You might be feeling things you’ve never felt before. So, you’re wondering ‘how do you know you love someone?’ Trust your gut and go with your heart.
Love is one of the most glorious feelings a human can experience. It can also be a terrifying, confusing, frustrating, and vulnerable feeling. One of the main questions that arises at the start is, ‘how do you know you love someone?’
Love is overwhelming, so how can you tell whether it’s lust or infatuation? After all, there might have been many times in your life where you thought that you were in love, only to find that it was nothing more than a crush.
Figuring out how to know if you love someone doesn’t just hit you. It won’t just turn on one day. Even if you’ve been in love before, it is different every time. [Read: Infatuation symptoms you can’t miss – 15 signs you’re sick in love]
Do you think you love someone?
Our guess is that you didn’t come searching for this article because you’re bored. You are probably questioning this now. Maybe you started seeing someone and your feelings are growing.
Whatever it is, if you think you love someone, there is a pretty good chance it’s true. And if it’s not, you may be on your way to love.
When you are falling in love, it is a wondrous feeling. It is full of joy and excitement and probably a little fear. That could be where you are right now. You are feeling something new and intense but aren’t quite sure if it’s love.
Of course, you don’t want to tell someone you love them if you aren’t sure that’s how you’re actually feeling. [Read: How to tell if you love someone – will you actually just know?]
How to know you love someone – The common signs
If you are wondering if it’s love this time, there is no magic calculation to it. There are, however, signs that it is more than a fleeting crush.
1. When someone asks if you’re seeing someone, you say ‘yes’
Even in the best relationships, there may be a part of you that wants to keep your options open. If you are saying it loud and proud, that means that you don’t want anyone else, no matter what they have to offer. [Read: 19 sure signs of falling in love to watch out for]
2. You never get sick of having them around
You can look past those little things that irritate you. Those day-to-day annoyances are still going to get you, but you know that the good outweighs the bad.
3. You don’t mind when they try your food
Ever had someone you are on the fence about reach over to try your food? That is grounds for a break up if you aren’t in love!
4. You want to do things for them
If you find yourself wanting to do little things that you hate to make them feel good, then you have most likely been shot by cupid. [Read: 25 really romantic ideas to make your lover melt]
5. You find yourself thinking about their happiness
You want to make the other person in your life happy. That means going out of your way, or doing little things just to see them smile.
6. You put their wants ahead of your own
Loving someone means that sometimes you have to let your own needs and wants take a back seat. In love, there is no such thing as a one-way street.
7. You want them to meet your family
Your family never stops asking you about the person you brought home last time—that is why you don’t bring anyone anymore. If you are willing to introduce them into your family dynamics, then it must be true love.
8. You choose them over a night out with friends
If you want your spare time to be allocated to being with that special person, instead of some random drinking night, then you are most likely in love. [Read: Friend to lover – are you falling for a friend?]
9. The honeymoon phase has passed, but you still get butterflies
If, even when the honeymoon phase has worn off, they still give you butterflies, then you are in love. That is the best kind of love – the one that continues to rekindle itself over and over.
10. You think about what type of parent they would be
When you start to evaluate how well your mate would be at parenting, you are most likely thinking that you would like to give a partnership with them a try—kids, house, and the white picket fence.
11. You don’t mind staying the next day
When you are in it for the sex only, you don’t want them to hang out the next day and chit-chat. If you find that you kind of like laying around the morning after, love is in the air. [Read: The 10 rules of spending the first night together]
12. You can’t think about sex with anyone else
If you see a hottie, and you don’t dream of getting naked with them, then you are falling in love with the person you’re with.
13. You have dreams you cheat on them and wake up in a cold sweat
When you have dreams or fantasies about other people, you feel guilty about it. This means that you feel committed to another person and know that sex with someone else isn’t worth losing what you have.
14. You tell them your fears
Telling someone your fears makes you vulnerable. You only tell the people you trust the things that scare you the most. If you are confiding those types of tidbits to someone, you know they have your best interests at heart.
