1. They acknowledge their feelings (all of them).

When you truly know each other, you don’t fake your feelings. You don’t pretend to be okay when you’re not, and you don’t just ‘sweep things under the rug.’ You know that each of your feelings deserves to be felt, and that you shouldn’t be embarrassed or ashamed for having them. You put it all out there because honest communication is how your relationship thrives and you both are well-aware of this.

2. They’re fearless when it comes to communication.

Nothing is left unsaid. You don’t go to bed mad at each other, even if it means you’re up until 5 am. You ask the important questions, not the meaningless ones. You’re honest even when it hurts because you know you both deserve the truth.

3. They’re able to laugh at each other, not just with each other.

When you really know someone you’re completely fine with them laughing at you, not with you. You trust that it’s never their intention to hurt your feelings, and you’re comfortable enough to be your complete and whole self, no matter how weird, eccentric, complex, or absolutely crazy that may be. Every couple laughs with each other, real couples are fine with laughing at each other too.

4. They like themselves individually.

You’re the happiest you’ve ever been with this person, but at the same time, you know who you are without them, and you like and accept who that person is. Sounds weird, but you each like yourself, not in a narcissistic way, but in a way that reflects the lives you have outside of each other. Because this person may be the love of your life, but they’re not your entire life, and you both like that about each other.

5. They spend time apart.

Couples who really know each other know that a little space is healthy. They don’t need to be with each other every second of every day. They aren’t jealous when you spend the weekend away reuniting with friends from college, and you aren’t jealous when they spend the weekend in New Orleans for their best friend’s Bachelor party. You trust each other because you know each other, and you know that your love is strong enough to withstand time and distance apart.

6. They understand each other’s bad habits, and work on them.

Couples who really know each other are aware that the bad habits exist, and they’re not hesitant to point them out, but whether your partner likes them or not, they’re a part of who you are. You each work on your bad habits for the sake of the other’s sanity, but you both understand that they’ll creep back in every so often. You don’t hold your bad habits against one another, you work on them together because you both motivate each other to be better.

7. They know when something’s wrong.

You each have a sixth sense that tells you when the other person is off, and you don’t ignore it to avoid conflict. No matter how ridiculous whatever is wrong may be, PMS, your favorite team lost, you didn’t get to wash your car, you really didn’t want Chinese for dinner, whether it leads to arguments or not, you both don’t let it stop you from getting to the bottom of whatever’s bothering you.

8. They argue constructively.

Constructive arguments have a beginning and an end and they always have a takeaway. When couples who really know each other argue, yes they might hit each other where it hurts, (because they know exactly where that is) but they don’t let the argument end on a note that makes it not worth having. Couples who really know each other know their arguments have a purpose, they learn from them, they learn about each other while having them, and they know when it’s okay to let them go.

9. They help each other pursue their dreams.

Couples who really know each other know their dreams and aspirations, and they encourage each other to just go for them. They’re willing to do what they can to help, and while you each might not accept the helping hand, you always offer.

10. They help you recognize when your dreams might not be what you truly want.

They’re a constant support system, but when one of them knows the other needs some hard core honesty they’re not afraid to give it to them. They both want the best for each other, but sometimes they can’t see what’s best for themselves on their own. The couple who really knows each other knows that there’s no dream too far-fetched for them to achieve, but they do know when that dream is just an impulse, rather than a goal or aspiration.

11. They make each other feel special when they know they really need it (no matter how long they’ve been together).

They know what makes you feel special, and they know the exact moment you need to feel that way. Whatever it is, flowers, chocolate, wine, a hand-written post-it note, they know that one specific thing that says ‘I love you’ without actually having to say it. They make you feel loved when they know you need it the most.