Do guys get awkward when a girl says "I love you" first?

[Ashley S]

I say "I love you" all the time. It's just how I am, I don't say it in a creepy way lol, I notice some of my guy friends get really awkward and don't say it back, or they'll be silent. Me and my one guy friend were texting one night, I said "I'm tired, love you goodnight!" He didn't respond lol. He responded, but it was completely unrelated and it was 2 hours later haha. So, what do you guys think of a female saying "I love you" first? Is it creepy? Weird? Or is it awkward for you? Some of my friends make me feel weird saying it I don't mean any harm by it lol. I would love to hear opinions about this! Thank you!!!

[d0nnivain]

It depends on the guy & whether he understands the context in which you are saying the words. Any time anyone hears I love you in the romantic sense but the feeling is not reciprocated, awkwardness will ensue.

[Frank2thepoint]

I've had female friends, and even a very few male friends, say they love me. So for me, it does not bother me or freak me out. Nor do I start thinking my female friends are romantically in love with me, or the few male friends too. I have said it back with no qualms. Similar to a romantic relationship, saying "I love you" in a friendship, just verbalizes your fondness and affection for the person.

[Diezel]

Um, why are you telling your male friends that you love them?

 

I don't understand. I'd probably not respond either unless you were a life-long friend who I've known and trust that much.

[Emilia]

It's very rare that I tell my friends I love them, I think most people are uncomfortable with that sort of gushing.

[stillafool]

Most people don't throw out I Love You to just everyone. It really means something to most people. If this comes so easily to you what do you say to a man you are in love with?

[MissBee]

I say "I love you" all the time. It's just how I am, I don't say it in a creepy way lol, I notice some of my guy friends get really awkward and don't say it back, or they'll be silent. Me and my one guy friend were texting one night, I said "I'm tired, love you goodnight!" He didn't respond lol. He responded, but it was completely unrelated and it was 2 hours later haha. So, what do you guys think of a female saying "I love you" first? Is it creepy? Weird? Or is it awkward for you? Some of my friends make me feel weird saying it I don't mean any harm by it lol. I would love to hear opinions about this! Thank you!!!

 

I read the title and immediately assumed you were talking about saying it first in a romantic relationship. I was rather surprised to see you're talking about friendships. I don't think there is a concept of "saying it first" in friendship, i.e. unlike romantic relationships I do not think for most people there comes a designated point in your friendship where you declare your love and one person does it first and the other responds.

 

If I'm honest, yes, it's a little weird and I can imagine for opposite sex friends it might be weirder.

 

I do have friends that I say "love you" to occasionally, but these are girlfriends of mine that I've been friends with for ages and it's not really a regular conversation ending either, just sometimes and it's reciprocated. I admittedly have never said it to a guy friend. Not that it's inherently a crime to do so, I guess none of my guy friends and I really roll like that where I'm texting them "love yous" and such. But like I said, if you're realizing your guy friends feel awkward or don't know how to respond, I'd relax with saying it.

[MissBee]

Most people don't throw out I Love You to just everyone. It really means something to most people. If this comes so easily to you what do you say to a man you are in love with?

 

There are different types of love. Someone saying "I love you" to a friend, to their child, to their mother, to their dog, doesn't diminish them saying it to a romantic partner as it means different things in all those contexts. Not all love is romantic and I think that's probably part of the problem here, that many people think "I Love You" is strictly about romantic love, and that's probably part of the reason why her friends react so awkwardly about it because they're making those associations or think that the only time one can express love is for a significant other.

[stillafool]

I understand this and I say ILY to my friends also but it's because I really do love them obviously not the way I love my husband. I don't say ILY to everyone because I don't love everyone. What I should have asked OP is what does she say to people she actually loves if she tells everyone she love them.