Many guys get very timid when they meet a girl they really like. If they’re lucky and the girl they like hangs out with them a lot, they begin to think it is a date.

But is hanging out with a girl considered a date? Hanging out with a girl is not a date. You can hang out with them, watch movies, play video games or even go to the beach together. However, it’s not a date. What makes a date?

A date is when two people agree to go out together and have fun. It’s not just hanging out. Dating is different from hanging out because when you’re on a date, you’re planning something special for the other person. You want to make sure they have a good time and that they’ll have fun with you.

If you’re at home watching TV and your friend comes over to visit, then it’s not really considered a date because neither of you planned anything special beforehand. The same goes for hanging out with friends at school or in public places like malls or parks.

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What if a Girl Doesn’t Want a Relationship but Wants to Hangout?

If she likes you and wants to hang out with you, then she may be trying to avoid dating right now. Maybe her last relationship ended badly, or maybe she’s just burned out on dating altogether.

If she’s not interested in being in a relationship with anyone right now, that’s fine too. But if she’s interested in being friends with benefits or simply hanging out without any strings attached, then she might be sending mixed signals if she says “no” when asked if she wants to go out on a date with you but then agrees to go out for drinks after work one evening when the two of you are both available at the same time.

It could also be possible that she’s just not ready for a relationship yet because of past experiences or other factors that make it difficult for her to trust men at this point in her life. Before assuming anything, you should be sure she’s into you.

How To Distinguish Between Dating and Hanging Out

It’s important to recognize the difference between hanging out and dating. If you don’t, you might end up thinking you’re in a relationship that isn’t really a relationship. You may also get your hopes up for something that’s not going to happen or ignore someone who really likes you. Here are some ways to distinguish between dating and hanging out.

1. Who is paying?

If you’re contributing to the bill on your first date, it’s a good sign things are moving toward a relationship. They might just be nice if they’re paying for everything and making sure you feel comfortable with that arrangement.

On the flip side, if they insist on splitting everything 50/50 every time you go out together, you may want to wonder what their intentions are. Are they trying to keep things casual? Or do they just not care about money?

If neither of these scenarios is true, but it feels like someone is always fronting the cash, neither person has an excuse not to go out with each other again next weekend. Maybe this isn’t dating material after all.

READ MORE: Do Friends With Benefits Work?

2. Is it a group thing or just the two of you?

If it’s a group thing, it’s likely a date. It goes without saying that if you’re on a date with another couple and they invite their friends along, you’re all going out as one big happy foursome.

This is because, in order to keep the conversation flowing smoothly among the four of you, there needs to be some sort of social dynamic in place. If both persons like each other and want to make things work between them, then it’s likely that they will feel comfortable enough around each other’s friends to go out on another date.

However, if it’s just the two of you hanging out, there’s no pressure from others around who could potentially overhear your conversations.

3. Where are you meeting up with them?

The place where you’re meeting up with them can be a big clue as to whether or not it’s a date. If you’re going out to eat at a restaurant or bar, it’s probably a date. If you are having them over at your house, then it is likely that the two of you are just casually hanging out.

Asking the other person if they want to come over and hang out can be an easy way to figure out what their intentions are without seeming too forward: if they say yes, then they probably like spending time with you in person.

4. How do they act around you?

While you may be able to tell whether or not someone is interested in dating you by their actions, it can also help to know how they act around other people.

If he or she behaves like a normal person around everyone else and acts differently with you, then there’s a good chance that something more than friendship is on his mind.

The same applies if he doesn’t treat other people the way he treats you; this means that either he thinks highly of himself and therefore believes that only friends deserve respect, or again because he wants more from the relationship than just being buddies.

That said, keep in mind that every situation will be different. Just because some guys act differently doesn’t mean they’re all trying to date you. It’s always best if we can talk directly with our crush about what they want from us before jumping to any conclusions about their intentions.

5. Are they showing off around you?

If someone is interested in you, they might try to impress you by showing off their skills or knowledge. The same goes for other talents: If your friend knows how to play an instrument or speak another language fluently, she might show those skills off when hanging out with other people.

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6. What you talk about

When hanging out, you may talk about your interests. It is best to focus on common interests if you are just getting to know someone. When dating, there is more opportunity for talking about your personal goals and ambitions as well as family life. You can also discuss mutual friends and how the other person interacts with them.

In addition to discussing what you do for a living, you may want to learn about hobbies or other things that interest your date. The same goes for their favorite music and movies or books they have read recently.

7. How much time is spent together

Dating is a much more serious situation than just hanging out. Dating requires you to spend more time with the other person, and it can be uncomfortable if the two of you don’t spend much time together.

Hanging out is much more casual than dating since there’s no pressure to get serious or anything like that. Depending on your schedule and preferences, you can spend as much or as little time together as you want.

You may also want to consider whether or not this person would make a good long-term partner for you; if so, then maybe they’re worth putting more effort into building something more substantial with them.

8. Level of security

You don’t need to feel secure with the person when you’re hanging out. You might have a lot of reassurance needed, a lot of cuddling, a lot of kissing, a lot of affection and sex. Or maybe it’s just one or two things that make your heart flutter.

When you’re dating someone, there needs to be some sort of commitment between the two of you, whether that’s just as friends or something more serious like marriage or children together.

9. Does this person flirt with you a lot?

Flirting is a clear sign of attraction, which means it can also be a sign of interest. Flirting with you may mean that this person wants to date you, but it could also mean they’re just being friendly or trying to get on your good side. If the person often flirtatiously teases you, they might just be flirting around and not necessarily showing any romantic interest.

Flirtation isn’t always sexual in nature; sometimes, people use flirtatious behavior as a way to show affection and comfort to one another. If this person seems to enjoy joking around with you, flirting may just be part of their personality.

Final Thoughts

So, if you’re wondering whether what you have with your friend is dating or just hanging out, there are a few things to keep in mind.

First, pay attention to who is paying the restaurant bill. If they want to see a movie at their house or go swimming outside instead of going out on an extravagant dinner date, maybe they just want someone to hang out with.

Lastly, take note of how they act when they are around you. If they act like everything is normal but don’t make any moves towards getting closer romantically over time, then maybe they don’t see this as anything more than friendship too.

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Author

Hi, I'm Lizabeth. I'm a writer. I like to write about stuff relating to love and relationship. I believe love can work for everyone, and if it doesn't work you can always give it another try.

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