

{"id":64578,"date":"2021-03-19T06:44:16","date_gmt":"2021-03-19T06:44:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/?p=64578"},"modified":"2023-06-15T06:21:16","modified_gmt":"2023-06-15T06:21:16","slug":"questions-to-ask-your-unfaithful-spouse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/infidelity\/questions-to-ask-your-unfaithful-spouse\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Questions to Ask Your Unfaithful Spouse"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-64584\" src=\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/questions-to-ask-your-unfaithful-spouse.jpg\" alt=\"African American Man White Woman Couple With Phones Family Quarrel\" width=\"804\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It can be devastating to find out<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/infidelity\/psychological-effects-of-a-cheating-spouse\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">when a spouse cheats<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and if you are in this situation, you probably have so many unanswered questions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Knowing details of infidelity that occur over the course of a marriage may help you to move forward and make decisions about how you will proceed with your cheating spouse.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The following 10 questions to ask your unfaithful spouse can help you to get some of the answers that you need.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wporg-box\"><div class=\"\"><span class=\"wporg_heading\">RELATED READING : <\/span><span class=\"wporg_title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/infidelity\/causes-of-infidelity-in-relationships\/\" title=\"Common Causes of Infidelity in Relationships\">Common Causes of Infidelity in Relationships<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"10-questions-to-ask-your-unfaithful-spouse\"><\/span><b>10 questions to ask your unfaithful spouse<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are some necessary cheating discussion questions?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The following questions to ask after an affair can provide ideas for what to say and how to confront someone who cheated on you<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In some ways, the answers to these questions can help you get closure after being cheated on but be prepared for the fact that some answers may upset you since it can be hurtful to learn of the details of your<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/infidelity\/the-damage-of-betrayal-in-marital-relationships\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">partner&rsquo;s betrayal<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider the following 10 questions to ask your unfaithful spouse. These questions will help you have a worthy start on a discussion about marriage infidelity:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>1. What did you tell yourself to permit yourself to do this?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finding out how your partner rationalized the affair can give you insights into what made them okay with being unfaithful and what they told themselves to grant permission to<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/infidelity\/reasons-for-extra-marital-sex\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">step outside the marriage<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Perhaps your partner rationalizes the behavior based on something that was missing in the marriage. In this case, knowing what was missing can help you create a plan to move forward and avoid future betrayals.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the other hand, perhaps your partner felt entitled to have an affair and didn&rsquo;t think much about it. If this is the case, it may be that faithfulness and<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/signs-monogamous-relationship-is-not-for-you\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">monogamy is not important<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to him or her, which is also important to know.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When your man cheats<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or you are thinking of what to ask your cheating wife, permission is an important topic to consider since<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1080\/01494929.2015.1124354\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">research<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> suggests that people do use strategies to give themselves permission to have an affair.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>2. Did you feel guilty after being intimate with this person?&nbsp;<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another one of the questions to ask a cheater is if they felt<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/infidelity\/how-to-get-over-guilt-caused-by-cheating-in-marriage\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">guilty after having sex with someone else<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. If they didn&rsquo;t feel guilty, it could be that they have different views about monogamy than you do.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is also possible that they do not view<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/infidelity\/reasons-that-drive-a-person-to-stray\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sexual affairs<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as being problematic. For example, some people may have affairs to meet their sexual needs, which can open up a discussion about what might be missing sexually from your relationship.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether a person feels guilty after having sex may depend upon their gender.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, a recent<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s10508-014-0409-9\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">study<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> found that men are more likely to be upset about their partners having sexual affairs, whereas women are more likely to be upset by emotional affairs in which their partner falls in love with someone else.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is worth noting that this finding applied to heterosexual men and women but not to people who identified as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. So, this is one of the very important questions to ask your unfaithful spouse.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>3. Is this the first time this has happened, or have there been other such occasions?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This indeed is one of the crucial questions to ask your unfaithful spouse.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Admitting to an affair that happened in the past may be difficult for your partner and painful for you to hear about, but knowing the answer to this can help you determine whether the affair was a one-time incident or<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/infidelity\/repeated-infidelity-in-marriage\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">something that happened before<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If this isn&rsquo;t the first affair and your partner has consistently had a<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/partner-who-has-wandering-eyes\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">wandering eye<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, it is time to figure out why this is happening and whether the relationship can be saved.