20 Subtle Signs to Tell if an Older Guy Likes You & Is Flirting with You

Maybe you’re used to dating younger men, but do you really know how to tell if an older guy likes you? Keep reading to find the answer.

Although younger and older men are all men, they actually are different. For the most part, older men are more experienced, not just in the bedroom but in life. Whether it’s your first time dating someone older than you or you’re just curious about how to tell if an older guy likes you, we’re going to help you find out for sure.

The reality of dating an older guy is totally different from being with someone much younger. If you’ve never experienced this before, it might take you a little while to adjust. But, you might find that going a little older is something you prefer in the end. [Read: Age gaps – The new trend in relationships]

What is it like dating an older guy?

While this doesn’t go for all older guys, they’re generally more mature in handling relationships. You can see this with how they handle conflict, how sex isn’t everything for them, and how they respect you.

Dating an older guy can be such a breath of fresh air, especially when you’re so used to dating immature and younger guys.

Their perspective and approach to dating can be something you can grow and learn from. In fact, some women even prefer dating older guys because of this kind of maturity. In terms of how to tell if an older guy likes you, the signs are also different from how younger men show their interest and attraction.

For instance, younger men often compliment your body and your curves, but older guys see beyond that. This is just one of the many examples of what it’s like to date a guy older than you.

[Read: Dating an older man – 9 reasons to do it at least once]

How to tell if an older guy likes you

Now, this may intimidate you if you’re younger than him, but don’t let that happen. Sure, he’s lived a couple of years longer than you, but that doesn’t mean you haven’t experienced life as well.

But, you may be wondering how it all works when it comes to dating. Here we’ll be listing down the 101 on how to tell if an older guy likes you.

1. He’ll tell you

He’s older. He’s been on many dates, he’s seen the women out there. If he’s really into you, he knows a catch when he sees one, so he won’t hesitate when it comes to letting you know how he feels. One of the admirable things about older men is that they say it as it is.

There’s no need to play guessing games about what his intentions are – he’ll just be honest with you. Older men know if they don’t make a move, they lose the opportunity. [Read: How to stop playing relationship games]

2. It’s not all sexual with him

You may be confused since younger men tend to be more sexually motivated when it comes to women. But for older men, it’s a little different. Older men see your worth beyond your body and sex as a whole. This means he appreciates aspects like your humor, intellect, personality, values, and mindset.

These are the things that he sees when he looks at you, asides from your physical attributes. If he’s into you, he appreciates your mind and who you are as a person. So, if you look for sexual signs, he may not show them right away.  [Read: How to attract an older man and win him over]

3. He compliments you

We don’t mean he says, “nice ass” or “I’d love to get a chance to squeeze those breasts.” Come on, ladies, if you think those are compliments, you need to redefine your standards. This is exactly what makes older men different from younger men.

They really know how to make a compliment count and make your heart flutter. Though their compliments may not be grandiose, that’s not the point. Their compliments will be genuine and heartfelt. [Read: The best compliments for girls: 25 genuine lines she’ll love to hear]

4. He opens up to you

If he’s older, he’s probably had his fair share of heartbreak. With that being said, though he may be talkative, he’s also guarded. However, if he opens up about his personal life like his family and friends, then this is one of the concrete ways on how to tell if an older guy likes you.

If you notice he opens up to you about personal topics, then he’s letting his guard down. [Read: How to get a guy to open up and share more with you]

5. He checks in with you but gives you space

An older man appreciates space. Sure, he’ll phone you after work or send you a text during the day to see how you’re doing, but he respects your space.

If younger men suffocate you with their texts and calls, bombarding your phone every hour, this won’t happen with an older guy.

Women tend to see space as a negative thing, especially when a man doesn’t text after an hour of silence, but that’s not actually bad. He appreciates your time and his. [Read: How to give space in a relationship without drifting apart]

6. He does things out of his comfort zone

If he’s an older guy, he has his own routine established. But if he really likes you, he’s willing to try things out of his daily routine/comfort zone. Older men have done a lot in life, so they’ve settled into familiarity and comfort.

However, if he likes you, he’ll do things that he won’t find himself normally doing. Basically, he’ll adjust his routine to match yours. If you want to go on an adventure but he’s a homebody, he’s okay with that.

7. He asks if you’re single

If you’re wondering how to tell if an older guy likes you, it doesn’t get any more direct and obvious than this. Listen, he’s older and not into playing games. He wants to get to the point: are you single or not.

If he’s only interested in sex, he won’t care nor will he even ask you. If he asks if you’re single, he obviously wishes to be a part of your life and hopes you’re willing to give him that chance. [Read: Is he playing hard to get or is just not that into you]

8. He asks you out on a date

If you’re wondering how to tell if an older guy likes you, keep an eye on this one. Does he ask you on a date? We’re talking about an actual date, not “Netflix and Chill.” Those are for younger guys, but an older guy will be intentional in dating you.

So, if he respects you and wants to get to know you as a person, he makes you feel like a queen. You’ll find that he really planned it all throughout to give you the best date possible. Basically, an older guy will treat you like a queen.

9. He gives you his attention

He’s not glued to his phone during dinner or excusing himself to text his friends. He gives you his full attention.

