14 Signs He Wants to Say ‘I Love You’ to You But is Holding Back

You are head over heels for him, and you think he might feel the same way. But how do you know? Here are the signs he wants to say I love you.

If you’ve been with your boyfriend for some time, you obviously have some strong feelings towards him. Maybe you even love him. And he may feel the exact same thing as you, but he hasn’t verbalized it yet. But as women, we’re trying to figure out if they do love us. Well, worry no further. There are some obvious signs he wants to say ‘I love you’ even if he hasn’t said it out loud just yet!

Why are we hesitant to say ‘I love you’

The biggest part of a relationship is when it’s that moment when you’re wanting to take it to the next step. No, not being exclusive. [Read: What does exclusive mean? 20 ways to know if you’re ready for it]

We’re talking about the step after that—you know, the big three words.

No one wants to be the first one to say I love you. Of course, it’s a beautiful thing to say to someone, but people are just scared to say it.

They’re worried about rejection, or ruining the relationship. Saying ‘I love you’ automatically takes your relationship to the next level of seriousness, whether you’re prepared for it or not. [Read: Why saying ‘I love you’ too soon just sucks]

In a guy’s mind, he’s probably wondering, what if you’re not ready for that stage, or what if he says it and YOU think it’s all happening too fast and want to break up with him?!

If there’s a good thing going on, sometimes, a guy may just hold back his feelings in the fear of losing you because he may appear too “clingy” or “needy.”

You can help him say those three magical words

It’s simple, really! If you think a guy is falling for you, and actually loves you, all you need to do is let him know that he’s just as special to you as well.

Very few guys and girls try to play games with someone they’re truly in love with. So if this guy loves you, all he desperately needs are a few subtle hints to see that you won’t push him away when he does say those three words.

If you’ve been playing hard to get, or are leaving him hanging in the talking stage, it’s time you stop with that. Let him know that you care for him, that he means a lot to you, and that you can’t wait to spend time with him – now, and in the future as well.

Learn how to make a guy feel needed and wanted, and he’ll definitely want to say “I love you” to you in a matter of days!

The clearest signs he wants to say ‘I love you’ to you

Now that you know how to reassure a guy and make him feel needed and wanted, let’s take a look at the signs he wants to say ‘I love you.’ Sometimes, the signs may be more obvious than you think! [Read: How to make him fall in love with you – 17 secrets to win his heart and make him love you]

1. The way he looks at you

Of course, we all look at each other, but when a guy loves you, he gives you a specific look. You see their eyes are full of warmth and love. They may smile at the same time, but it’s a small, intimate smile to pay attention to if you want to catch it.

Body language is very important. In fact, it is more truthful than the words we say. So, paying attention to his nonverbal communication, such as eye contact, is a great way to figure out the signs he wants to say I love you. [Read: The body language of men and 35 clues to know if he loves you]

As the saying goes, the eyes are the windows to the soul. So, if he stares deep into your eyes, it is probably because he is falling in love with you. If his eyes say, “you’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met” then he loves you.

2. He sees you

Okay, he sees you. But what we mean is that he really sees you. He notices things about you that no one else pays attention to. He sees how you act around others, what makes you cranky, how to process things, and what makes you happy.

If he loves you, he pays attention to all these things. He wants to understand you and make you happy.

He also knows everything you like and dislike. For example, maybe you hate sharing your popcorn when you to go the movie theater. He remembers that and honors it. He might even tease you about it lovingly. But he knows these quirks about you, and not only accepts them, but he still really likes *or loves* you for them. [Read: 45 signs a man really loves you even if he doesn’t say it out loud]

3. He keeps you involved in his life

If he didn’t care, then he wouldn’t update you on what’s happening in his life. If he likes telling you about his day *without you asking*, then he considers you as someone important in his life. When a guy loves you, he won’t leave you out of the loop.

In fact, when he loves you, he wants to stay in contact with you as much as possible. It’s just a natural thing for humans to want to be in regular contact with the ones they love.

If he didn’t have feelings for you, he would let you know through his actions. So, if you’re involved in his life, he probably does love you. [Read: How soon is too soon to say I love you? 15 things to ask yourself]

4. He misses you when you’re not around

Men aren’t like women. We fall in love with them when they’re around. However, men fall in love with women usually when they’re not present!

When you’re separated from him, he’s able to appreciate the little things about you. If he tells you he missed you or reaches out when you’re away, he loves you.

In fact, the more he says he misses you, the deeper his feelings are. When we are in love, our partner becomes our “other half,” so being without them makes us feel empty. And that’s even true with guys. [Read: How to make a guy miss you – 20 subtle moves to leave him obsessed]

5. He is a part of your life

Another one of the signs he wants to say I love you is how much you are a part of his life. There are some relationships where you’re with them, but you’re not really with them if you get what we mean. Sure, you guys have sex and go out on weekends. It just doesn’t feel like a real relationship.

If he loves you, he’ll make himself a part of your life. This means he’s hanging out with your friends and family, cooking dinners with you, and falling asleep with you in bed.

6. You’re number one

Now, his life doesn’t revolve around you and should never revolve around you. While you shouldn’t become the only thing in his life, he does prioritize you.

Yes, he has work, school, family, and friends but he makes the time in his day to talk to you and see you. When a man loves you, he’ll make sure the person he loves has a special place in his life. [Read: When should you say “I love you” for the first time?]

