Why do guys want to stay friends with a girl if they don't want to date her?

[Anonymous]

From personal experience, this usually happens when a guy and girl have some sort of history, whether it be verging on romantic or it stayed platonic--but it was in a gray, not-ever-defined way. As long as there were no extremely hard feeling and everyone was mature about it, I suppose it's possible but let's get specific. If the guy is dating someone else, new girlfriend or went back to an ex, why does he still want to be friends with the girl he rejected? Does he just want to keep the other girl as an option? Are there any feelings involved at all? WHAT DOES IT MEAN
Can you just be friends if there were "feels" involved? Is this a compliment or nah...

[Welloffselloff]

If you're asking because you feel like you're the only one who has feelings like this, you're wrong. Everyone finds these things difficult and maybe he is just trying to be nice. He may want to keep you as an option. He may really find you to be a good person and someone to keep in his life because you make it better. There are ten thousand reasons this can happen and all you can do is be a friend and if you feel like the situation has become an issue, then tell him and move on. Don't worry about problems that haven't happened yet and just enjoy the people you are around while you have them

[Peskyn3gr0]

Well, there's no one universal meaning, it all depends on the situation and the personalities of the people involved. I'm trying to stay friends with a girl I broke up with recently because I like hanging out with her, I just couldn't become attracted to her.

[Anonymous]

Because they usually expect her to change her mind, which is totally stupid in my opinion.

[j8k322597]

there are feelings. Just not romantic ones. the guy might care for the girl, but as a close friend. Even though he has a girlfriend doesn't mean he would stop wanting to be your friend. And if thats the case the guy really, truly thinks of you as a friend. Two of my best friends are girls, we hang out all the time. And i would never cut them off just because i get a girlfriend. they are to close for me to do that.

[madhatters4]

maybe he just wants to be friends with her because he likes the person she is and having friends is never a bad thing

[Mesonfielde]

Because being friends with cool people is great ofc

[ThisDudeHere]

Perhaps they think that there is a chance that she'll at least sleep with him.

[AlwaysBelieving]

For me it's possible. Made it clear is the only way to go either way. I really wish there was a "place" between "hang out" (usually not romantic interest) and "date" to find out certain things.