15. When something happens, you want to pick up the phone to call them
They are the first person that pops into your head in good times and bad. [Read: 14 signs your guy means it when he says, “I love you.”]
16. When talking about them, you use the phrase ‘we’
If you have naturally made them into “we,” then it is true love.
17. You would consider moving for them
If being with them takes priority over where you reside, then they are the most important part of your world.
18. You don’t mind when they smell
If you don’t mind when they kiss you with bad breath, hug you after working out, or miss a shower every once in a while, then you accept them completely. [Read: What are you feeling? Is it love or lust?]
19. When they engage in risky behavior, you get angry with them
When you find out they drove drunk, or walked home drunk by themselves, you are angry that they jeopardized themselves. That is because you don’t ever want to be without them.
20. You make major purchases with them
If you are okay adding them to your credit card, or going in on a major purchase like a car or house, that means that you want to build a life together.
21. You pick out a pet together
Pet ownership is the beginning of starting a life together. If you are willing to share the responsibility of another living creature, then you are in love.
22. You’re not a jealous person, but when it comes to them, you get jealous
If you find that you are jealous when someone hits on them, and you aren’t usually a jealous person, they may be the first person you feel is worth holding onto. [Read: How to deal with jealousy in a relationship]
23. You would do just about anything for them
At two in the morning, when they need a ride, you are up and out the door. That is love.
24. They get on your nerves, and you’re okay with it
They irritate you beyond belief, but that is part of their endearing charm.
25. You change your Facebook relationship status
If you’re willing to tell the world, then you know that you’re in a relationship that is going somewhere. You don’t want anyone else. [Read: 14 dos and don’ts of adding your date on Facebook]
26. You give them a key
If you are trusting enough to let them come and go as they please, you are in love with them.
27. Even a dealbreaker can’t break the deal
There are always things you find out in a relationship that are dealbreakers. If they do that one thing you can’t stand, and you can look past it, that is unconditional love.
28. You can sit together and say nothing at all
If you are comfortable enough to sit next to someone and not have to say a word, then you are meant to be together forever.
29. You know how they feel before they have said a word
If you know what they are going to say before they say it, you are in sync. When someone becomes an extension of you, it is love. [Read: What is a good relationship? The signs]
30. You want to spend holidays with them
Holidays are a difficult time, full of stress. If you are bringing them to Grandma’s, then carting them to your parents’, you are ready to commit. How do you know you love someone? That’s when!
31. You don’t make decisions without asking their opinion
If you care enough about what they think to check with them before you make major life decisions, then they are important to your future and you have already worked them into your plans.
32. They feel like an old pair of jeans
If being around them is like wearing an old pair of jeans, then it is love. There aren’t many people in this world that we can be ourselves around completely and fully. When you find someone you can, hang on to them. [Read: 14 signs you’re getting too comfortable with each other]
33. You find yourself talking in sync
If you talk in unison, you are meant for each other.
34. You are offended if someone says something negative about them
You will defend the people you love to the death. If you get offended when you hear someone talk about them, you are in love.
35. You feel settled in a way you haven’t felt before
If it feels like home when you are with them, you are in love.
36. You aren’t afraid to commit
If, for the first time, the thought of sleeping with the same person for the rest of your life doesn’t scare the life out of you, you have been bitten by the love bug. [Read: 13 hard challenges of being in a committed relationship]
37. You aren’t worried about them seeing you naked
If you know that they will love you in your imperfections, then you not only love them… you know it is mutual.
38. Those love handles don’t bother you
If they are balding, gaining a couple of pounds, or starting to age, and it doesn’t change the way you feel about them, you love them.
39. You see their crazy and you stay anyway
Everyone has a crazy they keep in the closet. If you have seen it and aren’t running, you are in love. [Read: 29 things women do that will make you think they’re crazy]
40. You just want to be around them
If you don’t care whether you are at a basketball game or shopping, then you love being with them no matter where you are.
41. The bed feels empty when they aren’t around
The person you love makes your life and your bed complete.
