Signs That Someone Wants to Be Your Friend

How to Tell When a Person Wants to Become Friends With You

Men talking at sidewalk cafe
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When you're trying to establish a new friendship, it can be difficult to figure out if someone you know in passing is interested in getting to know you better. How do you know if an acquaintance of yours would like to be your friend? Here are some signs.

They Ask Questions About You

If you've met an acquaintance or two you've probably made small talk in the beginning as you get to know one another. If someone is interested in being a friend, however, small talk transforms quickly into "big talk," or more questions about your life and interests.

In many cases, someone may skip small talk after the first few times you meet, opting instead to dive into questions about your hobbies, likes, and availability. People that do this usually are interested in knowing you further and becoming friends.

Invite You to Do Things

If a new person asks you along to an event or activity, they're usually doing it because they genuinely enjoy hanging out with you and want to establish a friendship.

They might invite you to do something one-on-one or with an already established group of friends depending on their own personality and how much time they have for a new friendship.

Stick Up for You

Have you ever been in a new group when someone picks on you (lightheartedly or not) and suddenly another person says "knock it off" or comes to your aid in some way? That person probably has some genuine friendly affection for you and doesn't want to see you get hurt.

A friend who is willing to stick up for you is nice to have, and when they do it early on it's a sign they know a lot about being a good friend.

Check In On You to See How You're Doing

People who send you an email just to see how you're doing or write on your Facebook wall are showing an interest in your life and emotions. They don't do it just because. After all, we all know how busy everyone is today, so much so that it's sometimes hard to keep friendships going. So if a new acquaintance has taken the time to reach out, it's a good sign it's because they want to be friends.

It can sometimes be frustrating when you're the one doing all the communicating in a new friendship, so if your acquaintance is reaching out frequently, be sure to return the favor.

They Introduce You As "My Friend"

The word "friend" gets used pretty loosely these days, with complete strangers and even customers being called friend on things like Facebook and Twitter. But if someone you've just met introduces you this way, it means at the very least they feel closer to you in some way and would like to be better friends at some point in the future.

This is especially true if you've seen this person out many places over time and yet you haven't become friends yet. Remember that friendships each have their pace and timing. One friendship may start off quickly while another might take years.

These signs should help you determine if someone is just an acquaintance who has some interest in you but not enough to form a friendship, or if that person would really like to be your pal when the time is right. Be open to people who show these traits.