Women Share Things That Men Often Misinterpret As Signs They’re Into Him

Body language and signals are pretty vital to the way we communicate romantic interest in someone else, but the problem with these cues is that some people don't pick up on them at all, and other times, some believe people are giving them signals even if they aren't.

Women on Reddit came together to share some of the normal things women do that men misinterpret as flirting.

I Was Just Trying To Graduate, Bro

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Photo Credit: Unsplash / Green Chameleon // Story Credit: Reddit
Photo Credit: Unsplash / Green Chameleon // Story Credit: Reddit

"A classmate in college and I met up to peer review for our senior semester three or four times. Years later, I ran into a mutual friend and she said she was so glad that he and I dated or else we never would have become friends. I was confused and she said, 'Yeah, I remember him always talking about how you guys were dating in the last semester!'"

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Now She Has To Live With Him...

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"He was a new roommate in a place that housed five people. We were all hanging out one night, and talked with him a bit, joked a bit. Nothing flirty at all.

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"Later, one of the others told me that he'd asked her to tell me he wasn’t into me, so I shouldn’t get my hopes up. He had claimed I was obviously flirting. I never wanted him, nor liked him much as a person."

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It's Her Job!

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A waitress serves breakfast for two, including eggs, cheeses, salad, orange juice, coffee and fresh baked bread
Photo Credit: David Silverman / Getty Images Story Credit: Reddit
Photo Credit: David Silverman / Getty Images Story Credit: Reddit
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"Women service sector workers being friendly to them in the course of doing their jobs."

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The funny thing is that a male server will display the same behavior and customers will just think, "Yeah, he's good at his job."

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She's Talking To Seven Other Customers At The Same Time

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Photo Credit: Unsplash / Jozsef Hocza // Story Credit: Reddit
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"I remember reading a post on Reddit about some guy who was having problems booking a plane ticket and used the website's 'chat' feature to try to solve the issue. He became convinced that the woman answering his messages was flirting with him because she used a smiley face emoji and didn't exit the conversation once the issue was resolved.

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"Having worked in places like that, we were told not to be the one to exit the conversation first in case the customer has an additional query that they forgot to mention. This guy 'missed' her and wondered if she was thinking about him too. The answer is: she absolutely is not."

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She's Just Trying To Get To Work

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Photo Credit: Unsplash / Liam Burnett Blue // Story Credit: Reddit / sunshinecliffs
Photo Credit: Unsplash / Liam Burnett Blue // Story Credit: Reddit / sunshinecliffs
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"Accidentally making eye contact with him on the train."

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You know how it goes: you accidentally make brief eye contact with a man while looking around a subway train and he takes it as an invitation to talk to you while you're literally just trying to get through your morning commute.

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It's The Bare Minimum

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"Treating them like a person. I've had multiple guys I didn't even want to look at think I was into them because I smile and laugh a lot naturally, and they all assume I do it just for them."

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Once Again, She's Just Working

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Photo Credit: Unsplash / Jakub Dziubak // Story Credit: Reddit / Rowdy_ferret
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"I was working in a bar and serving him. Dude, I'm required to be polite. You are older than my dad and I can smell you from here. I do not have a thing for you."

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That's Just How Businesses Work?

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"I tried to pay for my coffee—he worked at the coffee stand.

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"Apparently, being polite whilst ordering my beverage meant it was a green light to try and ask for my number and then lean over the counter and kiss me on the cheek as I was about to walk away. I was 19 at the time and had no clue what was happening."

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She Doesn't Want You! You Can Stop!

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"I had a friend who was constantly pre-emptively rejecting me ('I'd never date you,' 'don't fall in love with me').

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"I guess he figured that because I was plain-looking and overweight, I must be hopelessly waiting around for my chance with him. Nah, son—in case you hadn't noticed, no one else wants to date you, either."

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Maybe She's Just A Football Fan

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Photo Credit: William Thomas Cain / Getty Images // Story Credit: Reddit / Cairnwyn
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"It seems like many men misinterpret enthusiasm for a topic with enthusiasm for him. Just because I'm really passionate about something doesn't mean I want to get it on with the person I'm talking with about that thing."

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It's Her Own Wardrobe—That's All

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Photo Credit: Christian Vierig / Getty Images // Story Credit: Reddit / CaptainAshe11
Photo Credit: Christian Vierig / Getty Images // Story Credit: Reddit / CaptainAshe11
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"I dressed nicely that day for work. Especially if it's when I'm at work. I shouldn't have to dress in a potato bag to wade off advances from men who think I'm available—especially when my wedding ring is plain in view. Some don't care."

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Being Nice Is Supposed To Be Normal

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Photo Credit: Unsplash / Logan Weaver // Story Credit: Reddit
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"Sometimes all it takes is the sheer fact that we're being nice to them. Just because I'm nice to you doesn't mean I'm into you, dude. I'm like this to everyone."

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She's Just Wearing Clothes

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"I remember a post in here by a guy who thought a woman had chosen a particular color sweater to mirror the one he had worn the day before, and surely it was a sign.

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"There is nothing at all too small to lead someone thirsty to assume it's a sign."

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What Did This Guy Think Would Happen?

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Photo Credit: Unsplash / Jeff Tumale // Story Credit: Reddit
Photo Credit: Unsplash / Jeff Tumale // Story Credit: Reddit
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"I was at a bar with my friends once and I was in the corner, on the phone trying to give directions to a friend coming to meet us. This guy who was kinda watching me since I walked in decides to approach me. I pointed at the phone and shook my head, and he rolled his eyes and walked away.

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"He spent the rest of the night trying to get into my circle of female friends, openly flirting with a bunch of them, and kept making eye contact with me hoping I’d be jealous or something. He tried to actually convince them to ditch me."

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I Will Never Trust A Man Who Says A Woman Is "Obsessed" With Him

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"What I hate the most is when I do like a guy, tell him, and it's not reciprocated. However, even if I've accepted it and have moved on, the guy still thinks I'm obsessed with him and am permanently in love with them. Newsflash—women can handle rejection and still be friends with you!"

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It's Her Personality? Let Her Be Happy?

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"I've been told that I have a happy face and smile a lot. A lot of guys seem to interpret this as a come on. I'm not sure why—people are nice to each other all the time without necessarily wanting to jump in bed? If I'm really flirting with someone, they know!"

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Literally His Friend's Wife

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"My husband's friend and I liked a few of the same shows/hobbies so we'd chat about them when he visited. He told my father-in-law I OBVIOULSY wanted to have sex with him. My husband and I are never inviting him over ever again."

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She Doesn't Think You're Boyfriend Material, Pal

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"A guy I casually hooked up with told me afterward that he didn't want a relationship and told me not to fall in love with him. Because it was only a casual hookup to me, I said, 'OK, cool. I don't want a relationship either.'

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"The dude had the audacity to get offended when I said that."

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It Just Takes A Smile

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woman smiling
Photo Credit: Unsplash / Courtney Cook // Story Credit: Reddit / yotsubasa
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"Just smiling at men. Then, on the flip side, when we don't smile at men, we're told to smile or told that we are a (insert derogatory term here) for not smiling."

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Simply, It's Up To His Feelings

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"If he is interested in/attracted to me, then almost anything I do can be misinterpreted. Laughing when they say something funny. Being physically close even if it's because we’re in a small space with lots of other people and it can’t be avoided. Smiling, just like I do to other people. Just generally being a friendly person.

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"It’s just treating them like I treat other guys I’m friends with, but those guys won’t take these things as signs I’m interested in them because they aren’t hoping for signs that I’m interested."