42. You fear losing them
If you are worried that you are going to lose them, then you have something to lose. [Read: 9 ways to overcome the fear of losing someone you love]
43. They drive you absolutely crazy
If they have this ability to make you crazy, you care a lot about them.
44. When you think about your future, you can’t imagine them not being in it
If every plan for your future includes them, you intend to love them forever.
45. When people ask when you’re getting married, you don’t get nervous and avoid the question, you consider it
If you aren’t brushing away people pushing you to marry, then you are in love.
46. There isn’t anything they can say to scare you away
If you don’t get freaked out when they tell you they love you, or talk about kids, you’re smitten. [Read: How to stay in love forever with your lover]
47. You can talk about things that elicit anger and work through it
If you want to kill them and make love to them at the same time, you’re in love.
48. They don’t complicate your life, they complement it
If you don’t have to work them into your life, but you are happy to do so, you are in love.
49. You dream about a future together
If happily ever after wouldn’t be happy without them there, you are head over heels. [Read: 12 real signs of true love in a relationship]
50. You feel happy and can’t explain why
Do you find yourself kissing pillows, jumping up and down in excitement and joy for no apparent reason and giving your lover funny little pet names? You may just be in love. [Read: Cute pet names]
51. You get sexually attracted – a lot!
In a study conducted on several young couples madly in love, it was seen that the levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter found mostly in the intestinal tract, dropped dangerously low.
But on the other hand, it was noticed that low serotonin levels in young couples increased the desire to have sex. [Read: Public display of affection]
52. You get depressed easily
Do you get upset easily if the person you like upsets you in any manner? Well, you may be in love. While the drop in the serotonin level makes you more horny, it also makes you depressed and anxious! [Read: Little things in love]
53. The mention of their name makes you excited
You may be minding your own business and hear their name—even if it’s not them someone’s talking about—and you can’t help but get excited. If that sounds like you, then chances are you’re with someone you’re in love with.
54. You’re addicted to them
When you fall in love, your brain actually becomes addicted to the person that causes you to feel that way. If you feel like you hit a low whenever you leave their presence and a high when they’re around, you’re addicted and in love. [Read: 23 facts about love that will definitely blow your mind]
55. Their presence s calming and thrilling at the same time
This is such a hard feeling to describe if you’ve never felt it before. If you can be around someone and feel completely calm, but at the same time like you’re on the best thrill ride of your life, then you’re truly in love with them.
56. You feel their accomplishments as your own
When you start feeling as though someone else’s accomplishments are your own, you’re in love with them.
57. You’d rather be doing nothing with them than something amazing without them
When you would rather skip every other plan you’ve made just to sit and do nothing with someone, then you’re in love.
58. You learn new things about life through them
If someone teaches you important life lessons through just being with them, and you’re willing to listen to those lessons and implement them in your life, you’re in love with them. [Read: 7 reasons why empathy is important in a relationship]
59. You learn new things about yourself through them
When you’re in love with someone, you start to notice that they’re teaching you things about your own feelings and the way you operate.
60. They make you feel complete, but not dependent
If you happen to find someone that makes you feel complete, but you don’t depend on them solely for that purpose, then you may be in love with them. [Read: You-complete-me relationships and why you need your space]
61. You get along really well with them
Some people are with someone they like and find attractive, but they don’t actually get along well and enjoy each other’s company for long periods of time. If you can be with them for hours on end and not fight seriously, then you could be in love. [Read: 10 signs you’re dating your best friend and don’t know it]
62. They make you want to be a better person
If the person you’re with makes you want to work harder to be a kinder, healthier, and all around better person without actually telling you anything, you are 100% in love with them. [Read: Real soulmates:20 signs you’ve met the love of your life]
63. The antics of your ex don’t bother you anymore
It’s normal to feel upset or angry when you look back on past relationships and the things your ex might have done to hurt you. But when you’re in love, those things don’t bother you as much. [Read: The 9 stages of love all couples have to go through]
64. Sex is great, but you love the cuddles more
At the beginning, it’s all about ripping each other’s clothes off and loving every second you spend between the sheets. However, how to know if you’re in love can be figured out by how you feel about the cuddles versus the sex. [Read: How to cuddle with all the best cuddle positions you should know]
65. They’re the ones who just make you feel better
A cuddle from your beau eases your upset and makes you feel calmer. They have a habit of just knowing what to say to you to ease your worries or concerns, and it feels like home.
