached their own, they disappear without a trace from her life.

If you are tormented by a dilemma of how to define friendship between a man and a woman or love, first of all, you need to understand, is it friendship? Friendship is characterized by more than just a desire to hang out, drink coffee, or go to lunch between office chores. A friend remains a friend even in a difficult situation. He helps to get out of problems, is ready to listen to nagging and will always help at least with advice. If you succeeded in defining friendship, and you see that there is one between you and the man or between your man and the alleged rival, it is time to move on to the next stage - to look for signs of a man's love. Here are just a few of them.

Increased emotionality

A man in love, first of all, gives himself away with emotions. And although many men are good at hiding their feelings, you can easily see if he is feeling anxious or jittery when he talks about his girlfriend. Sometimes men begin to show dissatisfaction or concern if other people ask them about the nature of a relationship with a certain lady. But if you see that he rushes to her on wings and that there is urine, and from her comes excited and satisfied, it is quite possible that this is not just friendship, it is love.

Desire to care

This sign is the most complex and controversial. The desire to help, to care can be present in a simple friendship, but if it is too exaggerated, and if he begins to put the priorities of a particular lady above all others, it is quite possible that he is already in love.

Sexual motives

A man who is not just a friend, but longs for more, often shows his interest in having sex with this woman. He can "probe" the waters by telling jokes and stories on an erotic topic, he can try to discuss intimate problems, but not just like that, but trying to find out exactly how a woman solves similar problems with her men, and whether she has these problems. He looks into her eyes 90% of the time that they communicate, and cannot look away. Finally, he can be interrupted in mid-sentence, being hypnotized by her movements - the way she straightens her curls or shakes her leg.

It happens that a man expresses his sexual intentions quite directly, but here the question arises not about how to determine whether it is friendship between a man and a woman or love. And about whether you need and want to continue this relationship. The fact is that even between friends of different genders from time to time, sparks can slip. Sometimes so-called "friendly sex" can even happen. However, this does not mean at all that the relationship will be over. Friends with many years of experience say that often, for the sake of friendship, they forgive it and do not get hung up on such moments, realizing that from time to time there can be such "jumps" between friends.

He always has time for her.

Friends can help each other, without this there is no way. But unlike lovers, they know the measure in this matter. They will not rush to solve each other's questions in the middle of the night with rare exceptions - if something terrible really happened. A man in love is blind in this matter. He can rush to solve completely stupid and far-fetched questions of his woman-“friend”, even risking his own well-being, sleep or health.

There are other aspects of this quality as well. If you do not touch on the problems, then in a normal situation, a man in love behaves as if he forgets about time. He can miss the last train, does not look at his watch, ignores calls and reminders from relatives when he is at a meeting with her.

He is glad to introduce her to all his friends.

Men are extremely closed in matters of personal relationships. They may be ashamed to introduce their legal wife to their business partners or training buddies. And as a woman they fall in love with, they usually do not want to show anyone for a long time. And only after his feelings turn out to be quite strong and stable, the man begins to take her to friends and acquaintances, to acquaint her with her sisters, brothers and parents.

He forgets about other women.

Friendship between a man and a woman often begins with the fact that they cry to each other "in the vest" about a failed relationship. They are pleased to learn the views of the opposite sex on their problem, to listen to sober and balanced advice.

If you absolutely do not want friendship with a man to move to a different level of relationship, you should sound the alarm after he begins to refuse to meet with all other women, except for the one with whom he is friends. This means that falling in love with him does not allow him to build normal relationships with anyone other than his beloved. At this point, a man can destroy a long-term relationship with another woman, if any.

The list of criteria for distinguishing “just friendship” from other relationships could be continued. However, the conclusion we want to draw is that an observant woman with good intuition will not miss the moment when friendship with a man begins to flow into something more. To do this, you need to be open to observation and be attentive to the man. Then everything will become obvious and everything will fall into place.

No matter how strong a woman's intuition is, and it sometimes, it happens, fails. For example, four years ago I found myself in a very unusual situation for me.

During my studies at the university, we became pretty close friends with Mitya. Our fellow students (in the overwhelming number of girls) tormented us with questions about personal relationships, but we could not think about anything like that. After graduation, they somehow parted a little, but still sometimes met, walked together.

