At times, you may find yourself in a situation where you get a romantic gesture from someone you just met or a close pal of yours, but in all honesty, you don’t have any romantic feelings towards them, and you don’t want to hurt them or give false hope. Now you are so bordered on how to tell someone you just want to be friends.
This a situation I can easily relate firsthand to, so you can find a perfect time and politely reject the romantic relationship by saying I hope we can be good friends, as you are perfect and kind, but I am sorry I don’t have any romantic feeling for you, and I can’t have any romantic relationship with you.
There are different ways to convey that you want to be friends without hurting the other person; I will share many of these ways from my experience and also give additional tips on keeping someone in a friendzone.
How To Tell Someone You Just Want To Be Friends Without Hurting Them Emotionally In 12 Ways
1. “I really value our platonic friendship and want to ensure we maintain just that closeness.”
Begin with a positive statement acknowledging the connection you share, emphasizing the value of the friendship. Expressing the importance of the existing friendship and emphasizing the desire to keep the relationship close without introducing romantic feelings.
2. “I’ve enjoyed getting to know you, and I think it’s important for us to stay friends.”
Acknowledging the positive experiences of getting to know the person and emphasizing the preference for a platonic friendship is another polite way of telling someone you want to be friends.
3. “I appreciate our connection as friends, and I hope we can continue that without any pressure.”
With this statement, you recognize the value of friendship while expressing a desire to maintain it without the added pressure of romantic involvement.
4. “I appreciate your honesty and openness, and I want to be transparent with you about my feelings. I see our relationship more as just friends.”
Acknowledge their honesty while gently expressing your own feelings and setting clear expectations for the relationship. This way focuses on expressing gratitude for the friendship and emphasizing the intention to maintain it without any romantic changes.
5. “Our friendship means a lot to me, and I hope we can keep it strong without any romantic expectations.”
Highlighting the significance of friendship and expressing a desire to preserve its strength without introducing romantic expectations is also a great way to achieve only friendship relationships.
6. “You’re an amazing person, and I’ve enjoyed our time together. I believe our connection is best suited for a strong friendship.”
If you need to tell someone who has helped you selflessly, you can compliment them and express your belief that the relationship is better suited for a platonic connection.
7. “I value the time we spend together, and I’d like to keep our relationship as friends.”
This statement shows you recognize the importance of the time spent together and prefer maintaining the relationship as friends rather than a romantic partner. It also emphasizes the significance of the friendship and redirects the focus toward maintaining that connection.
8. “I’ve had a great time hanging out with you. I value our friendship a lot and want to continue that dynamic.”
This way, you have highlighted the positive experiences you’ve shared and expressed a desire to maintain the friendship.
9. “I’ve enjoyed our connection as friends, and I think it’s best for both of us to maintain that, as I have no romantic feelings for you.”
An excellent way to keep your relationship as just friends is to acknowledge the enjoyment derived from the friendship and suggest that it’s in the best interest of both of you to maintain a platonic relationship.
10. “Our friendship means a lot to me, and I hope we can continue to support each other without any romantic expectations.”
Expressing the significance of the friendship and expressing a desire to continue offering mutual support without introducing romantic elements.
11. “I’ve realized that I see us as better suited for a strong friendship. I hope you understand and value our friendship as much as I do.”
Using this method shows you clearly state your perspective on the nature of the relationship and express the hope for mutual understanding.
12. “I’ve appreciated our time together, and I genuinely see us as great friends. I hope you feel the same way so we can continue to be great friends”.
Acknowledging the positive experiences shared and expressing a hope to continue the relationship as great friends through this statement is also a great way.
Tips To Ensure You Keep Someone As Just Friend
1. Be honest, transparent, firm, and direct
Choose a private and comfortable setting to express your feelings honestly. Let them know you value their friendship but don’t see a romantic connection. While kindness is essential, clarity is equally important. Be firm in your decision so there’s no confusion about your intentions.
2. Choose the right time
Timing matters. Find a suitable time to have the conversation, ensuring that both of you have the opportunity to talk without distractions.
3. Use “I” statements and don’t give any hope
Frame your message using “I” statements to avoid making it sound like a judgment about them. Don’t use words that give a wrong idea; if that person tries to flirt with you, don’t use harsh words. For example, say, “I feel we have a great connection as friends.”
4. Don’t overreact
Do not say to that person; you are like my brother. When I see you, I think my brother is before me. Please do not talk about the person who has a crush on you; there are many other ways by which you can tell them that you are not interested.
5. Highlight their positive qualities
Emphasize the qualities you appreciate about them. Acknowledge their kindness, humor, or any other positive traits you value in a friend.
6. Express gratitude
Show gratitude for their interest and tell them you are honored by their feelings. This helps soften the message.
7. Meet with him in a group
If you want to spend time with the person, don’t go alone with them. Plan a picnic with some friends and also invite the person to that picnic.
In this way, that person will not get any wrong idea in their mind. And if that person wants to make a plan and invites you to go out to have fun, ensure that the person has invited your other friends.
8. Keep the door open for friendship
Make it clear that you still value the friendship and hope it can continue without any awkwardness.
9. Use non-verbal cues
Sometimes, body language can convey a lot. Be mindful of your tone, facial expressions, and body language to ensure they align with your verbal message.
Should You Tell Someone You Just Want To Be Friends Over Text?
While delivering sensitive messages in person is often preferred, there are situations where you have no option but to say your thoughts over text, especially if you’re dealing with an acquaintance or someone you haven’t known for long.
Here are examples of how you can express the desire to be friends through text:
- “Hey , I’ve enjoyed our time together and value our friendship. I want to ensure we’re on the same page and see ourselves as great friends moving forward. Hope that works for you too!”
- “Hi , wanted to talk about us. I think we vibe well, and we have a strong friendship. That’s where I’m at. How do you feel about it?”
- “Good day, friends; I’ve been thinking, and I want to make sure we’re both on the same page. I see us as just friends, and I hope you’re cool with that.”
The tone and content of the message should align with your genuine feelings and the nature of your relationship with the person. If possible, follow up with an in-person or phone conversation to allow for more communication and to address any questions or concerns they may have.
In Nutshell
To tell someone you just want to be friends without being rude, you need to be honest about your feelings and come out openly about them. There are several ways to navigate this situation, which have been discussed at length in the post.
Therefore, choose anyone that works for you and ensure the time and environment are right for the discussion. Also, ensure you are firm and clear and don’t give any false hope.
