How to Know if a Girl in Middle School Likes You

Last Updated: October 28, 2022 References Approved

Is there a girl in middle school you're crushing on but you're not sure if she likes you back? Some girls are shy and won't say anything that lets you know how they feel. Other girls are really outgoing and will talk to you, but sometimes they can send you mixed signals. Don't worry—there are a number of signs you can look out for that will help you figure out if a girl in middle school really likes you!

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Notice Her Appearance

1
Check out her body language. Body language can go a long way in helping you see whether or not the girl really likes you. Her words may not tell you that she likes you, but her body can give her away. If the girl really likes you, then she may turn her body toward you and try to lean in when she's talking to you so she can get a little closer. Here are a few more signs that she's into you:^{[1]
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Research source}^{[2]
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Expert Source

Connell Barrett
Dating Coach
Expert Interview. 24 September 2019.}
- See if she twirls her hair or looks down at her feet. This means that she's feeling shy and nervous about talking to you because she likes you.
- See if she shuffles her feet or plays with her hands or jewelry. This is another sign that she's fidgeting because she likes you.
- See if she breaks eye contact. If you share a moment of intense eye contact and then she looks away, it may mean that she's feeling shy about talking to you.
- Check out her smile. Does she smile when she's talking to you, even if you don't say anything that should make her smile? This may mean that she likes you.
2
See how she looks around you. Do you notice that she dresses up more when she knows she'll be around you? If you both know you'll be running into her at the mall and she's all dressed up and wears more makeup than usual, it may be for you. If she knows she'll see you on the weekend and puts on a new dress, she may be trying to look good for you.
- She may also put on a hint of perfume if she knows she'll be around you. If you don't think she wears perfume during school but suddenly puts it on when you're at a group hang at the movies, it may be for you.
- You'll need to take into consideration whether she's known for her above-and-beyond style even when you're not around. For example, ask other classmates if she dresses up on days you don't see each other, or pay attention to how she looks on days when you run into her accidentally to see if her outfits are always as put-together as they are when she knows she'll be around you.
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3
See if you make her blush. This is a dead giveaway that she really likes you. If you catch her blushing after you look at her, or if her face turns bright red in the middle of a conversation with you, then she's feeling shy because of how much she likes you. Observe her for a while. See if she's the kind of person who's just really shy, or if she blushes only for you. If she only blushes in front of you, then she thinks you're special.^{[3]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Notice What She Does

1
See if you can catch her staring at you. If you've looked across the room in English class and have caught her staring at you, then she may like you. If she abruptly looks away, blushes, or doesn't look in your direction for the rest of the class, that makes it even more likely that she likes you because she feels like she's been caught. You can also see if you catch her eye in group hang-outs. Look her way from across the room at a party and see if she's staring at you.^{[4]
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- If she's the type who just stares off and daydreams a lot, then she may not be directing her attention towards you.
2
See if she easily giggles around you. If you talk to her and find her giggling for no good reason, or even outright laughing even when you haven't said anything funny, then this may be because she likes you. Laughter is a natural way to shed some nervous energy, so the girl is probably laughing or giggling because she's nervous or excited to be around you.^{[5]
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- See if she laughs around everyone, or if you have a special effect on her funny bone.
3
See if she's always laughing with her friends when they pass you. If the girl passes you in the halls with her friends, and her friends are laughing and nudging her when you come by, this is a sign that they all know that she likes you and are teasing her. If she says "Stop!" or gently shoves her friends or refuses to make eye contact with you when this happens, then this makes it even more likely that she's into you.
- If a girl in middle school has a crush on you, it's almost guaranteed that her friends will know. Watch her friends carefully for any signs that they know how she feels about you.
4
See if she tries to gently touch you. She'll most likely touch you in a teasing way like a playful shove, or tap you on the shoulder to tell you something. Still, this is her way of flirting and trying to get close to you. Notice if she touches everyone around her or only you. If she only pays special attention to you, then it's a sign that she likes you.^{[6]
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Trustworthy Source
Greater Good Magazine
Journal published by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, which uses scientific research to promote happier living
Go to source}^{[7]
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Expert Source

Connell Barrett
Dating Coach
Expert Interview. 24 September 2019.}
- If she touches everyone around her playfully, then she may just be a physical person.
5
See if she gives you a small gift. If she gives you a bowl she made in ceramics class, or if she even went to the mall and got you something silly like a pencil with your favorite sports team's logo on it, then she's telling you that she likes you. If she brings candy or cookies to school and makes a point of offering you some, then she's trying to impress you and telling you that she likes you.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Notice What She Says