66. The worry stage has eased
When wondering ‘how do you know you love someone,’ it’s about how you feel. While it’s normal to have the odd moment of ‘what must they think of me’, the initial panic stages of what to wear and why they’ve not texted you back immediately have eased.
67. You want to make them feel better
If your partner is having a bad day, feeling under the weather, or just not on top of their game, you want to make them feel better. [Read: 8 little habits that bring couples closer together]
68. Making them smile becomes your hobby of choice
Making them smile makes you smile and it makes you feel good to know that you did that for them. You don’t mind acting silly or telling jokes to make them grin.
69. You’re not always second guessing them when they tell you where they’ve been
If you’re in love, you trust your partner. It’s not possible to have a healthy relationship without trust. So, assuming your relationship is healthy, when they tell you where they’ve been, you believe them and you don’t question it. [Read: The sure signs of falling in love everyone should know]
70. You don’t mind compromising or sacrificing things for them
While you shouldn’t go around making sacrifices just for the sake of it, especially if you’re always putting yourself second, you know you’re in love if you don’t mind doing so, at the right time.
71. Arguments don’t make you automatically worry that it’s over
When you’re in the early stages of dating and you have an argument, it’s normal to worry that everything is over. When you fall in love, you know that you’re going to have arguments occasionally. You also know that it’s not the end of the line. [Read: 14 steps that’ll lead you to better love and better communication]
72. You have a general feeling of contentment
Being in love feels calm and safe. You feel like everything has fallen into place. Sure, it won’t always be perfect, because nothing is, but you don’t feel always on edge or worried.
73. You see things they would like and want to treat them
If you’re out and about and you see something you know they’d love, you’ll probably want to surprise them with it, and you’ll feel excited to do so.
74. Being yourself is easy
There’s no need to force anything, and you don’t feel the need to try and be someone you’re not. You feel accepted for who you are, and you accept your partner for who they are too.
75. Their sadness becomes your sadness
If they’re feeling down about something, their sadness becomes yours and you really feel their hurt. That means you’ll want to help them as much as you can and support them. [Read: All the many reasons why empathy is so important in a relationship]
76. You miss them after the tiniest amount of time apart
When you first fall in love, just a day apart can be agonizing. You just want to be together all the time.
77. Things you’d usually find tedious or annoying are fun to do with them
For some reason, it doesn’t matter if you do the most mundane activity in the world, when you are doing it with them it’s electrifying.
78. You share secrets
When you fall in love you tend to become closer to that person over anyone else. You share stuff with them that’s private.
79. They’ve seen you cry
Being vulnerable is important. If they saw you cry and comforted you, this plays a big part in helping you feel it’s okay to be vulnerable around them. [Read: When a woman is crying – The gentleman’s do’s and don’ts]
80. You’ve been at your weirdest/ugliest/meanest self
They need to see all sides of you, and you are happy to show them.
81. You want to show them off to everyone you know
You are dying for them to meet your friends, family, work colleagues—whoever. Basically, you just want the whole world to know you are together.
82. You re-read their messages
Do you keep reading over the texts they’ve sent you? This is a sign you could be in love. [Read: 300+ most romantic text messages for her that will make her melt]
83. You keep looking at their photos
When you’re apart, you keep checking out their photos, particularly ones of you two together.
84. You want to know everything about them
It’s a feeling of wanting to know them inside out—the good, the bad, and the ugly. You want to be ‘their person’ and know that they are yours. [Read: How to give space in a relationship and come closer]
85. You lose track of time when you’re together
Hours seem to fly by when you are with them because you love the time you spend together so much. How do you know you love someone? When time is no issue and seems to rush by.
