If A Man Uses These 11 Phrases Often, He Doesn't Really Have All That Much To Say
RollingCamera / Shutterstock In recent years, I couldn’t help but notice how often people tend to avoid saying much of anything in casual conversation. Saying nothing or staying neutral is a smart move on many occasions, especially when you don’t want to offend someone or push someone away.
Even though it can be a smart move in social settings, sometimes I still wish guys would say more. If you’ve heard these phrases from a recent date, chances are you’re dealing with a guy who doesn’t have much of anything to say.
If a man uses these 11 phrases often, he doesn't really have all that much to say
1. 'Hey'
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Open up any dating app, and you’ll probably find at least one guy’s message that is a simple one-word greeting. It’s low-effort, which is why Time Magazine cited it as one of the worst opener lines for dating apps.
Of course, it’s not just unappealing because it’s low-effort. Guys who use this generally expect you to carry the whole conversation. The reason why is usually pretty simple: they either don’t know what to say or don’t have anything to say, regardless.
2. 'That’s crazy…'
Did you ever tell someone a whole story, only to hear him reply by telling you that’s really crazy? If it felt like he wasn’t listening to you, that’s probably because he wasn’t. This phrase actually became a meme on Urban Dictionary primarily because men use it as a reply when they don’t actually listen to women.
“That’s crazy” is a reply that says nothing and everything at once. It’s a filler that most people read as, “Yes, I’m still here. I just don’t really feel like replying in a more engaged way.” Ick, right?
3. 'Nice weather we’re having, right?'
Believe it or not, social coaches actually encourage people to talk about the weather as a way to break the ice, and we’re not talking about the ice on the roads right now. The weather is unique as a topic because everyone can talk about it, commiserate on it, and look outside to see it in action.
Unlike most other topics of discussion, weather is about as bland and neutral as it gets. You really can’t offend people with weather chat. If toast were a conversation topic, it’d be weather. Either way, it’s a go-to when most guys can’t think of anything to say.
4. 'I don’t know…'
There are some moments when saying nothing is the best thing you can say. Saying nothing can be a smart move in the office when you genuinely don’t know what to say or how to say it.
When a man says “I don’t know,” it can literally mean he doesn’t know the answer to a certain question. However, it more commonly means that he just doesn’t have anything to say on the subject, or that he doesn’t feel strongly about it one way or another. This is why guys often say they “don’t know” when asked what they want for dinner.
5. 'So, what’s new?'
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Here’s an interesting thing that experts say: if you aren’t sure what to say, it’s often best to ask about the other person. People love to talk about themselves, and it’s a quick, easy way to grease the wheels of a conversation.
If you notice that the guy in question keeps asking questions about you, it can be an indicator of interest. It can also be an indicator that he just doesn’t know what to say to keep the conversation afloat.
6. 'It is what it is'
There are many cases where conversation gets awkward or weird, and it gets hard to actually come up with a retort. This often happens when a conversation gets argumentative. A quick way to shrug off almost any argument or issue is to just say, “It is what it is.”
This is a statement I’ve often seen used when people just want to close the chapter but don’t want to tell you outright. It’s a way to stop a conversation from escalating, all while saying absolutely nothing about their position on the matter. (Let’s face it, sometimes, that’s the best thing you can do.)
7. 'I don’t really have much of an opinion about this'
If you’re single, you likely have heard at least one man say this on a dating app, especially when it comes to matters of politics. Politics has become a major dealbreaker in the world of dating, so many singles have started to stay mum about it when they first meet someone.
People who avoid the topic often actually have plenty to say about such matters. It’s just that they have nothing to say to you, because they don’t want to, because it would make you upset. Take from that what you may.
8. 'It doesn’t really matter to me that much'
As a person who’s said this before, this can mean one of two things. It either means that the person doesn’t want to bicker about something you’re emotional about, or it means that the subject really doesn’t matter to them much at all.
When a person uses this phrase in the second sense of the word, they often mean they don’t care about the topic. Because they don’t care, they generally have little to say in terms of preference and would rather pass the buck to the next person.
9. 'I’m not thinking about anything'
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Did you ever ask a guy what he’s thinking about when he’s really quiet, only to have him tell you that he’s thinking about nothing? Contrary to what over-thinkers like myself might believe, it is possible to just be staring out into space, thinking about nothing.
From what I’ve noticed, guys tend to zone out like that a lot more than women do. If he’s just sitting there, quiet, staring off into space, let him. Not every single conversation has to be a conversation, if you get my drift.
10. 'I’m not a guy of many words'
Most of us have met a quiet guy who, for one reason or another, is usually silent as a clam. He doesn’t really talk. He kind of just sits there. When he’s asked a question, the replies are short, though not icy or mean-spirited.
If you’re anything like me, then you probably confronted said guy about why he just never seems to talk. This is usually the truth. Some people don’t have much to say simply because they don’t see the point in saying something. They just assume whatever it is is understood.
11. 'We’ll talk about that later'
Some people have nothing left to say because they are either embarrassed about something they did, are hiding something they did, or don’t want to broach the subject. They don’t really have anything to say because discussing it would make them feel uncomfortable.
At times, they might not even know how to say anything. Or they just don’t want to admit how bad they actually were. As a result, men who use this as a cop-out for difficult discussions often will kick the can down the road.
Ossiana Tepfenhart is a writer whose work has been featured in Yahoo, BRIDES, Your Daily Dish, Newtheory Magazine, and others.