An older guy knows you deserve his undivided time and attention and unless it’s an emergency, he won’t keep checking his phone and be distracted by this. [Read: 14 signs of attention-seeking behavior that makes their insecurity]

10. He makes time to see you

If a guy takes the time out of his day to see you then he’s into you. Why else would you waste your time with someone you don’t like?

Even with his busy schedule at work, he’ll sacrifice his time just to spend it with you. You can’t develop a connection with someone without spending time with them first, after all. [Read: 25 signs he loves you even if he doesn’t say it out loud]

11. He feels protective of you

Now, this isn’t to be confused with obsession *that’s a completely different issue and really unhealthy*. What we mean by overprotective is that he wants to make sure you’re safe and taken care of.

He really makes you feel like a queen with the way he makes sure you feel safe and cared for. Whether that’s making sure you get home safely or even running little errands for you. This is how to tell if an older guy likes you. [Read: Key differences – Protective boyfriend or a controlling boyfriend?]

12. He looks at you

When you’re having a conversation, he looks at you, not at your cleavage. He’s seen cleavage and breasts before and he doesn’t have an issue getting that if he wanted to. But he’s not looking for only that. He’s looking for substance.

That’s the word that can define what it’s like dating an older guy – substance. Dating younger men feels so superficial, but older men will date you with substance and depth.

This is unlike anything you’ve experienced before, which makes it all the more worthwhile. [Read: When does the age gap in a relationship start to matter?]

13. He brings up family occasions in conversation

Of course, he’s testing you out to see if you’re interested in going. And if he’s into you, he’ll have no problem bringing that up in the conversation. Older men aren’t really into playing mind games, as they’re in this for the real deal *which is you.*

He wants you to meet his friends and family as soon as possible because he’s proud of who stands beside him.

He’s happy with who he is when he’s with you, and why shouldn’t he show you off to his loved ones, right? [Read: The “creepy” myths about older guys dating younger women]

14. He isn’t afraid to commit

When you’re dating an older guy, he no longer has commitment or abandonment issues. He’s had a concrete experience with dating, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Older men are so refreshing to date because they can give you the very thing younger men can’t, which is commitment. For younger men, they’ll run for the hills just hearing this world.

For older men? They’ll be more than happy to commit to you if they like you. [Read: How to get him to commit – 15 sneaky ways to make him all yours]

15. He’s emotionally and mentally mature

This is another one of the signs on how to tell if an older guy likes you. An older guy is known to be generally mature in all aspects. There’s no longer the need to be passive-aggressive about things or to give you the silent treatment in conflict.

If he likes you and respects you, he’ll talk about the problem directly. It might take you some getting used to, but they’re very mature in handling conflict, unlike younger men. [Read: Signs of emotional maturity: 20 traits to look for in someone]

16. He knows where his priorities lie

Younger men are all about having a good time and applying “YOLO” in their lives. However, an older guy will prioritize you among other things in his life.

This also means he knows what he wants, his ambitions, and his career path. There’s nothing wrong with partying and playing all day, but older guys are more concerned with investing in their future.

17. He dates you with intention

Even if you just met him, you can easily see if a guy has intentions of dating or just wants to “keep things casual.” The latter is often seen in younger men, which is why they often prefer flings and one-night-stands.

Older men, on the other hand, will date with the purpose of a goal. It could be marriage, it could be a long-term relationship, but there’s clearly an intention. He’s not just going to pull you along because he knows you don’t deserve that. [Read: What is courting? 12 reasons why it’s way better than dating]

18. He’s not temperamental

If you want to know how to tell if an older guy likes you, watch how he responds to anger. Does he make you flinch with his aggressiveness, or does he respond calmly and rationally the best way he can?

One of the concrete differences between younger and older men is their ability to deal with anger and other difficult emotions.

As mentioned above, older guys have admirable emotional maturity and intelligence. So he won’t just make everyone in the room flinch just because he’s angry at something or having a rough day. [Read: 10 ways to handle dating someone with anger issues]

19. He’s patient with you

When an older guy likes you, whether he already admits his feelings or not, he’s very patient with you. He doesn’t try to rush things as he knows that love and relationships should never be rushed.

He’s willing to wait for you until you’re ready *obviously not forever, but for a given period.* He’ll never pressure you into making a decision you’re clearly not ready for, but he’ll allow you to make that decision on your own.

20. He’ll meet you halfway

You know all the younger boys you tried desperately to understand when they were never able to give you even half of the effort you exerted? You won’t have that problem when an older guy likes you.

In fact, one of the obvious signs on how to tell if an older guy likes you is his ability to compromise and meet you halfway. He’ll be selfless, understanding, and he’ll effortlessly give back the same amount of effort you’re giving. [Read: 13 strong signs your relationship is built to last]

Figuring out if an older guy likes you isn’t so hard

With the signs above, you’ll find that it’s quite obvious when an older guy likes you. Their approach to dating is the most refreshing and admirable thing you’ll experience in the world of romance, which is what makes dating them so worthwhile.

[Read: What age does a man emotionally mature? 19 signs of maturity in a guy]

Now you know how to tell if an older guy likes you and all you need to do is put the pieces of the puzzle together. If you think he does, what are you going to do? Play it cool or go for it?