1
See if she tries to talk about common interests. If she knows that the Warriors are your favorite basketball team and has suddenly started talking to you about them, then she may have picked up a new love for the team just because of you. If she knows you love watching Game of Thrones and suddenly knows everything about the characters, then she may just be trying to impress you with these new interests.
- If she's never shown an interest in your interests before but suddenly seems to know everything about the things you like, then she probably likes you.
2
See if she looks for any excuse to talk to you. If she approaches you and asks a question that you know she can easily get answered by someone else, like how hard the math test was, or what new sport you played in gym class, then she's clearly just looking for an excuse to talk to you. If she asks what you think of a certain teacher or the new kid in school, she's just trying to spend more time with you by asking any question that comes to her mind.
3
See if she teases you. If the girl teases you, then it's almost definitely true that she likes you. If she makes fun of you, from laughing at your shoes, giggling at your new outfit, or makes a comment about how messy your locker is, then she's just teasing you because she likes to be around you. Sometimes, her teasing can even get a little mean, but that doesn't mean she doesn't like you.^{[8]
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- Just remember the golden rule: if she's paying attention to you, she likes you. Teasing is just one way of paying attention.
4
See if she flirts with you. In middle school, teasing and flirting are almost interchangeable. Still, there are some signs that the girl is flirting with you. If she winks at you, even jokingly, she's definitely flirting. If she teases you about your new haircut and maybe even says it's an improvement, then she's flirting with you.
- If she acts coy, playful, or just a little bit silly around you, then she's flirting with you.
- If she makes fun of you for liking another girl, especially when you clearly don't like another girl, then she's just flirting with you.
5
See if she asks who you like. If the girl is suddenly interested in who you like and if you want to ask any girl out, then she wants to know if you like her -- unless she's playing matchmaker for one of her friends. If she's always bugging you about who you like or even throws out some names of people she knows you don't really like, then she's just trying to talk to you about your romantic life to get close to you.
- If she makes fun of any girlfriends you've had in the past, or just makes fun of other girls around you, then she's probably just jealous because she really likes you.
6
Notice what she says to you over social media or texting. Middle school girls love flirting over social media and texting. Remember the first rule: if she pays attention to you, then there's a good chance she likes you. If she's always texting you or commenting on your posts for no reason, then she probably likes you.
- If she sends you a video or a link to something you like, then it's even more likely that she likes you.
- If she asks what you're doing over the weekend when she texts you, then she's interested in your plans because she likes you.
- Check out her social media activity. Does she talk to other people on social media as often as she talks to you, or are you special?

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Find Out if She Likes You

1
Ask her friends. Asking her friends is she likes you is a less bold way of basically telling her that you're interested in her yourself. Still, if you're feeling shy but really want to know how she feels without asking her directly, then just ask her friends how she feels about you. They probably won't tell you how she feels, but they'll make it obvious that she likes you by acting excited and saying that you should talk to her. They'll also tell her that you like her right away, so be careful.
- Her friends will, however, let you know if the girl doesn't like you and this will spare your feelings if she doesn't.
2
Ask her yourself. If you're feeling brave and really want to date this girl, then just find a time when you're alone together, like by your lockers after school, and ask her how she really feels about you. You can even admit that you like her first (if you do) and wait for her to respond.^{[9]
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Expert Source

Connell Barrett
Dating Coach
Expert Interview. 24 September 2019.} Don't put too much pressure on her -- just casually say that you've noticed that she might like you and that you want to know how she feels.
- You can even compliment her a bit to put her at ease.
3
React appropriately. If she admits that she likes you and you like her too, you don't have to jump up and down for joy or you'll look uncool. Instead, just show her that you're excited that you both like each other and ask her if she wants to hang out some time. If she doesn't like you, don't be a jerk about it. Just say, "Cool, it's no big deal," and act cool and calm as you say goodbye. This will show her that you're comfortable with yourself and who knows -- maybe she'll change her mind about you in the future.
- Whatever happens, remember that you're in middle school. Relationships in middle school are fun, but they're usually short and shouldn't be taken too seriously. Just try to have fun and if it doesn't work out with this girl, someone else will definitely fall for you.

Community Q&A

Question

What if the girl flirts with everybody? There is a girl I like and I don't know if she likes me, because she flirts with everyone.

Community Answer

Some people are naturally flirtatious, so in those cases, you want to see how she treats you compared to others. If she treats you virtually the same as other people, she's probably not interested. However, if she flirts notably differently with you (for example, touching you and nobody else, or flirting with you much less or much more than others), seems shy or nervous when she flirts with you, starts conversations with you more often than other people, or looks over at you to check your reaction when she flirts with someone else, she might like you. Even naturally flirtatious people tend to act different around their crushes, so don't panic - if she likes you, she'll show some signs!
Question

There is this girl that I like, and she sometimes smiles or laughs when I talk to her. Is this a sign that she likes me?

Community Answer

That depends on the context. Smiling while talking or laughing when you make a joke is normal, and can be a sign of friendship, not a crush. But if she can't stop smiling around you and doesn't smile like that around her other friends, or if she laughs a lot at even your most boring jokes, then it's possible she likes you. If you're not sure, watch how she acts with her friends, and compare how she acts with them to how she acts with you.