If a guy recently called you sweetheart then you’re probably wondering why and what it might mean.

This post will help you understand why he might have called you sweetheart and help you understand why other guys might call you sweetheart in the future.

So, what does it mean when a guy calls you sweetheart? A guy calling you sweetheart could mean that he likes you if he only says it to you and if he shows other signs of being attracted to you. He might also say it naturally, say it to make you feel better or he might be being condescending.

Since there are a number of reasons why a guy will call you sweetheart it is important to consider the body language that he shows around you and the context of how he calls you sweetheart.

By doing so you’ll be able to get a better understanding of why he would call you sweetheart.

Reasons why a guy will call you sweetheart

Each of the different reasons why a guy will call you sweetheart will likely come with a number of clues in his body language.

Below, I will mention a number of reasons why a guy might call you sweetheart and the body language signs that you can expect to see with them.

He likes you

If he only calls you sweetheart and he changes his body language in a positive way around you then it would be likely that he is attracted to you.

If he is attracted to you then it would be likely that he would give a number of other clues in his body language which could include things such as:

  • Mirroring your own body language
  • Sitting up straight when he first sees you
  • Holding eye contact with you for longer than normal
  • Finding excuses to touch you
  • His pupils dilate when he is with you
  • Asking your friends about you
  • Asking you most of the questions when you’re in a group together
  • Standing close to you when talking to you
  • Adjusting his hair or clothing when he sees you
  • Becoming agitated when you’re talking to other men
  • Getting defensive when other men are around
  • Pointing his feet at you when you’re both in the same room
  • Uncrossing his arms when he first sees you
  • Blinking more frequently
  • Looking at your lips when talking to you

He naturally says it to women

Some men will call women sweetheart normally when he is talking to them.

If he calls other women sweetheart as well then it could be why he called you sweetheart.

Even if he does call other women sweetheart he might say it to you for a different reason so you should consider the body language that he shows around you to get a better idea of why he does it.

He wants to have more than just a friendship

If he is your friend and he only says it to you then it could be the case that he wants to be more than just friends with you.

If that is why he called you sweetheart then it would be likely that he would show signs of being attracted to you in his body language but you might not have noticed them.

Since he hasn’t overtly told you that he likes you yet it would also be likely that he would show signs of being nervous around you which could include rubbing the arms, face, neck or legs, struggling to hold eye contact or talking at a higher pitch.

He was being condescending

If he said it when you were making a suggestion or he said it in a sarcastic way to you then it would be likely that he was being condescending.

It would likely be apparent that he was being condescending based on the context of how he said it and the tone that he said it with.

If he was being condescending then it would be likely that he would show signs of it in his body language which could include:

  • Smirking at you
  • Not taking your suggestions seriously
  • Having tight lips when you’re talking
  • Crossing his arms when you’re talking
  • Talking down to you

He’s in love

The reason that he called you sweetheart could be that he is in love with you.

This would be more likely if he is your boyfriend and he would probably show numerous signs of attraction when he is with you.

He wants to see your reaction

The reason that he called you sweetheart could be because he wanted to see how you would react.

He might have wanted to see how you would react because he is attracted to you but he isn’t sure if you’re attracted to him. If that is why he said it then it would be likely that he would show signs of being attracted to you in his body language.

He wants to make you feel better

If you were sad at the time then he might have said it to make you feel better.

If that is why he said it then you would probably have been talking about something that made you feel sad and you might have been showing signs of being sad.

It could still be that he did it for a different reason. If he did then he would call you sweetheart at other times as well and likely show other clues in his body language.

Consider when and where he called you sweetheart

The timing and location of when he called you sweetheart would likely be a useful thing to consider.

If he called you sweetheart when you were both alone together then it would be more likely that he said it because he is attracted to you and you should consider the body language that he was showing.

If he said it in front of other people then it would be more likely that he either called you sweetheart because he was being condescending or because he naturally says it to women. You should consider whether or not he shows positive or negative signs around you to get a better understanding.

Consider your relationship with him

The type of relationship that you have with him will also have an impact on why he would call you sweetheart.

If he called you sweetheart and he is your friend then it would be more likely that he said it to make you feel better, because he is attracted to you or because he says it naturally. You should consider whether or not he interacts with you in a different way than with other women and the context of when he said it.

If it was a guy that you don’t know very well then it would be more likely that he was being condescending and you should consider if he was showing negative body language signals. If he wasn’t then he might naturally say it to women or he might have been attracted to you.

Think about how he interacts with other people

Comparing the way that he interacts with other women with the way that he interacts with you will help you to understand why he called you sweetheart.

If he interacts with other women in the same way that he does with you and he shows the same body language around them as with you then it would be more likely that he says it normally.

Whereas, if he only calls you sweetheart and he changes his body language around you then it would be more likely that he is attracted to you.

Think about how he reacts to seeing you

Thinking about the way that he reacts to seeing you will also likely give you a better understanding of why he calls you sweetheart.

If he reacts to seeing you by raising his eyebrows and smiling, uncrossing his arms, sitting upright, his pupils dilate, he mirrors your body language and he makes space for you then it would be likely that he called you sweetheart because he likes you.

If he reacts by crossing his arms and legs, squinting, tightening his lips and facing away from you then it would be more likely that he called you sweetheart in a condescending way.

Look for multiple signs

When trying to understand what his body language is suggesting it would be helpful to look for clusters (groups) of body language.

This is because he might show a single body language signal for a number of different reasons.

Whereas, if he shows a number of body language signs that suggest the same thing then he’s probably showing them for that exact reason.

Related

What does it mean when a guy starts calling you sweetheart? It could be that he is developing feelings for you in which case he would likely show signs of attraction. Otherwise, he might just be imitating what he has noticed that other people say.

What does it mean when a guy friend calls you sweetheart? It could mean that he is attracted to you, that he is imitating what he heard other people say or that he was trying to make you feel better. It would be necessary to consider the body language that he shows around you to get a better understanding.

What does sweetheart mean in a relationship? It likely means that he is saying it because he loves you and you should expect to see multiple other signs that he loves you in his body language.

If you want to learn more about body language, a book I would recommend would be The Definitive Book of Body Language (on Amazon). It shows you how to interpret body language and understand people's true intentions.

Author

I created and currently manage Body Language Central, one of the premier sources for body language-related knowledge. Body language plays a key role in our daily lives. I hope that my website can help condense the wide amount of body language information available and allow you to make full use of it in your daily life. You can read more about me and my website here.