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>4. What did you tell him or her about us?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Among the questions to ask a cheating spouse is what they told the affair partner about their marriage. Perhaps they told the partner the two of you were getting divorced in order to make the partner feel less guilty about the relationship.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Or, maybe they shared<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/8-common-problems-in-married-life\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">problems that you were experiencing in the marriage<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which could point to issues that you and your spouse need to resolve if you wish to stay together.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>5. Did you talk about a future together?&nbsp;<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is another important question to ask your unfaithful spouse after infidelity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It can give you information about what the affair meant to your spouse and if perhaps he or she is fantasizing about starting over again.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wporg-box\"><div class=\"\"><span class=\"wporg_heading\">RELATED READING : <\/span><span class=\"wporg_title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/infidelity\/what-constitutes-infidelity-in-a-marriage\/\" title=\"What Constitutes Infidelity in Marriage?\">What Constitutes Infidelity in Marriage?<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-64585\" src=\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/what-did-you-tell-him-or-her-about-us.jpg\" alt=\"Displeased Beautiful Brunette Girl Quarrel With Her Boyfriend\" width=\"804\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<h3><b>6. What did your affair offer you that was missing in our marriage?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The answer to this one among the 10 questions to ask your unfaithful spouse can prove to be quite upsetting.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Confession questions to ask a guy or girl who has cheated include those that explore what the person got out of the affair. Was their affair partner more willing to<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/physical-intimacy\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">try new sexual things<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> together? Did the partner offer a nonjudgmental shoulder to cry on?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Knowing what your spouse got out of the affair that was missing in your marriage can help you to identify what it is that needs to occur differently in the marriage to make it successful.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>7. Do you act differently in your affair than you do at home with me?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes, a person turns to an affair because they feel they have<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/7-ways-to-keep-from-losing-yourself-in-your-relationship\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">lost themselves in their marriage<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Maybe your husband is always expected to be dominant and rational at home, but the affair offered him an opportunity to be carefree and youthful again.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are aware of this discrepancy between how your partner acted during the affair and how they act at home, you may be able to give them the opportunity to try out new roles at home in order to have their needs better met within the context of the marriage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, do not ignore this question to ask your unfaithful spouse.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>8. Did you ever think of me when you were with this person?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is among the crucial questions to ask a cheater for closure and moving on.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is among the 10 questions to ask your unfaithful spouse because it can give you an idea of what was going on in your partner&rsquo;s head when they were with the other person.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take comfort in knowing that oftentimes, an affair is not about you but rather about the unfaithful spouse&rsquo;s needs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In many cases, the cheating husband or wife is not thinking about you at all but rather wrapped up in the secrecy and excitement of the affair.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>9. Do you want to leave me to be with this person?&nbsp;<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is one of the 10 questions to ask your unfaithful spouse that will decide the next course of action for your marriage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are wondering what you say to a cheating husband or wife, it is important that you express to your spouse your desire to know what their intentions are.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is, therefore, necessary that you ask whether they intend to<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/divorce\/how-to-leave-a-marriage-peacefully\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">leave the marriage<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to be with the affair partner. The answer to this question is important because it can give you an idea of whether your partner intends to save the marriage or not.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>10. How long did the affair last or how long has it been going on?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/infidelity\/ways-to-catch-up-a-cheater\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">catch your partner in an affair<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you will also probably want to know how long it lasted. If it was a short fling or a one-time mistake, the chances are that your partner feels guilty, and the relationship is salvageable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the other hand, if it was a longer-lasting affair, this suggests that your spouse was okay with having a lasting relationship with another person, which warrants a serious discussion about what made them okay with doing this and how they stopped themselves from feeling guilty about it.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wporg-box\"><div class=\"\"><span class=\"wporg_heading\">RELATED READING : <\/span><span class=\"wporg_title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/infidelity\/the-illness-of-cheating-why-do-people-cheat-in-relationships\/\" title=\"Why Do People Cheat in Relationships?\">Why Do People Cheat in Relationships?