Falling for a friend is risky business but knowing how to get a friend to like you back might make things a lot easier for the both of you.

So you like your friend. It’s not the craziest thing to ever happen. You’re friends for a reason, after all. You already have feelings for them and now that they’ve intensified, you want them to feel the same. But figuring out how to get a friend to like you isn’t as easy as you might think.

It’s especially difficult if you want them to like you before confessing how you truly feel about them. Thankfully, there are ways to get them to see you in a more romantic light. Doing these things can show them just what you’d be like as a romantic partner.

Not every friend will like you as more than just a friend

It’s a hard reality to come to grips with, but it’s true. No matter how much you try, your friend just might not like you back. There’s nothing you can really do in this case. It’s not like you can force someone to think of you in a romantic way.

That’s something you need to keep in mind going forward. And the truth is, you shouldn’t want someone who doesn’t really like you. If they aren’t romantically interested, that’s their loss and they can’t even help that, either. [Read: 20 unmistakeable signs your friend is crushing on you]

How to get a friend to like you the sneaky way

Some of us aren’t brave enough to let our feelings be known. But if you want a chance to be with your friend, you’ll need some help to get them to like you. Here’s how you can get your friend to like you without being super obvious about it.

#1 Stop talking to them about your love life issues. They shouldn’t be the person you go to in order to talk about people you like or think are attractive. By doing this, you’re already telling them that you don’t have any feelings for them.

And that’s not what you want. You want them to think of you as someone they could potentially be with. Therefore, you can’t give them any ideas that you’re interested in someone else or they’ll just write you off.

#2 Make them see what you’d be like as a partner. Be more caring toward them. Do stuff for them that you might do for a significant other. Just because you’re friends doesn’t mean you can’t treat them like more.

The more they see you as someone they can count on and trust, the more they’ll start to look at you like a partner. That can help bring out some of their deeper feelings for you. [Read: 12 really sweet ways to show someone how much you like them]

#3 Talk to them about deep, meaningful things. You can’t build a deep connection if all you ever talk about is what you had for dinner the night before. You need to connect a lot deeper if you want to know how to get a friend to like you.

Come up with conversation topics that mean more than just casual conversation. Make your friend think of you when you they go home at night. The more they can connect with you on a deeper level, the more they’ll start to like you. [Read: How to emotionally connect with someone and feel closer]

#4 Put on the charm. There’s no reason to hold back. Start charming them. If you get them to think about you having feelings for them, the more they’ll start to wonder if they feel the same.

And that can kick-start some intense feelings toward you. So turn on the charm. Tell them how great they look and how funny they are. It’s simple enough but it could mean a lot more than you realize.

#5 Try flirting every now and then. There’s nothing wrong with getting a little playful with your friends. Flirting might be something you do anyway. You may not even realize that you’ve been flirting with them for a while.

Now do it on purpose. Wink at them when you tell a dirty joke and just flirt more in general. If they flirt back, it’s a great sign and will get them thinking about how much they like you back. [Read: 10 ways to build sexual tension through flirting]

#6 Look great around them. It’s time you put your best foot forward. If you want them to be attracted to you, then look the part. Put on some clothes you look and feel great in. You can also put more effort into your appearance in general and stay clean and smell good. The better you look, the more you’ll catch their eye.

#7 Compliment them. If you really want to know how to get a friend to like you, start complimenting them more. But don’t just tell them that they look good. Compliment more important things, like their personality and intelligence.

People love to hear how great you think those things are. Obviously, you still want to tell them that you think they look good on a certain day but just don’t forget to dig deeper. The more they feel that you appreciate them, the more they’ll like you.

#8 Stop talking to them so much. I know this probably sounds counterproductive but it works. They need to miss you. Realizing how much they want you in their life can help them see you in a new way. When you’re missing from their life and they realize it, it’ll make them want you there more. [Read: 50 nice things to say to your best friend to brighten their day]

#9 Don’t let them talk about who they like around you. This might be difficult because it can really giveaway how you feel about them. That being said, try to avoid it when you can. Don’t let them go on and on about people they like who aren’t you. Shut them down and move on to something else.

#10 Initiate some contact. You have to break that friendly barrier a little bit. Start hugging them when you see them. You can even hug them goodbye and just get touchy-feely in innocent ways.

Touch their shoulder when they made you laugh. Grab their arm when they say something cute. It’s all about those little moves that bring you closer together physically. That’ll really help them start to see you as something more than just a friend. [Read: How to kiss a friend accidentally and get away with it]

#11 Start asking about their family more. You have to start caring more about their life outside of you, just like you would a significant other. Ask about their family. Pay attention to their moods and figure out if their home life is fun and good.

Even go over there and chat up their parents for a little bit. When you’re good with their family, they’ll start to imagine what it would be like to have you around all the time. And that can make them start to like you. [Read: How to get someone to like you more effortlessly]

#12 Get interested in their hobbies. You have to be involved in their lives in more ways than just a friend would. If they see you care about things like their hobbies and favorite activates outside of your friendship, it’ll mean something special to them.

Knowing how to get a friend to like you is tricky business. With these tips, they’ll start to see you as more of a person they can be with intimately and less of just a friend.