If a guy recently said “hi” to you, this post will show you likely reasons why and what would make each of them more likely to be the main reason.

So, what does it mean when a guy says “hi”? The most likely reason why a guy will say “hi” is that he is being friendly or polite. It might also be a sign that he is attracted to you or that he wants your attention.

There are actually a number of possible reasons why a guy will say “hi” but there are some things you can consider to help figure out the main reason.

What does it mean when a guy says “hi”?

Below are a number of possible causes and what would make them more likely.

He is being polite

If he sees you around often and he said “hi” when you were passing each other, it could be the case that he was just being polite. This would be more likely if he did not try to start a conversation with you and if he does not seem to show many signs of attraction when he is around you.

He is attracted to you

The cause might be that he is attracted to you. This would be more likely if he said “hi” when you had never seen him before and if he tried to start a conversation with you afterward.

If he is attracted to you, it would be likely that he would show it in his body language by doing things such as:

  • Sitting or standing more upright when he notices you
  • Holding prolonged eye contact with you
  • Finding excuses to touch you
  • Staring at you then smiling or quickly looking away when you notice
  • Standing close to you when talking to you
  • Positioning himself to be near you
  • Having more dilated pupils than normal when with you
  • Getting anxious when you’re talking to other men
  • Looking at your lips when talking to you
  • Making plans based on yours
  • Mirroring your body language
  • Holding prolonged eye contact with you
  • Always aiming his feet at you when you’re in the same area

He considers you a friend

The cause could also be that he considers you as a friend and he was just being friendly. This would be more likely if you have known him for a while and if he also says “hi” to his other friends in a similar way. It would also be more likely if he interacts with his other friends in a similar way to how he interacts with you.

He wants your attention

It might also be the case that he wanted your attention. This would be more likely if he did it before asking you for something.

Things to consider

Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main reason why he did it.

The timing of when he said “hi”

It would help to consider the timing of when he said it. If he said it to you when you were both at a party, it would be more likely that he was attracted to you. Whereas, if he did it when you were both around friends, it would be more likely that he was being friendly.

The way he said “hi”

If he had never spoken to you before and he introduced himself, it would be much more likely that he was doing it because he was attracted to you. Whereas, if you have spoken to him many times before and you both hang out with the same people, it would be more likely that he was being friendly.

How he reacts when he sees you

It would also help to consider the way that he reacts when he first sees you. If you notice that he changes his body language a lot, it would be more likely that he has particularly strong feelings towards you.

If he tends to sit up straight, hold prolonged eye contact with you, point his feet at you, make adjustments to his clothing or hair, his pupils dilate and he uncrosses his arms and legs when he sees you, it would be likely that he is attracted to you.

How he interacts with other people

It would also help to compare how he interacts with other people with how he interacts with you. If he interacts with other people in a similar way to how he interacts with you, it would be more likely that he considers you a friend. Whereas, if he interacts with you differently such as by hugging you the most, it would be more likely that he is attracted to you.

Multiple body language signs

When considering what his body language could be showing, it would help to consider multiple signs at the same time. This is because a single body language sign can be unreliable by itself. Whereas, multiple signs that all suggest the same thing can be a lot more reliable.

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.