Are You In A Romantic Friendship With Someone? 10 Likely Signs

In some cases, relationships begin with friendships and blossom into a romantic union between people.

However, there are some instances where some people remain friends and get romantically involved along the line without making it official. This means they are stuck in a zone where they are romantic friends but not dating partners.

In this article, you will learn what it means to be in a romantic friendship with someone. You will also get to know some of the signs that you are in a romantic friendship.  

What is a romantic friendship?

A romantic friendship can also be called an affectionate or passionate friendship, a non-sexual relationship that friends share. This type of friendship may include kissing, cuddling, holding hands, sleeping on the same bed, etc.

According to Dionne Eleanor Reid, a relationship & empowerment mentor:

Romantic friendships are the beautiful grey area where souls meet before labels arrive.

In a romantic friendship, the love and connection is deeper than what normal friends share. They also express how much they love each other without mincing words or pretending not to have feelings. When it comes to answering the question of what is a romantic friendship, it is a passionate friendship that can exist between opposite-sex or same-sex.

To understand more about the concept of romantic friendship, read this study by Danu Anthony Stinson and other authors. The study is titled ‘The Friends-to-Lovers Pathway to Romance’. And it looks at the aspect of romance, which most relationship science studies do not pay attention to. 

The difference of romantic friendship vs platonic love

When it comes to the difference between romantic attraction vs friendship, it is important to note that they are not the same. Both of them involve a genuine friendship connection, and sometimes, love might be in the mix. 

However, romantic friendship may involve physical intimacy where sex might be involved sometimes, which may answer the question, what does romantic mean?

In comparison, platonic love is a close and deep friendship between two people without physical intimacy. People in platonic love do not desire to kiss, touch, hug, or even have sex with each other.

Romantic friendship and platonic love share some similarities, and you will understand more about this in Lucia Ponti’s study, written in conjunction with other authors. The study is titled ‘A Measure for the Study of Friendship and Romantic Relationship Quality from Adolescence to Early Adulthood.’ 

Can a romantic friendship exist between a man and a woman?

The possibility of a romantic friendship between a man and a woman is real and should not be looked down on. Men and women can maintain a thriving romantic friendship where they care about each other and maintain the lines of friendship. 

They will share love, care, and respect, but sexual activities might be absent except if they consent. Hence, it is possible to be in a romantic friendship with someone of the opposite sex.

Can you be in a romantic friendship with someone? 7 signs that say so

When you are in a romantic friendship, there is a degree of closeness or intimacy that makes this nature of friendship different from others. Sometimes, such intimate friendships transition into romantic relationships.

Here are some of the signs that you are in a romantic friendship with someone

1. You are interested in each other’s hobbies

You can tell that you are in a romantic friendship with someone when you show interest in each other’s hobbies. If you find out that you and your friend are suddenly interested in what you do and they are rooting for you, it is one of the signs of passionate friendships.

They show genuine interest when you talk about what excites you and try to proffer suggestions that benefit you. Sometimes, when your motivation level seems to decline, they will encourage you to go for it. And they may not mind participating actively in your interests because of you.

2. Your friends or family joke about you being a couple

When your loved ones joke that you and your friend look like a couple, they can see something that is not yet obvious to you. It is important to mention that the opinions of those closest to us might help us understand some confusing things.

Another bigger sign might be your friend telling you both look like a couple. They might jokingly talk about how the both of you share many similarities and interests that will make it easier for you guys to have a good relationship. 

Sometimes, people use jokes to mask truths they cannot express directly.

Related Reading: The True Meaning of Being in a Relationship

3. You get jealous when you see them with someone else

When you begin to get jealous, if you see your friend with another person, then you are likely in a romantic friendship with someone. You understand that they are free to have friends, but sometimes, you feel jealous when you see someone who might threaten your intimate friendship.

If you observe that that person is beginning to spend quality time with your friend, you may begin to think that your relationship with them is threatened. Hence, you might be interested in finding out who the person is to determine if they are a threat to your friendship.