And so, imagine my surprise when, in the seventh year of our friendship, I begin to notice some actions on the part of Mitka that make me think that it seems that friendship has come to an end, and a new round of our relationship is approaching - a romantic one.

Mitya did not immediately put all the cards on the table, and therefore for some time I had to guess: we are still friends or something more.

To find out for myself what's what, I mentally compared the old friendship and the new courtship and determined in what relationships and what people do, and what features these two hypostases of sympathy have.

So friends:

- they chat about everything in the world, do not hesitate to tell each other about their personal life, bed adventures and new passions, often consult with each other on these issues

They are happy to meet, but then they easily leave in order to be in time for some more important matters, including going on a date.

They get drunk, but even if they get drunk as a lord, they don't think about each other as possible intimate partners

Can sleep perfectly in one bed in their underwear and under a single blanket

They can forget about each other's birthday and will not be offended at all if the congratulation is late

They spend quite a lot of time together, but they may not see each other for the same long time.

They tell the truth about each other in the eyes, easily declaring that "the music you listen to is disgusting" or "there are only fools in your KVN team", and they do not even think to be offended

Compliments, on the other hand, rarely fly out of friendly lips.

They pay in a cafe either in half, or with an agreement that "next time you are"

On a walk, discussing representatives of the opposite sex

Everyone gets home on their own

They constantly make fun of each other

But courtship is worth considering when you discover the following:

They do not want to part with you for a minute: after a walk there is an offer to go to the cinema, then to sushi, then to the amusement park, etc.

At a meeting with you, an imaginary friend begins to appear "at the parade", writes compliments in your direction as well

Suddenly, they start to give you a hand when leaving the transport, pull up a chair in a cafe

You are no longer allowed to contribute your share to the bill.

They begin to invite you to unusual and interesting places, and now you go there not in a crowd, but only together

They start to ask you to visit you more persistently.

Now there is no need to ask for help - they offer it on their own in order to have an additional excuse for a meeting

Your "disgusting music" suddenly becomes nothing at all, you can go to a concert

Personal stories become uninteresting, moreover, a noticeable negative towards the subject of the conversation appears in the listener's eyes

The "buddy" also doesn't tell you anything about his personal life.

Flowers may not be given to you, but signs of attention still begin to appear: chocolate in huge quantities, soft bears, as if by chance won for you in the shooting gallery

You are escorted home, even if you live in different parts of the metropolis

All passing women are henceforth referred to as bow-legged and lanky.

The list goes on and on, but I think the above is enough to determine the true intentions of a male representative. At least I figured it out with my friend, for the third year I have been married to him.

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Loving your friends is common. Who does not love his comrades, who are always ready to help, who can cry on the shoulder and who have a great time with? We certainly love our friends.

How to distinguish friendship from courtship, sympathy, manifestations of romantic feelings?

But can you say with confidence that your feelings for a friend are not romantic in nature? Sometimes platonic friendship is hard to distinguish from love, as well as vice versa: people take for love the strong friendship of two bosom friends.

If you are in doubt about the feelings between you and your boyfriend / girlfriend, it is worth reflecting and analyzing your relationship. Take your time to do at your expense. Let's take a closer look at what the concepts of friendship and love are and how to distinguish them from each other. Maybe you should take it to the next level with your buddy? Or maybe you shouldn't risk your friendship by confusing it with a romantic relationship?

Love and friendship, what do they have in common?

Note, you would hardly become interested in the question: "How to understand if it is friendship or love between you?" If you did not doubt your feelings for a friend. If we talk about friendship between a guy and a girl, it is worth admitting the sad truth: there is no long-term friendship between different sexes. One or both of them will one day think about how they really feel and whether there is a continuation of their relationship.

The manifestations of love and friendship are similar to each other, and we can safely say that they are components of each other. True friends love each other without showing romantic feelings, and their love lies in mutual respect and affection. Like lovers, they cannot exist without friendship between each other.

But not every couple is ready to cross the threshold of friendship and enter into a romantic relationship, there is a fear of losing a faithful companion or being rejected.

So how can you tell love from friendship if they are so similar? One can draw the following conclusion: friendship includes spiritual intimacy, and relationships consist of aspects of friendship and physical attraction.

