What The Emojis He Uses With You Really Mean

Emojis have been in our lives for over two decades – Shigetaka Kurita is credited as the first person to create an emoji in 1999. Since then, emojis have offered a new way to convey feelings and emotions over written messages. But that doesn’t mean these animated faces and cartoons are always easy to understand. Especially if you’re messaging back and forth with a love interest, it’s easy to misinterpret what their emoji was supposed to mean. Here’s a little translation guide to help you out.

1. Winky Face Emoji There’s no clearer sign of flirting than sending someone a winky face. He may be doing this to break the ice or to let you know he’s feeling playful. But if he constantly sends this emoji when you’re trying to take things to the next level relationship-wise, it could also be a sign he’s used to playing the field and has no desire to stop anytime soon.
2. Heart Eyes Emoji You may be used to sending this to your girlfriends all the time, but it means something different when a guy uses it. If he’s using this emoji, especially consistently, he wants you to know he likes you and that you’re continuing to impress him with all you do and say.
3. Sweating Smiley Face This emoji usually signifies a level of anxiety or nervousness. Maybe he said something that he’s not sure how you’ll take, or conversely, you sent something that put him on the spot. He may be trying to break the tension with this common emoji or let you know that he feels under pressure.
4. Monkey-See Emoji Similar to the sweating smiley face, he may add this emoji onto something he’s said if he feels a bit nervous as to how you’ll respond. If he tells you you’re pretty or asks you out follow by this emoji, it’s because he’s nervous about how you’ll take what he said. It’s a sign he cares!
5. Smirking Face This emoji is typically a sign of confidence – maybe you said something that put him in the mood, or he wants to convey that you’ve got his full attention. It’s definitely a flirty emoji, but it’s more suggestive than sending a traditional winky face.
6. Smiling Face With Sunglasses If your guy is trying to come off as cool, he’ll definitely send this emoji your way. He may think it’s smoother than sending a traditional smiley selfie. At the same time, this emoji can also be perceived as cheeky. If you’re in the middle of a friendly debate and he sends this to you, he may be declaring himself the winner.
7. The Angel Emoji While this emoji may look innocent at first, it’s usually anything but. If he’s said something cheeky or even raunchy, he may add this emoji to let you know he has good intentions. It’s definitely a sign of flirting, so feel free to respond back with something equally friendly.
8. Kissy Face Emoji This is another flirty emoji a guy will send when he’s trying to put out feelers. He wants you to know that he likes you, but he’s still trying to act casual about it. Reply with a heart emoji or heart eyes if you want him to know that the feelings are reciprocal.
9. Smirking Face If he sends this emoji, there could be two explanations. If he uses this in response to something you’ve said, especially if it was flirty or sexual, he wants you to know he’s on the same page. But if he adds this emoji alongside something he’s saying, he may be trying to convey his sarcasm or playfulness. It’s definitely a flirty sign, so make sure to reciprocate if you want to maintain the conversation.
10. Heart Emoji If you want to know if a guy is catching feelings, there’s no better sign than a heart emoji. This is almost as good as a guy saying he loves you – almost. While the red heart is the most romantic and forward, a heart of any color is a good sign that he’s crushing on you.
11. Upside Down Face This is perhaps one of the most perplexing emojis available, but don’t be discouraged if your significant other sends this your way. The upside-down smiley face is often sent alongside a message that isn’t supposed to be serious. It can also express feelings of confusion, so if you sent a message and this was his reply, perhaps he’s unsure of what you meant.
12. Nerd Face The chances are high that you’re dating a nerdy guy if he sends you this emoji. If the two of you are having a good conversation about your interests, then this emoji may come up. If he sends it in response to something you said, then he’s trying to reassure you that he digs your intelligence. If he adds it to one of his own comments, he’s hoping you’ll accept him in all his nerdiness.

Now that you know what his emojis mean, the only question left is how you’ll respond!