23 Signs He Wants to Kiss You & How to Tell When He’s Going to Do It

He’s moving in slowly but then he backs away. You feel some tension but you’re not sure why. Check out these signs he wants to kiss you and know for sure!

We all know that dating is a confusing subject. It looks like it should be easy but in practice, not so much! You think you know what’s going on, but then he throws you a curveball and you’ve no idea which way is up or down. It’s enough to drive you crazy and make you wonder why you try dating in the first place! The same goes for that awkward first kiss – he leans in but then seems to change his mind – why? Learn the signs he wants to kiss you but is perhaps just a little nervous. That way, you can initiate the kiss yourself!

Now, we never said men were easy to figure out. They’re not. Even though women like to believe men are simple and easy to read, remember they’re human. They’re full of emotions and thoughts.

He’s just as confused about this whole dating deal as you are, but he’s got the extra responsibility on his shoulders because he feels like he needs to make the first move.

In reality, either of you can do this, we’re not in 1915, but the thought is sure to be in his head!

[Read: How to get a guy to kiss you when you want him to]

Why the first kiss is so important

We don’t want you to get all stressed out and assume that the first kiss is make-or-break, but in some ways, it can be. If the first kiss is terrible, you might decide you don’t want to see this person again, or they might decide they don’t. Of course, in reality, it’s just a kiss and all manner of things can go wrong. But, we never said that dating was easy!

Who makes the first move for that fateful kiss is also going to feel pretty nervous.

You don’t want to appear too bold or like you’re making a move too quickly. At the same time, you don’t want them to think that you’re not interested either. It’s enough to drive you crazy!

Of course, once the first kiss is over and assuming it went well, the pressure is off. But, if you’re waiting for the guy to make the move, you need to learn how to tell if a guy wants to kiss you first and then work out what’s going on.

In the end, if you really want to kiss him, maybe you should just go for it and see what happens instead? [Read: How to kiss a guy for the first time and leave him wanting way, way more of you!]

All the subtle signs he wants to kiss you

Maybe this guy has been your friend for years and though he likes you, doesn’t want to lose you. Or maybe one day he saw you walking past him and thought that you’re the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen.

You just don’t know what’s going on in their heads. But, eventually, the signs slowly start to seep out of them. Honestly, it’s not that easy to contain your feelings for someone. [Read: 10 major first kiss red flags that show you’re around a terribly bad guy]

When those signs show, this is when you need to pay attention and start putting the pieces of the puzzle together. Some signs may be obvious, if they are, you’re lucky. But some guys do a pretty good job at keeping their feelings low-key.

So, you’re going to need to know the obvious and not-so-obvious signs he wants to kiss you. That way, you’ll be able to figure it out without going insane.

Here is how to tell if a guy wants to kiss you and he’s currently plucking up the courage. [Read: My embarrassing first kiss – My first kiss went a little like this]

1. Firstly, you just feel it

Don’t ignore this feeling. Usually, it’s right. Wondering how to tell if a guy wants to kiss you? You have this gut instinct mixed with the feeling of sexual tension.

In order to feel sexual tension, it needs to be a mutual feeling *or you’d just feel creepy instead!*.

If you have these feelings, you’re onto something. It doesn’t mean he’s going to kiss you, maybe he’s too scared, but why not try to make the first move? Maybe he just needs the barrier broken. [Read: How to create sexual tension with a guy and make him make a move]

2. He can’t stop looking at your lips

Of course, when we talk to people, we stare at their mouths. This helps us understand what they say. But this is different. If you speak and he stares at your lips, really staring, then this is THE sign he wants to kiss you.

He focuses on what he wants and what he wants are those lips of yours. [Read: How to initiate a kiss that’ll make them remember you forever]

3. He moves close to you

Right now, you have no personal space. He’s right up in your space, and it doesn’t look like you’re going to get it back anytime soon. The gap between you is close, whether he’s planned it or not. His body leans into what he wants—YOU.

He’s not doing this aggressively, he just wants to be close to you for the chance of a kiss. He might hover because he’s not quite sure whether to go for it or not, but the point is, he’s close.

4. He touches your arm or back

The guy never immediately grabs the side of your face to kiss you, especially not on the first kiss.

Instead, he gently touches your arm or the small of your back to pull you into him. If he does this, be ready because that’s the first move when going in for a kiss.

5. There’s plenty of eye contact

People tend to underestimate eye contact, but you shouldn’t.

The eyes are the window to the soul as the quote goes. Yeah, sure, it sounds cliche, but it’s true. If he stares at you, holding eye contact with you, he wants you. He looks straight into your eyes, telling you exactly what he wants. [Read: How to master the art of eye fucking]

6. He stops talking, but his mind is clearly busy

This isn’t because he ran out of things to say. Trust us, he has a lot to say. But right now, he doesn’t want to talk and this is one of the best ways to learn how to tell if a guy wants to kiss you. How will he be able to kiss you if he’s talking?

If you notice him going quiet, there’s a reason why—he wants to kiss you. He may be calming himself or trying to find the right moment to kiss you. Hence the awkward silence—he’s focusing.

7. His mouth moves

And not because he’s talking. Maybe he took out his chapstick or he licks his lips. This may not be a conscious move, but he’s already preparing himself for the big kiss.

Have you ever seen a cute guy and subconsciously started to lick your lips? Well, this is basically what he’s doing and it’s one of the signs he wants to kiss you. [Read: The perfect first kiss – 22 tips to make it oh-so-amazing]

8. He’s definitely flirting

People flirt when they want to build sexual tension. If he’s becoming more and more flirty with you, the higher the chances he wants to kiss you.

