What does the phrase I like you mean

because I've been getting to know this one guy and he's pretty awesome and I told him that I like him and he said thanks.Is that what it means or does it mean something else to them?I just want to know.

it means thanks. if you're trying to tell him you like him as more than a friend you should say it like that. people who are not 100% familiar with english usage will not pick up subtleties as easily as you are used to using. you will have to be more obvious in conveying your message.

My boyfriend says ''arigatou'' when i tell him i like/miss him too. �Ê �Ê It's weird but when i asked him why he says it, he just asked me what he should say?? Lol i couldn't give him an answer because it's not like i want him to say i like/missed you too, just because i said it to him. I guess it's the way they acknowledge your feelings. Sorry my answer couldn't be clearer ;^;

"it means thanks. if you're trying to tell him you like him as more than a friend you should say it like that."
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are you serious, it comes off as a simple ''thanks?!'' i've thrown an ''i like you'' in to my Japanese penpal sometimes when i get brave, and he always says, ''thank you, i am very glad.'' After a couple of times, i thought to myself, ''o.k., that is *not* the answer i wanted'' so i stopped saying it! ^^

I've thrown in some other subtle hints before, like complimenting his photos, and he gives the same reply (he's really really really bad at english) for that, too. Are you saying he probably doesn't have a clue that I like him as more than friends? Do you really think I have to be totally clear for him to get the message?

He does seem pretty clueless about it, but after a while I just assumed that he *did* notice, but didn't return the feelings and so pretended *not* to notice (because we are friends). I've said ''i miss talking to you'' but recently someone told me there isn't even really a phrase for that in Japanese that conveys ''missing'' someone. He probably thought I meant that i missed talking to him as in: ''i wasn't home so i missed your call,'' or something very un-romantic like that!!!

oh, language makes things hard...

ok.Yeah he has been talking to me and the messages are cute but he doesn't come out and say whether he likes me as a friend or what because sometimes it's just friendly conversation then sometimes it gets KINDA flirty but not much but it's still cute then

Rose, Winterwolf, Anonymouse and �g�c�h

First. Not all Japanese are lost in translation. They can tell when someone means I have an interest in you but uses the term �gI like you�h to express it. This phrase is often used by Japanese to mean the exact same thing. The truth is that it sets no limits.

The arigatou or thank you is meant to simply acknowledge the sentiment you expressed. The problem is that we often EXPECT a particular reaction. The truth as I see it is that there is nothing for them to say or do.

Compare the following statements: I like having dinner with you versus I WOULD like to have dinner with you. One of these opens the door for more while the other rates an ARIGATOU.

I am with Winterwolf, in as much as if you want express more, then do it.

Rose, if you want more, then take the lead and tell this really awesome guy what you are feeling and suggest taking on the title of girlfriend.

Anonymous, regarding your question, �gDo you really think I have to be totally clear for him to get the message?�h Ahhhhhhh, YUP! It is a different culture with a great number of wonderful subtlties that do not come so easily to us foreigners and the reverse is also true.

�g�c-san�h It is nice to read that you have the good sense and caring to simply accept your boyfriends responses for what they are, but may I suggest you use a name so that I do not have to refer to you as �c-san. LOL

Engeru

I knew this Japanese girl when I was younger and she didn't know that in English 'I like you' usually means, more than a friend. In Japan, it is taken that way, but she thought here it only meant friendly 'I like you'. Perhaps he thinks you mean it in a friendly way because he is unfamiliar with the usage and what it means in English.

I hope that makes sense. ^^

try to say " i like you" (or better said "i love you") in japanese!
say: ai shiteru!

maybe he'll give you a new response^^
try it!
you won't lose anything by trying ^_- *

My gf also says "thank you" when I tell her I love her, it's just how most Japanese people respond to those phrases.

...then unless we do the super brave thing and flat out ASK our crushes how they feel ((somebody get the gin, i will need a lot of extra courage for this one! ^^)) it sounds like we'll always just get a "thank you!" for our meek little "i like you"s!!! ...or is there some other response we should hope for if their feelings are mutual? should we expect to hear any specific phrases from them some time, or do Japanese people just usually stay pretty non-verbal about these things?