Let's take a look at the differences between the two to learn how to distinguish love from friendship.

Differences in feelings: sympathy for a potential rival

Analyze your behavior around your friend. This is a surefire way to distinguish between friendship and love. How? Start with the obvious signs of sympathy.

How do you react when your friend tells you about sympathy for another person, shows it in front of you?

If you are on friendly terms with this person, you will be glad to get acquainted with his choice, you will also, at the opportunity, help him build a happy relationship, because you wish him happiness and true pure love.

If you are in love, then jealousy will betray you. You are unlikely to like the object of his sympathy, but this does not mean that you do not wish him well. Just mentally you already imagined him next to you, you are accustomed to this thought, and your subconscious mind is at a loss: "How is it, because there is me, why did you choose not me?" Jealousy is one of the main signals of your romantic feelings.

Behavior in his / her presence

Do you behave calmly in the presence of a friend or do you feel embarrassed when he appears in your company?

When a friend appears, you feel free, no matter what state you are in, no matter how you look. You are comfortable with this person, even if you are sporting a nightie, one slipper, disheveled, with a thermometer and a bucket for snot at the ready.

If you are in love, you do your best to look your best. You are worried about your appearance, you are worried whether a friend will like your new jacket or hairstyle. You are embarrassed when you receive compliments from him, they cause you extraordinary feelings of joy and embarrassment.

Personal space

How to distinguish love from friendship? There is another obvious way. How do you feel when your friend is not around?

In friendships, you feel comfortable when you know that your friend is spending time with someone else. If you have not seen each other for several days, emotions will not unsettle you and will not take away your sleep.

But if you still fell in love with your friend, then your thoughts are probably only occupied by him, you want to meet more often and spend more time together. You miss your target. You are in love.

Expression of emotions

Emotions play an important role. If you are friends, you experience lightness, freedom, fun with a friend. No dramas, only positive emotions.

But if you are in love, there can be fights between you. Did you think the other way around? Quarrels are not only a manifestation of mature love, but also an expression of love that has not found expression. Perhaps, subconsciously, you are trying to cover up your sympathy with friendship, but you want reciprocity. Not meeting her, you become irritable, demanding in relation to your comrade.

Habits and reactions

Your reaction to a person's habits, behaviors, and plans can betray your relationship to a friend. How to distinguish love from friendship, based on the habits of the suspected subject of sympathy?

If you are only friends, you do not judge the friend for his habits, accept him for who he is, and do not try to change him. You made friends with him like that and accept him like that, and his habits and behavior will not affect your life in any way. You, of course, will advise your friend to quit smoking, but do not take it as personally as a lover would.

Of course, you are worried and wish your friend well, and even a real disliked friend should make a scandal if your close friend does not want to quit the addiction. This will be done by a man in love who hopes for the further development of relations with a person and worries about his health. A lover may try to reshape a person at his own discretion, which is less often seen with real friends.

Note that lovers try to change themselves if a friend points out to them what he does not like, wanting to please the object of sympathy.

A friend in love

If you come to the conclusion that you are still in love, do not despair. Love is a wonderful feeling, let's better find out if it is mutual. You can watch your partner. Here's how to tell a man's friendship from love? This list can help you understand how your friend is feeling. Maybe it's time to talk to each other and move to the next level?

You can judge that your friend is showing sympathy by such points as:

  • your friend does not want to part with you and tries to spend more time together;
  • your friend goes to meet potential competitors in the parade;
  • your friend is gallant with you, he will give a hand, move a chair, open the door;
  • they are trying to pay for you;
  • you are invited to take a walk without company;
  • they are always ready to help you;
  • he suddenly infiltrates your music;
  • a friend is silent about his personal life, and reacts sourly to stories about yours;
  • they are trying to escort you;
  • love to chat with you.

The list can be endless, because everyone expresses their sympathy for the opposite sex in their own way, but these are some of the most popular signs that they are experiencing more than just friendship for you.

Based on these tips, you can tell love from friendship. We hope that this knowledge will be useful to you and your feelings will be mutual.

Analyze not only how you feel about your friend, but also how your friend treats you. Take a closer look at his behavior, how he communicates with you, how he reacts to you. Observing your relationship from the outside is the perfect way to help answer the question of how to tell friendship from love.