7. He doesn’t give up

Listen, women can be annoying and a pain in the ass at times *it’s time to be honest, we’re not perfect*. But no matter what fights you have or how annoying you can be in some moments, he’s right there.

He puts himself 100% into the relationship and fights to make it work. If he didn’t love you, he wouldn’t want to try anymore.

Let’s face it, sometimes relationships are difficult and they take effort. And if he’s not putting in the effort, then he’s either lazy or he doesn’t love you. That’s why when you see him fighting for you and your partnership, he is most likely doing that out of love. [Read: Is he saying “I love you” too soon? 15 signs he doesn’t really mean it]

8. He makes verbal hints

This is one of the definite signs he wants to say I love you. Though he’s not exactly telling you that he loves you, he says it in other ways.

He hints at it, talking around the three words, but basically explaining how he feels which would be described as love.

Listen, he loves you. He’s scared. It’s frustrating, and if you’re getting tired of listening to him, then just be the first one to say it. [Read: How to say ‘I love you’ to a guy for the first time and at the right time]

He might say things like, “much love to you” or “Hi love bug!” or something like “I love being around you so much…”

If he refers to love or his feelings of warmth toward you, then he is really testing the waters to see how you respond. He’s throwing that word out there to see your reaction. He figures if you react well, then it might be safe to tell you that he loves you.

9. He wants you to sleep over at his place

Okay, if it’s just a rare occasion that you sleep over, maybe not. But if he asks you to stay over more and more, you have your own toothbrush and drawer by the bed, he’s slowly transitioning to you living with him.

He wants it. He wants it bad, but he’s scared to be direct.

When he wants to be together with you overnight on a regular basis, that means he’s thinking about a future with you.

He’s not just taking it casually, because if he was, he would not want you to get the wrong impression. Therefore, he would not invite you over to his place much, and wouldn’t stay at yours either. [Read: Saying I love you and not hearing it back – Why it hurts to accept it]

10. He’s there when it’s inconvenient

In relationships, it’s not always smooth sailing. There are going to be rough patches you experience – work, stress, doctor visits, arguments, and so much more. If he’s there with you through those moments, he loves you. If he bails whenever you’re going through some troubles, then he’s not ready to say ‘I love you.’

But, if he always has your back, then that is a sign that he wants to say I love you. Let’s say you have a flat tire, and if you call him and he comes to rescue you with no questions asked, that is a sign of love.

He wants to let you know that he is “your person” – the one you can count on through thick and thin. [Read: 18 signs a man is emotionally attached to you and ready to get closer]

11. He asks to make it more serious

Ah yes, though you’re already dating each other, he wants to take the relationship to the next level. Even if you’re exclusive, he wants to push the relationship to the next level. Though he may be scared to tell you that he loves you, the fact he wants more from the relationship shows how he feels about you.

He might get you a promise ring, or give you space in his closet for your things at his place. Or maybe he wants to go grocery shopping with you and plans dinner around your schedule.

All of these things are indications that he wants to make things more serious with you… which is one of the signs that he wants to say I love you. [Read: 17 gestures that are louder than words if a man is in love]

12. He smiles for no reason

If you’re eating a sandwich or talking about your dog and your boyfriend is smiling at you, he’s head-over-heels for you. You’ll notice that he’s gazing at you with big eyes and a wide smile, well, he’s done.

Smiling is nonverbal communication that says that a person is happy. And if he’s happy, that means either he’s falling in love with you, or he already is. Either way, that’s that!

13. He does nice things for you

He doesn’t have to go out of his way to do things for you. You never have to ask him to help you, he just does it. He wants to make your life happier and easier because he loves you.

He might buy you little gifts, wash your car, or cook dinner for you. Maybe his way of expressing love is by these little acts of service for you. If so, then that is his way of telling you that he loves you. [Read: 15 signs he wants a serious relationship with you and wants to commit]

14. How he texts

Look at his texting patterns, and also what he says when he texts you. If he texts you a lot, and on a regular basis, this is one of the good signs he wants to say I love you. He wants to stay in constant communication.

Also, if what he writes in the text is significant, and not just one or two-word responses, that means he wants to build a deeper connection. Having a relatively long conversation about important things via text is a good sign.

Another thing you can look for when he texts is the use of emojis. Lots of guys don’t use that many, so if he’s using the smiley face with heart eyes, or the one with blowing of kisses, that means he is hinting around at love.

Or maybe he keeps writing “xoxo” or “Love from my heart to yours.” This could indicate that he’s too chicken to come right out and say I love you, so he is indirectly telling you so he doesn’t get hurt! [Read: How guys text when they love you – 28 things they do differently]

Should you say I love you first?

Now that you know the signs he wants to say I love you, should you wait for him to get the courage up to say it first? Or should you just jump in and say it to make it easier for him?

Well, that’s up to you. Everyone is different. However, it is usually a good thing for him to say it first. The reason for this is that if he does, you know for sure that he really means it. However, if you say it first, he could say “I love you too” but maybe not really mean it.

If that happens, it’s probably because he doesn’t want to hurt your feelings. So, don’t you think it’s a good idea to wait for his lead? That way, you never have to question his true feelings.

[Read: How to read the signs your guy means it when he says “I love you” to you]

So, you now that you know the signs he wants to say ‘I love you’, do you think your man is wanting to say those three words?