8 Signs That Someone Is Being Friendly Or Flirting

Friendliness comes naturally to some people, no matter who they are talking to or interacting with. Sometimes, however, friendliness may be construed as signs of flirting: Did that lingering eye contact mean something? Did you stand closer to the person when speaking to them? Did you playfully tease them about something more so than you would towards a friend?

While there are similarities between the two, there is also a difference between being friendly and flirting. There are certain times when you intend to just be friendly and don’t want to send out flirty signals, while there are other circumstances when you do want to be flirtatious but end up being friend zoned. They key to navigating expertly through these treacherous paths is to understand how the two differ so that you are not sending out mixed signals.

Here are the signs that someone is flirting and not just being friendly so that you can discern the definitive difference between being friendly and flirty:

* They will make prolonged eye contact

Eye contact is probably the most evident cue of someone flirting with you. While a friendly eye contact is relaxed and laid back, a flirtatious eye contact is more of a lingering smoulder.

* They will make physical contact

Another nonverbal clue that someone is flirting is that they make physical contact with you.If someone is getting into your personal space more than what you expect from a friend, they are likely flirting.

* They will ask more in-depth questions

Friendly conversations, in general are more casual. If someone is showing more interest in getting to know you better and in getting close, you can be sure that they are flirting. A more-than-friendly conversation could be more personal, sometimes even outright bold exploring your relationship status.

* There is an underlying context of sex in the conversations

What you talk about with somebody, and how, can also be a clue as to whether you’re just having a friendly conversation — or not. When someone is flirting they don’t limit their conversation to the superficial topics. Once the topic of conversation moves to sex, playfully or otherwise, the thin line of friendliness is crossed.

* They will give non-verbal cues

Non-verbal cues speak rather loudly when it comes to flirting. The person who intends to flirt is more inclined to present themselves physically to indicate their interest in something more than just small talk.

* They will make it a point to tell you that they are single

Another sign that someone is flirting with you and not just being friendly is when they keep bringing up their single relationship status. By putting their relationship status out there, they hope to make the conversation more exciting or to intrigue the other person. It is also a clear indication that they are looking to change their relationship status.

* They will playfully tease you

When you notice that an otherwise friendly conversation with someone is punctuated with playful teasing, it is another sign that they are flirting with you. Teasing changes the dynamic of a conversation making you vulnerable while you are still able to enjoy yourself, this helps attraction flourish.

* They direct all their focus to you

If you want to know if someone’s flirting with you, not just being friendly, they’ll give you their full attention. In the moment that you are with them, they are rarely distracted. If you notice that someone who is generally friendly to everyone makes special efforts with you, you can safely assume that they are interested in you and are flirting.