86. You remember all the little things they like
Love is all about the details. You have no trouble remembering the things they like or knowing exactly how to cheer them up and make them smile.
87. You want the best for them, and vice versa
Whatever happens, you feel as though you only want the best for them. Also, you know they’ll be your biggest cheerleader, no matter what. [Read: 12 real signs of true love in a relationship]
88. Your partner is perfection in your eyes
In your eyes, your partner is perfect and can do no wrong. This is because you tend to focus on their positive qualities—even magnify them—treating them as precious artifacts that you put in your altar of love.
89. There are reminders of them everywhere
You hear a song on your morning commute, and it brings that silly smile to your face once again. It reminds you of the apple of your eye. Every line in the lyric feels like it’s written solely for your budding story, and suddenly, you feel like everything’s right in the world again.
90. You don’t mind a little change for them
While people generally aren’t so open to change, it’s no problem for you when it’s in the name of love.
91. You pick up some of their interests
When you are in love with someone, you also can’t help but absorb many of their traits. This includes picking up their interests—and you have no qualms about it. [Read: 8 uncanny little things couples in love start doing alike]
92. You try hard to get along with their friends and family
You find yourself trying hard to please not only them, but their friends and family, too. Even if there’s a slight dislike there, you don’t let it show.
93. You want to do random acts of kindness
Being around your beloved makes you feel good, and therefore makes you do good, too. It’s likely you smile a lot, you greet the people you pass by on the street, and you feel like giving everyone flowers. [Read: 10 cheerful ways to be the fun partner in the relationship]
94. In a crowd, your attention is only on them
Even if you’re in a crowded place and your beloved is in the middle of all these attractive people, you barely notice them, as your eyes are fixated on one person alone.
95. Intensified attraction
You can thank your dopamine for this! It’s the culprit in making you feel this way. This is due to the delayed reward, thus, dopamine production increases during this time. [Read: 10 absolutely dreamy signs of love at first sight]
96. You feel empathetic
When you’re in love, feelings of empathy heighten, specifically towards the person you’re in love with. You feel their pain as if it was your own, and you would sacrifice many things to make them happy.
97. You have trouble controlling your words sometimes
You may be very quiet and shy. Others simply stand in stunned, awkward silence, not knowing what to say. Then there’re those who simply don’t know when to stop talking. [Read: Does true love exist? 10 signs that might make you a believer]
98. You went from caring to really caring, without realizing it
Remember back when you first met and they told you things about themselves you didn’t think much of at the time? Well, if you find yourself actually caring about those things now, and they bother you.
99. You start caring a lot more about how you look
This is just something that happens as if by magic. You could already take pride in your appearance, but when you fall in love, it’s worse. [Read: Loving someone you can’t have – 15 ways to handle the pain]
100. It’s easier to open up to them than it is anyone else
This person makes you feel safe and capable of opening up about things you may not share about with someone else. Whether it’s your insecurities, doubts, or life history, they’ll know.
101. You want to tell them you love them
Once you love someone, it is more certain. You are probably dying to tell this person that you love them. You aren’t questioning telling them, only when to tell them. [Read: When to say “I love you” for the first time in a new relationship]
102. Your friends and family see it
This is a big one. If you have close friends and family, they will pick up on the fact that you love someone.
103. You know
How do you know you love someone? You just know. Sometimes it’s as simple as that. [Read: 20 downright strange but true phobias about love]
Love can be scary, but it’s the greatest experience of all
One word most people will use to describe love is ‘rollercoaster.’ You’ll be up and down yet somehow calm and controlled too. It’s a weird thing to explain, which is why so many people struggle to know if they’re in love or not.
You came to this article with the question ‘how do you know you love someone,’ so now you’ve read the signs, what’s the verdict?
Remember, as scary as love can be, it will always be the best thing you go through in your life. Whether it lasts forever or not, love is never a waste of time or effort.
[Read: Why do we fall in love? 15 reasons, some fate & a mix of science]
The question of how do you know you love someone has never been easier to evaluate. Using the 103 signs above, you can determine if they are the one for you, or just another crush.