My guy friend always compliments me with "you look great!” and never says beautiful or pretty?

[Anonymous]

He always uses the word - great, when we see each other complimenting my outfit or he asks me to send a photo after my haircut. He has never called me beautiful or pretty excepts for one time when he was referring to my eyes. I wish he’d used words other than great, but am I thinking too much?

[Anonymous]

Exhibit 386 on why men and women shouldn't be close friends. Women have been mentally conditioned to think everything a man does is wrong in some way, or just simply not enough. That's why my close friends are all men. You can literally roast your dudes to tell them something useful, and they'll appreciate it. Compliment a female friend, and she'll start either wondering if you're trying to bang her, or criticise you for what you didn't say or notice. Let them shower each other with bullshit.

[Effably]

I could tell a random girl I run into that she looks great. It'll be received as a nice compliment most times and we're both happy.

If I tell that same random girl that she is pretty/beautiful, while I could make it innocent, it can also be very flirty.

I'd assume your friend is managing the friendzone expectations. Whether because they firmly believe in it or do not want to make you feel weird, who knows. But that's my best bet.

[designer1]

I mean he’s your friend. He probably just doesn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable or get the wrong impression.

[serious]

Well as a friend he is being careful with his choice of words. Maybe he thinks you are beautiful but a guy friend calling his female friend beautiful is not something that is common. He thinks you might not like it or misunderstand him and hence he is being cautious about his choice of words.

[AMS700CX4u2]

People tend to speak in word groups that they have used for years and have found to not be perceived as offensive. We tend to use connotations that are in vogue. Great and awesome are currently in used to express good things. The greatest compliment would be followed by a physical action. Like kissing the nape of your neck or back of your hand.

[SnowedIn]

Unless he's your boyfriend, this makes sense to me. "Beautiful" and "pretty" are words leaning towards "I like you" which I suspect he's trying to avoid.

[Jdjfjcjj]

Do you personally in any way find him sexually appealing? If not that he offering more validation that is necessary to begin with

[Nivinxus]

He's being platonic and if you view him that way too, it shouldn't be a bother.

[magiusX26]

youbare looking for hidden meanings where none exist.

[In_Trance]

If it's truly just a friend, what does it matter?
But it's not


This is why men and women can't be friends

[itsalyssaagain]

I would ask him because that’s odd

[itsalyssaagain]

Oh sorry I read that wrong - I thought you meant boyfriend! Yes saying pretty or beautiful is flirty so that’s probably why

[NostalgiaSenpi]

Means nothing.

[ThomasDavid1989]

Does it matter?

[KrakenAttackin]

Stop whining.