The dating world can be tricky enough to navigate but a frequent dilemma many single people face is trying to discover if somebody you like is single. It might be a cute person who you see every day on your commute to work, or somebody you get chatting to at a party. They seem lovely and friendly, but has romance crossed their mind? Are they attached and just chatting to you in a friendly way? Perhaps you are summoning up the courage to approach a stranger who has caught your eye, and you can’t bear the thought of asking them outright if they are single.
Of course, a wedding band or an engagement ring is the obvious giveaway of somebody’s relationship status – but otherwise where do you start? A survey found 66% of singles would use covert questioning to find out if somebody was single, while only 37% would ask somebody outright. The kind of questions people are using to interrogate a potential match include asking them about their weekend plans (to see if they mention time spent with a partner) or sounding them out about their living arrangements to see if they live with somebody. But these questions still might not yield the answers you are looking for, so how can you come up with a fool proof way of sussing if somebody is single?
It’s a question that has become more relevant recently as daters move away from the apps with a desire to meet people organically. The question of how you initiate real-life encounter is something a newly launched company has attempted to address with the Pear Ring – a turquoise ring which people wear to show others they are single and happy to be approached in real life. The idea is that if somebody is subtly indicating they are single then there’s no need for awkward conversations trying to glean they are open to romance.
There are other ways of embarking on some detective work to find out if somebody is attached or not – read our top tips below.
Ask them about their last holiday: This is a popular trick, with the theory being the person you ask will mention who they went with when they tell you about their latest trip. If it was friends or a solo trip, chances are they aren’t part of an established couple.
Start a conversation about being single: You don’t have to be direct in your questioning about their relationship status, but you can raise topics related to being single. It might be asking them about their dating experiences or dating apps. Questions such as “how late is too late to show up for a first date?” might help elicit discussion about the last time they dated – if it was last week, you’ve got your answer about whether they are actively looking for love.
Do some digging: If you know each other well enough then request them as a friend on Facebook and have a look at their Instagram profile. Their recent posts can help give you an idea of whether they are seeing somebody. Lots of solo pictures or shots with friends can suggest they are single, but loved up pictures of them with a significant other will give you the information you need. Don’t go back too far though as they might have pictures of them with an ex, which could confuse things. If you have mutual acquaintances, then you can ask around to see if anybody knows if the person you like is single.
Just ask them: OK, it takes some guts but directly asking somebody if they are single gives you the answer you are looking for. It saves a lot of time trying to guess their relationship status. It’s not an approach that’ll suit everybody though because of the risk of rejection or the awkwardness that can follow when they do say they are seeing somebody.
Try a singles event: Organised events are becoming increasingly popular again as a relaxed way to meet people in real life. The pressure is off trying to discover if somebody is looking for love, so you can just concentrate on getting to know potential love interests better.
Work with a matchmaker: It can really pay to team up with the experts when you are looking for love. The team at Ignite Dating are highly trained in understanding what you want from a relationship, and they work hard to find the right potential partner for you. You can just sit back while they do all the hard work and enjoy some fantastic dates with likeminded people.
If you’d like to find out more about award-winning matchmaking service, why not give us a call today? We work closely with you to establish the values and characteristics that are important to you and make personalised introductions. We enjoy working with enthusiastic clients who are committed to finding a life partner with similar family values and outlooks on life and we pride ourselves on providing a dating journey that’ll leave you feeling energised, confident, and safe.