<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, here 5 things you must do if your spouse has had an affair:<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br><\/span><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/m_3s2QqR4Yk\" width=\"804\" height=\"350\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">&#65279;<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What-to-do-if-your-spouse-refuses-to-answer-the-questions\"><\/span><b>What to do if your spouse refuses to answer the questions?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In some cases, when a spouse cheats and the other person tries to confront them using questions to ask a cheating wife or husband, they might just decline them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They may refuse to answer your questions about the affair. Often, this can be an attempt to protect your feelings because knowing the details of infidelity may hurt you more than you realize.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can deal with this scenario by calmly explaining to your partner that you know the answers to your questions may upset you, but you need some information in order to move forward from the affair.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your spouse is interested in<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/infidelity\/5-tips-for-saving-your-marriage-after-infidelity\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">saving the marriage<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, they will likely comply with this request after an<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/communication\/open-communication-in-marriage\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">honest conversation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What-if-your-spouse-lies\"><\/span><b>What if your spouse lies?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is also a chance that your spouse may<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/infidelity\/ways-to-tell-someone-is-lying-about-cheating\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">lie about an affair<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> once you bombard them with questions to ask cheating husband or wife. This is where you can ask one of the trick questions to ask a cheater.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Perhaps you know that an affair has occurred, but your spouse continues to deny it when you try to address it through these 10 questions to ask your unfaithful spouse<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your spouse is silent when confronted with the affair or questions about it, or there are long pauses in the conversation, this suggests that he or she may be lying.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you ask a<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/infidelity\/signs-of-a-married-man-in-love-with-another-woman\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">married man who is cheating<\/span><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">or ask your cheating wife questions about the affair, or confront them about the affair, lying is certainly a possibility.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your spouse lies, you might consider confronting them with the evidence that you have of the affair. If they become angry or minimize your concerns, this is suggestive of them having something to hide.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ultimately, you cannot force your partner to be honest, but if they are interested in saving the marriage, they should come clean.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wporg-box\"><div class=\"\"><span class=\"wporg_heading\">RELATED READING : <\/span><span class=\"wporg_title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/infidelity\/how-to-deal-with-a-cheater\/\" title=\"How To Deal With A Cheater? 7 Things To Note If You Have A Cheating Partner\">How To Deal With A Cheater? 7 Things To Note If You Have A Cheating Partner<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-64586\" src=\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/what-if-my-spouse-refuses-to-answer-my-questions.jpg\" alt=\"Couple Arguing Each Other In The Living Room At Home\" width=\"804\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What-to-check-to-catch-a-cheater\"><\/span><b>What to check to catch a cheater?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While it&rsquo;s essential to prioritize trust and open communication in a relationship, signs of potential infidelity may include secretive behavior, changes in routine, unexplained expenses, sudden defensiveness, increased phone or computer secrecy, and a lack of intimacy or emotional distance.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Discovering-the-truth-and-deciding-the-course-of-action\"><\/span><b>Discovering the truth and deciding the course of action<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These 10 questions to ask your unfaithful spouse can help you to have a necessary conversation to get to the bottom of the affair and decide whether your marriage is salvageable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep in mind that even if the answers to these questions provide useful information, it may be hurtful to dive deep into the story of your partner&rsquo;s betrayal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You and your partner may need to seek counseling or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/therapy\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">marriage therapy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, both individually and separately, to help you overcome the<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1080\/14681994.2019.1577961?journalCode=csmt20\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">trauma of an affair<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is not easy to gather yourself after the trauma of finding that your husband or wife has been unfaithful to you. But you must make an effort to get the closure you deserve.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":""},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It can be devastating to find out when a spouse cheats, and if you are in this situation, you probably have so many unanswered questions. Knowing details of infidelity that occur over the course of a marriage may help you to move forward and make decisions about how you will proceed with your cheating spouse. The following 10 questions to ask your unfaithful spouse can help you to get some of the answers that you need. 10 questions to ask your unfaithful spouse What are some necessary cheating discussion questions? The following questions to ask after an affair can provide <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1262,"featured_media":64584,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[23],"tags":[2690],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64578"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1262"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=64578"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64578\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":86786,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64578\/revisions\/86786"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64584"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=64578"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=64578"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=64578"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}