9 Green Flags In Men To Look Out For

When it comes to dating advice for straight women, there’s a lot of focus on red flags, a.k.a. the signs of toxic or manipulative behavior in men.

While it’s important to recognize these warning signs, green flags in men are equally as significant. They are positive indicators that show a guy is capable of building a healthy and loving relationship.

In this article, we’ll break down 9 green flags to look for when dating guys.

Learning about these green flags will help you understand what you want in a relationship, and not just what you don’t want. Which will make you better equipped to find a partner who truly respects and supports you.

1. Generosity

Many articles that talk about green flags in guys talk about kindness. But I think kindness is the bare minimum, so instead I want to focus on another positive trait – generosity.

A generous man could go out of his way to help his elderly neighbor get groceries, or he might organize a charity event for a family in need. These actions show he isn’t selfish or uncaring.

Paying attention to generosity is important because you don’t want to end up in a relationship with a man who constantly nickels and dimes over every little thing.

I have read enough horror stories from women whose husbands want them to go 50/50 on their baby’s diapers to know that ignoring someone’s lack of generosity comes with big consequences.

2. He Respects All Women

Pay close attention to how a man treats women he isn’t attracted to.

Why?

Because unfortunately, some men are kind to women only if they find them sexually attractive. Anyone else who doesn’t fall in this category gets different treatment.

If your guy is respectful to all women – even those he has no romantic interest in – this is a green flag that signals good character.

3. He Speaks Respectfully About His Exes

How does the guy you’re dating talk about his ex-girlfriends?

It’s always a green flag if a man mentions his ex in a respectful way. Insults and vague statements like “she was crazy” are almost always a sign of immaturity and poor emotional intelligence.

Someone who can talk about their ex with respect understands that relationships sometimes just don’t work out. It doesn’t have to be anybody’s fault, even if the breakup was painful and took a while to recover from.

It shows he can handle disappointment with grace. And this personality trait is important in many other areas of life.

4. Good Relationship With His Parents (Especially His Mom)

Obviously, not everyone has a good relationship with their parents. Especially if they experienced abuse growing up.

But if the guy you’re dating had a good childhood, and still treats his parents like crap, then reconsider your relationship. This includes being entitled to their financial help or assistance in handling everyday problems he should be taking care of as an adult.

Pay special attention to his relationship with his mother.

If he has unresolved issues with her, it will affect how he treats all women in his life. Men with “mommy issues” often project their unresolved problems onto their female partners, which is not conducive to a healthy relationship.

In this scenario, you’re tasked with solving problems that you did not create. And this is completely unacceptable if you want to have a healthy relationship.

However, if your boyfriend’s relationship with his parents is filled with mutual respect and healthy boundaries, then this counts as a green flag.

5. Good Friends

“We are the average of the five people we spend the most time with,” said motivational speaker Jim Rohn. Whether you agree or disagree with this statement, ignoring who your partner spends a lot of time with could come with a cost.

If his friends are generally kind and respectful people, it’s a positive sign that he values the same principles.

But if his friends partake in behavior such as cheating or binge drinking every weekend, it’s likely he will think such behavior is acceptable.

It might not be obvious at first. But over time, you could see that he holds many of the same values as his friends, which will impact how he treats you.

5. Hobbies

It’s important that the man you’re in a relationship with spends his time in ways that don’t involve just staring at a screen, partying, or playing video games.

His hobbies could include everything from fitness to gardening and doing home improvement projects.

Such activities indicate he values his time and wants to spend it in ways that benefit him — not just distract him from his problems.

This becomes crucial as your relationship progresses, especially if you end up marrying him. No one wants to be stuck with a couch potato whose only sources of entertainment are gossip and screens.

6. Emotional Intelligence

Being emotionally intelligent means knowing how to:

• Regulate your emotions
• Understand why someone is upset
• Respond appropriately

This skill is crucial for healthy conflict resolution.

If you’re dating someone who gets angry every time you try to have a difficult conversation, your relationship will be incredibly emotionally draining.

You might stop bringing up issues altogether because you’re afraid of his reaction. This avoidance lays the foundation for a toxic relationship where it doesn’t feel safe to be yourself. Or express your emotions.

But an emotionally intelligent man handles conflicts maturely, creating a safe and supportive environment. He doesn’t see every issue like a personal attack, but as an opportunity to listen and find a solution. And this brings you closer together and builds trust.

7. He Knows When To Say Sorry

Another green flag in a guy is his ability to apologize.

When you confront him about something hurtful he did, his first reaction shouldn’t be to defend himself, attack you, make excuses, or shift the blame.

Instead, he should apologize sincerely.

This shows he is emotionally mature and doesn’t have a huge ego that would prevent him from admitting he made a mistake. It’s also a sign he is sensitive and empathetic, which will make it easier to have tough conversations in the future.

8. He Is Serious About Commitment

If you’re dating with the intention of a serious relationship, look for green flags that indicate the man you’re seeing takes your relationship seriously.

His words and actions should match. He should be consistent, respectful, and interested in getting to know you. It should not feel like he is playing games or doesn’t know what he wants.

Trying to rush the relationship, giving off situationship energy, and breadcrumbing are all serious red flags that commitment isn’t important to him.

9. He Makes Time For You

We all lead busy lives. But if you want to find a serious relationship with a long-term partner, you need to invest time.

A man who is serious about building a relationship will make time for you, no matter how busy he is. Don’t fall for excuses like “Work is so crazy right now” or “My car keeps breaking down.”

When someone is genuinely interested in you, they’ll create space in their life for you.

Why? Because they see the potential in your connection and want to explore it further. And they don’t want to risk losing you.

Men with demanding jobs—astronauts, surgeons, CEOs—still manage to make time for relationships. If the man you’re dating truly prioritizes you, he’ll rearrange his schedule to see you at least once a week so your relationship moves in the right direction.

Important: Don’t be fooled by constant texting. If you’re not going out on at least one date per week, he isn’t that serious.

Final Tip: Don’t Imagine Green Flags

A common mistake many young women make is assigning too much value to perceived green flags that aren’t truly significant.

You might start dating someone who seems like a great guy—just your type on paper, as they say on Love Island. For example, he could be well-traveled and have a great career.

While these things can be important, the most crucial green flag in a man is how he treats you. If he is disrespectful and makes you feel insignificant, then it doesn’t matter if he takes you to expensive restaurants or offers to pay for all of your shared activities.

Although it’s normal to be impressed when someone has a lot of accomplishments under their belt, remember that you won’t be in a relationship with their achievements. You’ll be in a relationship with the person. And they need to be a quality person underneath all of their success.