Guys are not the simple creatures we tend to believe them to be, thus it’s not always so easy to guess what it means when a guy calls you pretty. Read on below and discover these 10 common meanings behind why he calls you pretty, and how to respond!
What Does it Mean When a Guy Calls You Pretty?
From genuinely finding you “pretty” to not having the courage to tell you that you’re stunning, or gorgeous, or simply wanting to inflate your ego (regardless of how he REALLY thinks you look), there are a lot of different reasons guys call girls pretty.
Here are some of the most significant meanings behind when a guy calls you pretty:
1. He Likes More About You Than Your Face
When a guy likes more about you than just your face, he’s more likely to feel comfortable calling you pretty rather than cute, or even sexy (unless he’s just interested in a hook-up). If he likes more than your face, he’s calling your whole body attractive. In many cases, guys are even addressing your personality when they call you pretty.
2. He Finds You Very Attractive Sexually
When a guy finds you VERY attractive and likes more than your face, he may call you pretty rather than tipping his hand and calling you sexy, or beautiful. In most cases, he’d rather call you something less revealing, like pretty, but with a bit more substance than “cute” or “hot”. He wants you to know that he finds you attractive… just not how much, yet.
3. He Wants to Compliment You Anyway Possible
Calling a girl “pretty” is the oldest compliment in the book. Sometimes, that’s exactly what’s going on when a guy calls you pretty. Sure, he could use sexier words or cuter ones for that matter, but pretty is classic and no girl ever felt bad knowing a guy finds her pretty. The problem with this reason for calling a girl pretty is that a lot of “players” use it as a go-to compliment.
4. He Has a Major Crush On You
When a guy has such a crush on you that he is scared to either reveal himself or to be denied by you, he may keep his truest feelings about you to himself. That means that he’ll more than likely call you pretty before something more bold or intimate. He’ll also likely stray away from cute things to call you as well, fearing that you’ll pick up on his real feelings.
5. He Appreciates You For Who You Are
Believe it or not, ladies, whether you’ve known him for 15 years, or 15 months, the reason he calls you pretty maybe because he appreciates you. Yep. You read it right here, guys do call girls pretty out of pure appreciation of their prettiness. And you know what? There aren’t prettier things in this world to appreciate than an attractive woman.
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6. He is Complimenting Your Clothes
When you get a “pretty” instead of a “stunning” or “beautiful” don’t let it crush your heart and soul; there’s a great chance that he’s really just complimenting your clothes. Later on, once those come off, don’t be surprised when he starts dropping G-bombs, B-bombs, and all those other lovely compliments all women love and adore to receive.
7. It’s Part of His Culture To Say What He Thinks
In some places, it’s just part of the culture to tell a girl that she’s pretty if you think so. In some places, it’s the opposite. That’s why you have to take into account where you are, and who you’re dealing with, as well as where both of you are from. In other words, he might just be acting polite, or even trying to lift your spirits, not actually flirting with you.
8. He Wants to Get to Know You Badly
Sometimes guys pick the strangest ways to try and get to know women, for example calling them pretty and complimenting their clothing. Some guys are actually hoping the woman is vain enough to open up after receiving such a compliment. Others use the P-bomb only after a careful campaign of flirtatious compliments.
9. He is Speaking to You in a Condescending Way
There are plenty of jerks out there who reserve the P-word for girls they find the least thing remotely close to attractive. In other words, these A-hats are simply condescending doosh-wads that deserve a swift kick in the prick. Other times even “good guys”, simply having a bad day, may call you pretty in a condescending way.
10. He is Measuring Your Reaction to His Flirtiness
On some occasions, guys call you pretty simply to measure your reaction to what they are saying. This could be done for several reasons; they may secretly want to date you or sleep with you, or perhaps they even suspect that you already know they like you and want to see if you like them on the same level.
How to Respond When a Guy Calls You Pretty
Before you can properly respond to a guy, you have to know what it really means when a guy calls you pretty. And now that you do, let’s have a look at a few tips for how to respond to it!
In-person
Whether or not you like it when he calls you pretty in person makes a world of difference. There are ways to let him know that it’s acceptable, as well as methods for letting him know it’s unwanted. Below, we look at several pointers for what to do if you like it as well as if his advances are unwanted:
If You Like It
- Smile at him and don’t look away
- Look him directly in the eyes
- Wink at him and say something clever
- Tell him that he’s cute too
- Grab his hand or make a move
- Ask him what is pretty about you
If It’s Unwanted
- Don’t bother replying to him
- Walk away from him immediately
- Ignore the comment altogether
- Tell him his comments are unwanted
- Let him know that you feel uncomfortable
In-text/online
Being called pretty in-text or online, in general, is much easier to respond to. There is less pressure because you can take your time and think about your reply. Read on for tips on what to do if you like it, or you don’t:
If You Like It
- Send him a smile emoji so he knows you liked what he said
- Wink emojis are also a good way to let him know the compliment is appreciated
- Telling him he’s cuter than you are is a great way to flirt back
- Sending him a flirty text or risky picture is another excellent way of responding
If It’s Unwanted
- Block him immediately if it is offensive
- Ignore the comment if it is unwanted
- Tell him that you don’t appreciate the compliment
- Explain to him that you are in a relationship
Common Questions
Why Would He Tell You That You’re Cute (Instead of Pretty)?
When a guy calls you cute instead of telling you that you’re pretty, he may not find you as attractive as he does other girls, or he could be just teasing you about your girlish looks. That said, cute is generally a term guys reserve for the girls they don’t find as sexually attractive as others. Plain and simple, if he calls you cute, you might just not be his type!
What If a Guy Calls You Pretty Often?
It doesn’t take much of an imagination to figure out that if he calls you pretty quite often, he’s quite interested in you (and more than likely more than interested in getting IN you). However, it is perfectly gentlemanly to let a girl know that she’s pretty as often as un-pervertedly possible.
Is It Better to be Called Pretty or Beautiful?
It isn’t “better” to be called pretty or beautiful, necessarily. Depending on the girl, and the situation, which term is more appropriate varies as well. That said, generally speaking, girls prefer being called pretty, while women prefer guys to call them beautiful.
What’s the Difference Between Pretty and Beautiful?
Pretty is what most guys call/think about girls/women who look good. You don’t have to be a supermodel to be pretty in a guy’s eyes. Beautiful, on the other hand, is bordering on supermodel status. That said, beauty truly IS in the eye of the beholder; if he tells calls your beautiful, take his word for it.
Is Pretty Lady a Compliment?
Depending on the guy, and the situation, being called a pretty lady can be either a gentlemanly compliment or a polite letdown. For example, if a woman is hitting on a man, and he replies by calling her “pretty lady”, he may be blowing her off. Whereas, if he approaches her, at the bar, and opens up with “…hey there, pretty lady…” or something of the sort, it is definitely a compliment.
Conclusion
When a guy calls a girl pretty, he usually means it. However, as you can see, from the list above, it’s not always so black and white! That said, you can bet your bottom dollar that he likes you if he’s willing to let you know he thinks you’re pretty.
My name is Jenny and I love helping people with their relationships. I believe a few simple tips can help people massively improve their communication skills with their partners and really express themselves. Thanks for visiting!
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