If youâve been talking to a guy and things are going well, there may come a time when he tells you he cares about you.
Depending on how you feel about him, this confession can create different emotions and knowing what to say next can be confusing.
What does it mean when a guy says he cares about you, and how do you respond?
You want to make sure your reply matches your feelings and makes it clear what direction you want your relationship to go in.
Whether you really like him, arenât interested in dating, or only see him as a friend, this article will help you say the right thing, even if his statement comes as a surprise.
If you want to know how to respond when a guy says he cares about you, just keep reading.
What Does It mean When A Guy Says He Cares About You?
Guys are notoriously bad at communicating their emotions, so when they say they care about you, chances are theyâre trying to tell you how much you mean to them.
Knowing heâs putting himself out there and being vulnerable is heart-warming, and you should take it as a huge compliment.
Guys arenât going to open up if they donât think the risk is worth the reward.
That being said, if youâre not interested in him or only see him as a friend, it can create an uncomfortable situation where you have to turn down his advances.
However, if you like him too, itâs an amazing feeling knowing youâre both on the same page and can continue to develop the relationship.
Weâll address the above situations and give you responses to use for each of them, so you are prepared when a guy tells you he cares about you.
How To Respond When A Guy Says He Cares About You
When You Like The Guy
When a guy you like tells you he cares about you, thereâs no better feeling in the entire world.
Knowing that he cares about you will validate your feelings for him and open up a fun world of possibilities.
Here are a few great ways to respond when a guy you like tells you he cares about you.
âI care about you tooâ
This response may seem simple, but it is a great way to let him know you are both on the same page.
Guys like it when you are straightforward with them and donât make things overly complicated.
By telling him you care about him too, youâre letting him know that he matters to you and you want to keep developing the relationship.
âI sure hope so, or this was gonna get awkwardâ
Depending on the type of relationship the two of you have, answering with humor is a great way to keep the conversation light and help him feel relaxed.
It takes a lot of courage for a guy to open up and tell you his feelings, so letting him know that heâs safe to do so, is vital.
This response conveys to him that you feel the same way and want to continue to talk to him and keep the relationship going.
Only use this response if you have established a joking, fun relationship. If itâs been more serious now isnât the time to respond with a joke.
âIâm so glad weâre on the same pageâ
Again this response validates his feelings and let him know heâs just as important to you as you are to him. Youâre letting him know how happy you are that he cares and that his feelings matter.
Youâre also laying the framework for him to see the two of you as a team by using the word âweâ. You want him to feel like itâs the two of you against the world!
When Youâre Not Interested In Him
When a guy youâre not interested in tells you he cares about you, itâs important to let him know right away that you donât feel the same way.
You donât have to be rude but you donât want to lead him on any further.
Here are some examples of ways to reply.
âThank you for telling me but I donât feel the same wayâ
This response takes some courage because itâs straightforward and involves turning him down on the spot.
Letting him know thereâs no future in the relationship may hurt his feelings but in the long run heâll be happy you were upfront with him and he could move on to someone else.
âIâm not interested in getting into a relationship with youâ
Telling him that you donât want a relationship with him lets him know you donât share his feelings and donât want the relationship to continue.
Saying this is a great way to let him know you would rather not continue speaking to each other, even as friends, and he needs to find someone else to talk to.
âI donât feel like you really know meâ
If you have only been talking for a short time and he tells you he cares about you, itâs ok to tell him he doesnât know you.
Establishing a boundary and having him realize he is more invested than you, will show him you havenât allowed him to see a deeper glimpse into who you are and that you arenât interested in showing that to him.
When You Only Like Him As A Friend
This situation can be the most difficult to deal with.
If you want to remain friends, itâs important not to hurt his feelings or make him feel embarrassed.
However, you still need to let him know that you donât see him in a romantic way and only care for him as a friend.
Here are some replies you can use to lessen the blow.
âI care about you as a friend tooâ
Telling a guy specifically that you care about him as a friend is a great way to avoid any awkwardness.
By using this reply youâre being forthcoming and telling him you only want friendship, without focusing on the fact that he may have confessed to liking you as more than a friend.
This way you can both ignore, or quickly move past, what he may or may not have meant and continue just being friends.
âYouâre my friend and I care about you too, but I donât want to risk our friendshipâ
This response to a guy telling you he cares about you is stereotypical for a reason, it turns him down without hurting his feelings too much.
It shows him that you care about him as a friend and that you donât want to ruin your friendship or hurt him.
You have to be careful using this reply though because it doesnât completely shut down the idea of becoming more than friends in the future.
Knowing how to respond when a guy tells you he cares about you doesnât have to be difficult.
Whether you like him back, arenât interested, or only see him as a friend, there are many different things you can say to make your feelings known.
I hope this article has given you some ideas of how to reply when a guy says he cares about you.
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