Some men say something they think is fine, only to notice they’ve enraged their girlfriends. They might think they’re helpful, but the opposite is coming across.
It can be easy to say something someone interprets as completely different, so it might be time to think before speaking. Here are some of the worst things men can say to their partners.
Here are 9 innocent phrases that always get men in trouble with women:
1. ‘She’s just a friend.’
Yeah, right. If she’s attractive and single, we see her as a threat. If she is just a friend, he needs to tell us why.
Is it because she’s not their type, she has a boyfriend, she has an annoying personality? We like to be reassured that he’s not secretly into his “friend.” It’s not uncommon to have friends of the opposite gender, with one survey finding that 54% of married men and 43% of women have a close friend of a different gender.
2. ‘I’ll call you tonight at [insert time here].’
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A guy should not give a specific time/date of when he will be calling unless he intends to keep his word. If he says he will call tonight, we expect a call. Not calling when he agreed to will set off all sorts of alarms and distrust in him.
3. ‘She’s hot.’
We like to think that, at least in their eyes, we are the hottest woman on the planet. Pointing out that someone else is attractive will not earn a guy any brownie points.
We don’t want to know if he thinks anyone else is hot — zip it!
4. ‘I love you.’
He’ll be opening Pandora’s Box if he doesn’t mean it. Women do not take this statement lightly.
A woman waits for her man to say it; when he does, she assumes the relationship is moving to the next level. If he’s not ready for that kind of commitment, he shouldn’t utter these three little words until he is.
One study found that it takes an average of 107 days for men to say, “I love you,” so it’s critical to say it at the right time.
5. ‘My ex always/never/used to…’
If his ex is still on his mind so much that he must constantly bring her up, why is he dating someone else? Relationships are complex enough without the ghost of a guy’s ex floating around. He needs to get back with her or let that relationship go completely.
6. ‘You remind me of my mother.’
Men should not compare their mothers to their girlfriends unless they’ve made it clear that they adore their mothers and think the world of them.
7. ‘Did we have plans?’
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Oh no, you didn’t! If we’ve made plans to get together, we’ve been looking forward to it all day. We’ve been thinking about what to wear and how to do our hair. A man shouldn’t rain on our parade by forgetting our plans, or there will be a steep price to pay.
8. ‘Keep in touch/call me.’
What the heck is that supposed to mean? Does he plan on never calling us again? Does he want us to call him next time?
There’s too much room for misinterpretation here. Instead, let’s stick to clear communication.
Lucia is a dating and relationship expert and the author of Lucia’s Lessons of Love. She has been featured on radio and TV Shows as an expert, including Dr. Phil, The CBS Early Show, and Good Day LA.
