How To Tell If An ENTP Likes You (As Told By 22 ENTPs)
"I don't waste any time and I get bored easily, so if I'm spending it with you, that's a good sign I'm interested."
By Heidi Priebe
ENTPs are known for being devilishly playful and a bit on the flirtatious side. As a result, it can make it difficult to decipher when this type actually likes you as more than a friend. Below, 22 ENTPs explain what it looks like when they’re interested in someone romantically.
1. “When I like someone I put 100% of my focus on them. If I’m talking to them, I’m paying attention to everything they say – learning everything I can about them, and I remembering everything they tell me. I make an effort to try and be around them as much as possible. I will admit that I can be pretty awkward, but if I make an instant connection with them, I’ll act as if we’ve been friends for years.”
2. “The internet always talks about how ENTPs get joking and sarcastic if they like you. But in reality we’re that way with everyone, all the time. So if we’re romantically interested, we will probably just say so. We like directness.”
3. “When I am interested in someone, I talk to them frequently and try to spend time alone with them. I ask a lot of personal questions. I may be nicer than usual in some ways, like more physically affectionate and considerate if I know it will be welcomed, but at the same time I may be totally awkward and purposefully detached if I think they are unavailable or not interested. If we are close enough, I will just be straightforward about how I feel.”
4. “I will poke and prod you with questions and quips, playfully challenging your beliefs and ideas. It is kind of the cerebral equivalent of pulling on your pigtails. But it’s not just about getting your attention–I’m also trying to see if you can keep up.”
5. “I alternate getting extremely excited over every mutual interest and hobby with verbal/mental sparring – teasing, jokes, debating, a little trolling – to see if they can keep up.”
6. “I usually try to find what makes them excited. I use that to attempt to thrill them and make them feel welcome and validated.”
7. “I’ll troll that person more than I troll others, and I’ll be especially witty with them around me. I’ll also try to find time with them, in any weirdest excuse possible.”
8. “A weird combination of acting completely indifferent and completely besotted. I may suddenly decide to ignore them if I want a little more attention or if the situation is too stressful to cope with. I’ll want to show off around them: exhibiting my intellect and telling dorky (but hilarious!) jokes. I will crave to be alone with them, to talk about the universe and just be close to them. I’ll purposely bring out the excentrisim in my personality early on, just to test the waters. Overall, I will drop lots of large hints until I’ve figured out whether the feeling is mutual.”
9. “I’ll probably bust their balls incessantly with my sharp wit, but then when I realize that’s not working, I’ll get hammered drunk and hope we end up leaving together.”
10. “I try to learn as much as possible from them, asking questions about their past, actively involving myself in their everyday lives and trying to understand who they are and what makes them act a certain way.”
11. “I spent as much time around the person as I can, as well as inviting them on adventures and making sure they are enjoying themselves. Subtle manipulation through a bad guy persona while allowing hints of heart-felt niceness shine through also works wonders.”
12. “I let someone get the gist of me being interested by teasing them, making them feel at ease with me, coaxing information from them to let them know I’m interested (and to have pointers on how to deal with them regarding their likes, dislikes, and key points where conflict may arise in future scenarios), and by always pushing them to do things that could make them grow as a person, preferably with me *wink wink*”
13. “I let people know I like them by engaging in deep conversation (revealing secrets about our most selfless hopes and sinful desires at 3am) or intellectual debates.”
14. “If I make specific plans and time for someone rather than just wandering to my next time filling event and if I seem quiet and considerate rather than blunt and center stage, then I’m probably interested…”
15. “I’m quite flirty by nature, but even more so with romantic interests. IF a guy is not naturally a flirty type and we don’t strike up a good chemistry/banter quickly, I will tend to be more direct if they are a logical type (like my fiance who is an ENTJ). I may cheekily say something like, “So I fancy you- are you going to ask me out?” To someone more introverted I am more likely to ask them in a way they are likely to not be embarrassed or shocked by – like through social media, text or computer games.”
16. “I seek out alone/adventure time with them to talk about ideas, life and how they want to grow. I blush smile and cant contain myself. Also, I will have lots of wordplay/banter/teasing because if I like them, they are probably good with that.”
17. “When I like someone, I figure out something they love – but that they don’t necessarily broadcast – and create a lot of inside jokes with them about it. I make them laugh and make them feel understood at a deeper level. Trust me, they can never resist.”
18. “I usually notice I like someone by becoming more ‘sparkly’. Always having that witty response in a group of people when they walk in. Aceing that presentation they happen to be in. Throwing the coolest of shapes on the dancefloor.
For an MBTI type who can often be found finding people dull at best, it’s nice to have someone you want to impress – and ENTPs will pull out all the stops to do this. Of course it’s worth saying that sometimes ENTPs will find someone so exciting and interesting the temptation and thill of pushing all their buttons will be unleashed on their often unsuspecting selves. This has very varied results but good teasing and poking can be good signals, although their is a habit to do this with anyone.
Finally, and most tellingly, ENTPs will often carve out time to people who they are interested in. Realising they are talking to someone who is more fascinating than themselves who gives new ways of thinking about things is very precious (and a complete turn on) to the ENTP and if they have found that in you, they will definitely listen.”
19. “I show someone I like them by flirtatiously attempting to uncover their deepest darkest secrets. Also show them I have a vulnerable and emotional side, too, and hope they don’t use it against me. I will be less harsh towards them than I can be to others. I probably tease them a lot as well.”
20. “When I like someone I tend to tone myself down – I channel the ‘sweet, nice girl’ instead of the ‘sarcastic, mildly obnoxious’ self that normally makes itself known.”
21. “I don’t waste any time and I get bored easily, so if I’m spending it with you, that’s a good sign I’m interested.”
22. “I let people know I like them by coming up with something creative that fits their personality. She’ll be impressed (hopefully) by how much creative effort I put into the relationship. Nothing is generic, it all has a story about why I did this for them.”