I finally told a guy I've been casually seeing I liked him Friday night- his answer was to pat my head and say "Thank you, you're cute". A bit disappointing!

well, it's better than just "thank you!" :D

if a guy said "i like you" to me, and i didn't have any interest in him, i definitely wouldn't tell him he was cute -- because then he might think i liked him back, and nobody wants that kind of attention from someone they aren't interested in...right?
so, maybe it's a better sign than you think!

Maybe you should try to say 'daisuki' or 'sabishii'? Since there is no direct japanese words for 'i miss you' =)

If you don't try it, you never know what happens.

Hey :)

I'm since 7 months back living and studying here in Japan (language) and going to stay another year and a half as it looks now, and I have had the pleasure (and pain) to do alot of dating, and both starting and ending relationships *itai*.
But there are some GREAT big differences from home and here when it comes to simple things as just telling someone you like them, or you want to meet them.
I myself am from sweden, guess it can differ a bit from USA or other countries, but its still a western country with mostly western traditions. And when a japanese girl the first time told me "Ainakatta" (Didnt want to meet you) I got a slight shock since we had been going out for 2 months. But what she really ment was "I couldnt meet you because I had work" but thats just not how it is said all the time here :)
And yes, be straight! At home when you are dating someone and after a while you may kiss and it goes on like that, and *voila* you are a pair. Here, it wont become a relationship until someone actually asks "Do you want to be my boyfriend/girlfriend?".
As my ex told me

"We want everything in black and white, I want to be 100% sure and not walk around and think to much, thats why we ask such questions"

And I also get the "Arigatou" alot when giving compliments, or just "OK" when I say I miss her. I know she love me it couldnt be clearer but that doesnt mean she will reply with the "I miss you to" as one would be used with from home hehe.

japanese girl the first time told me "Ainakatta" (Didnt want to meet you) I got a slight shock since we had been going out for 2 months. But what she really ment was "I couldnt meet you because I had work" but thats just not how it is said all the time here :)


First of all I believe you mean't 'AEnakatta' and not 'ainakatta', because that doesn't mean anything. Secondly, of course you'd be shocked, since aenakatta doesn't mean I didn't want to meet you. I don't know where you got that from pal

If he hasn't responded with an "I like you, too". Take a hint. IMO, it's not so much a cultural thing as it is avoiding hurting feelings or the friendship.

My experiences in the lead up to a relationship with J-men ...(oh, hell K-men also) ... have all gone something like this.

*Meet
*Become friends
*He says, "I like you".
*Become closer friends, doing activities together
*Activities become more date like
*The confession

The confession is basically where he makes intentions known and official. I've yet to be seriously involved with a non-westernized J/K-guy that didn't say one.

My "I love you"s or "aishiteru" have always been reciprocated. "I miss you", may receive an odd response like "thank you". Yet after they understand the phrase, it is mostly reciprocated.

In long-term relationships, the puppy-love phrases will wear off. It's less frequently, close to hardly-ever said than in relationships involving another culture.

We use the same phrase "I like you" when someone wants to be his/her boy/girl friend. But in English, the LIKE sounds like very general meanings to us. Like "i like you as a person or a friend." That's why they don't get clue of your feelings from your word "i like you".

Maybe you might want to add like relationship/boyfriend or girlfriend kind of words to make it clear.

Several years ago, I responded "thank you" to "i like you". I should have made him dissapointed as many of you did. I kind of liked him also, so I still feel terrible about this.

By the way, we do have expression like "I miss(ed) you". That is more like a "I felt lonely without you/I have been wanted to see you/ I wanted to see you but we could not" in a direct translation.

Communicating with someone whose mother language is not the same is somewhat hard. You should try to make them understand or ask them if they got the meanings if you feel a little bit weired. I am totally for international, inter-cultural, and inter-ratial couple and I do not want to pass it because of miscommunication.

Just say "Sugoku Suki". This will work to get your feelings across.

Dont say aishiteru! aishiteru is really strong in japanese there are a lot of words between 'suki' and aishiteru....either use daisuki, or koishiteru, koishiteru is used when you like someone but havent expressed it before.

and btw, the meaning of i like you in english greatly depends on your location, where i come i like you means i like you, i love you means something totalllllyy different....so it depends where the individual learnt english, this is why people in japan should learn japanese!!

Well, those complaining that they've said
"I like you" to a guy and all he says is "Thanks" back, have you tried anything physical? Something as simple as holding his hand and smiling at him? Unless he's a total dunce it will cut right through the language barrier.