4. You are always willing to help out

Friends may be interested in helping each other out because of the special bond they share. However, when you discover that your interest in helping out is beyond the bond of friendship you share, you might be in a romantic friendship with someone.

Dionne Eleanor highlights that:

When you’re willing to drop everything for them—even your pride—there’s a good chance there’s a deep connection.

Even when it is inconvenient, you will brave all odds to be there for your friend because they are special to you.

They might ask you if anything else is involved, but you might want to keep your feelings to yourself. Generally, being generous is an important sign of friendship, but taking the extra mile separates you from the pack.

5. You are vulnerable around each other

When you observe that you and your friend are open and honest about everything, you are more than friends. One of the clear signs that you are in a romantic friendship with someone is when you are vulnerable with them.

Coach Eleanor Reid adds that:

Romantic friendship is often where masks fall, and our truest selves feel safe to be seen.

You don’t see the need to hide your deepest secrets because you trust them.

Also, you have observed that they love you for who you are, and there’s no need to pretend when you’re around them. Vulnerability is one of the signs of a healthy relationship, and if this feature exists in your friendship, then there is more to it.

Watch this insightful video on how to be vulnerable with your partner:

6. They stay close to you when among friends

You can tell if you are in a romantic friendship with someone when they stay physically close to you in a friends gathering. For instance, if empty seats or spaces exist, they will prefer to stay closest to you because they feel safe and happy around you.

They might not consciously understand why they are doing this, but other people around will notice. If you are talking with other people, they won’t be far from you because they always want to maintain that physical and emotional closeness with you.

7. They communicate regularly with you

It is normal for friends to communicate because it helps strengthen their bond. Some friends might not reach out for a few days due to different reasons, but it may not affect the relationship dynamics among them.

Dionne Eleanor Reid mentions:

The regular connection allows the heart’s quiet craving to stay near to be validated.

However, when you are in a romantic friendship with someone, the quality of communication will be different. For instance, they are more likely to send a romantic friendship message as a good morning text rather than a regular good morning message.  

You will take out time from your busy schedule to keep in touch because they are an integral part of your life. The case might not be the same with other friends because regular communication is a big difference between friendship and romantic relationship.

Related Reading: 20 Ways to Improve Communication in a Relationship

Is it possible to sustain a romantic friendship?

Concerning romantic attraction vs friendship, it might be possible to maintain a romantic friendship, but it can be difficult most times. Not everyone knows how to draw the line between romance and friendship. So, when they happen to be caught in the middle, they might be unable to maintain boundaries.

If you are in a romantic friendship, one of the ways to sustain it is to regularly communicate with the other party on the rules of the friendship. 

Two of you need to identify the lines and boundaries that you should not cross so that you won’t jeopardize the dynamics of the friendship.

How do you know if a friendship is platonic or romantic?

Regarding friendship love vs romantic love, it might be difficult to draw differences because they have many similarities. However, with platonic friendship, they may not desire physical intimacy or romance.

While romantic friendship involves people who crave physical intimacy, which may include sex. Hence, when looking at the major difference between friendship and romantic relationship, it involves the presence or absence of physical intimacy.

Sometimes, there might be a transition from platonic friendship to romantic friendship, and you will understand more in this study by Desiree Hernandez. 

The research is titled ‘An Analysis of Turning Points in Platonic Friendships’ Among Former Significant Others. It highlights individuals who still want to remain friends despite their romantic entanglement. 

Romantic or not, don’t lose the friendship

With the points in this article, you may know how to differentiate between romantic and platonic friendship. Knowing this will guide you in defining the various relationships in your life. 

Dionne Eleanor points out:

No matter the label—love, friend, or something in between—respect the bond that brought you together.

If you feel that you are in a romantic friendship with someone, it is best to communicate openly with the person to know where you stand. You can also go for relationship counseling if it looks like the two of you might end up dating each other.