How can you tell if a girl likes you? Finding out how a girl truly feels can be a bit of a mystery. It's not always easy to pick up on the signs, and you may be unsure about what that smile or lingering gaze really means. You want to make sure you're not wasting your time pursuing a girl who's not interested, but you don't want to be too hasty and come across as overbearing or downright creepy.

The best way to tell if a girl likes you is to pay close attention to her body language. If you approach a girl and she turns away, crosses her arms while she's talking to you, or stares off into space while listening, she's probably not interested. A girl who's interested will smile and pay close attention to what you have to say, and may lean closer when talking to you. If a girl likes you, she may touch your arm or shoulder.

You'll be able to pick up some valuable clues from conversation. If a girl talks nonstop about herself, either she's not interested, or she's really self-centred – both make her an unsuitable girlfriend! If she asks you about a girlfriend or ex-girlfriend, she's probably trying to find out if you are available.

The best way to tell if a girl likes you is to ask her to have a coffee with you, or go for a walk. The worst she'll say is “no,” and then you can walk away knowing that you tried. You can't be so afraid of rejection that you never take a chance in dating, or you'll end up never knowing if a girl could be a potential girlfriend.

Once you begin talking to a girl, you'll have to be a bit patient to see if she likes you as a friend or if she'd like to date you - some girls may only be interested in friendship. Look at how much of the calling, emailing or texting you're doing. Women like to be pursued, and many times the male takes on the more dominant role in dating. However, there are some warning signs when it comes to communication. If you're the one calling her every time you make plans, or if she doesn't text or email you back very often, she's not interested enough to put the effort into starting a relationship with you.

Some girls play games and only contact you when they want something, or because they're lonely or bored. Think about it: does she call to say she's thinking of you or to make plans for the weekend? Or, does she put you off until the last minute, and only call when she needs a favour or a shoulder to cry on?

Finally, it's important that you're respectful when trying to tell if a girl likes you. Too many guys keep on trying, even when a girl tells them she has a boyfriend, or that she's not interested. There's a fine line between being charmingly persistent and being a total pest, so know when to walk away.