If you flirt with him, there’s obvious chemistry between you two. Our advice is to not rush in for the kiss, instead, keep building the intensity. It makes the first kiss even better.

9. He gives you little touches

Now, we’re not talking about the touch prior to going in for the kiss. Right now, he’s testing the waters, seeing how you react to him. He may place his hand on your thigh, touch your hand while he’s talking.

These little movements are all about him gauging your reaction. If you don’t move away and allow him to get closer, he takes it as a sign to move forward. [Read: How to make a guy horny and rock hard just by casually sitting next to him]

10. He compliments you

He wants you to know that he’s into you. Maybe he compliments something general, like your shirt or hair. Or maybe, he’s more sexual and mentions how he loves your lipstick or how you look in those pants.

Those compliments are a little riskier, yet, let you know straight away how he sees you and he’s showing you the signs he wants to kiss you.

11. He seems nervous

There are some guys who act completely smooth leading up to the kiss. But then there are others that are more nervous. We totally understand this, it’s not an easy move to make.

Though he may usually be confident, right now, he’s freaking out. He may fidget, almost as if there’s something else on his mind. And there is, he wants to kiss you.

12. Cue the romantic music

If you’re hanging out and they put on romantically slow music, well, then you can bet that he’ll try to kiss you soon. Who else puts on Marvin Gaye? Exactly. Music can be a huge indicator. No one puts on Britney Spears if they want to make a move on a girl. [Read: How to turn a guy on without being obvious and make him desire you]

13. The flirting changes tone

If he’s been flirting with you in a friendly way but then it changes tone, that’s a good sign that he wants to kiss you.

He won’t be telling you how intelligent you are or how you make him laugh, instead, he’ll be telling you that he finds you pretty hot. We mentioned flirting earlier but this is an altogether different intensity and it’s an imminent sign of smooching, and maybe more.

14. You’ve been on a date or two

How to tell if a guy wants to kiss you? Let’s be honest, guys won’t just go out with a girl again if they don’t like her. There’s a reason they’re out with you. It means he likes you.

And if he likes you, there’s a very high possibility he wants to kiss you. You’ll be able to tell for sure by his actions during the date. [Read: 33 sexy ways to seduce a guy who’s not yet yours and leave him hooked]

15. You talk and text often

It’s all about figuring out how much he likes you. The more he texts and talks to you, the better chances are that he likes you. And he’ll want to kiss you if he likes you a lot and finds you attractive.

16. He seems to be trying to figure you out

Is he furrowing his brow or looking like he’s lost in thought for a second? If he’s doing this and making those general touches, looking at your lips, and flirting, he’s trying to figure you out. He’s working out whether you’re going to kiss him back if he goes for it.

17. You’re comfortable with him touching you and he notices it

How do you feel when he touches you gently? Do you welcome it and want him to come closer? If so, he probably feels the same way. The two of you are in a comfortable place. You can touch each other with ease and that means he’s thinking of your lips touching, too.

He’ll be on the lookout for how comfortable you are with him touching you gently and if you show that you’re good with it, he’ll notice this and make his move.

18. The tension in the air has changed

You can just feel the shift. There’s a moment where things are normal and you’re both having a great time and suddenly the conversation dies down and you’re left wondering about his lips on yours.

Watch what he does in this moment. If he’s moving in closer, he wants to kiss you. [Read: 20 strong signs of sexual tension to know you make each other horny]

19. He’s made it clear he likes you

A guy who declares his feelings for you is a guy who definitely wants to kiss you. He wouldn’t have opened up to you otherwise.

It’s clear he has strong feelings and is telling you so you can move things forward at your own pace. If you see this, it’s one of the major signs he wants to kiss you soon. [Read: 25 lines a guy uses to say he likes you… without saying ‘I like you’]

20. He’s got noticeably minty fresh breath

Have you noticed his need to always be chewing gum or popping mints into his mouth? This is particularly obvious if you two just went out to dinner.

Does he just hang out after the meal or is he eating gum right away? If he’s trying to keep his breath fresh all the time, he wants to kiss you. [Read: 15 kissing techniques for that heartbeat-skipping kiss]

21. He offers you mints or gum

No, he’s not hinting that you hit the garlic a little hard at dinner, offering you mints or gum is basically like offering you a kiss.

If he’s chewing gum and eating mints and offers some to you, there’s a big chance he wants to make you feel good if he leans in for a kiss. He won’t want you to worry about your breath either. Keep an eye on him in this type of situation because he’ll probably make a move shortly if you don’t. This is one of the huge signs he wants to kiss you.

22. He’s creating intimate conversation

How to tell if a guy wants to kiss you? Instead of just talking about your day or the weather, he’s asking you about your life.

He wants to know about your dreams and values and desires. This is an intimate discussion that often leads to increased feelings and him wanting to kiss you. [Read: What to talk about on a first date to make them like you Instantly]

23. He tells you he wants to kiss you

Some guys just go for it while other guys plan it out. Eventually, they get so frustrated that they just end up blurting out, “Can I kiss you?”

If they tell you or ask you if they can kiss you, well, no more need to analyze what’s going on. They just solved the puzzle for you.

Now you know how to tell if a guy wants to kiss you, what are you going to do about it?

[Read: How to tell if a guy enjoys kissing you and is turned on while kissing]

Now that you know the signs he wants to kiss you, do they match up with the guy you’re thinking of? If you see a couple of these signs, then most likely he wants to kiss you.