It’s frustrating when your boyfriend, husband, or partner gets jealous when you are just talking with other guys.
Some women find it flattering, and it does show that he loves you, but it can also be smothering and lead to your guy acting out and causing a scene.
If your man has been acting strange when you hang out or talk with other guys, there is a strong possibility that he’s jealous.
Here are 20 signs he is jealous when you talk to other guys and what you should do about it:
20 Signs He Is Jealous When I Talk to Other Guys!
1. He Always Wants to Know Who You Were Talking To
One of the most glaring signs that your man is jealous when you talk to another guy is if he always has to know who you were speaking to.
Not just who they are, but how you know them, what your history with them is, and loads of other intrusive questions.
This behavior is a huge red flag that your man is feeling insecure in your relationship, is jealous of you talking to other guys, and is probably going to try to control who you talk to.
2. He Wants to Know What the Two of You Were Saying – Exactly
Another sign that your man is jealous when you talk to other guys is if he wants to know the entire conversation – word for word.
This is a strong indication that he’s super jealous and wants to know how much fun you were having, if there was flirting (in his eyes), and if he’s missing out on anything.
It never feels good to be integrated and this is one of the jealous behaviors that cause a lot of arguments as I’m sure you’ll agree if your man is behaving like this.
3. He Says Negative Things About the Guys You Speak To
Whether it’s a guy you’ve just met, or a close friend, if your man is jealous he’ll have something negative to say about every single guy you speak to.
Jealousy is often the root of resentment and if your man is constantly putting other guys down, it’s a sign that he’s jealous of them and wants to try and make them look bad.
4. He Turns Your Innocent Answers Into Something More
When your guy asks you loads of questions about who, why, where, and everything else, if he twists your answers this is a red flag.
This is a sign that your man is not just jealous, but he’s also trying to control you.
He’ll take an innocent answer like “I was talking to Tim about work” and turn it into “You were flirting with Tim, weren’t you?” or say “What does he have that I don’t?” and so on.
5. He Gets Argumentative After You Speak with Other Guys
If you find that your man gets into arguments with you more and more after you’ve spoken to other guys, this is a sign that he’s jealous.
He’ll try and pick fights with you over the most trivial things and when you’re talking to other guys he’ll find any opportunity to have a go at you.
Arguing all the time is no fun, and it’s one of the main signs that your man’s jealousy is causing problems in your relationship.
6. He Accuses You of Cheating with No Basis Whatsoever
If your man is accusing you of cheating with no basis whatsoever, this is a strong sign that he’s jealous.
He might say things like “I saw you talking to that guy, I bet you’re cheating on me” or “You’re always talking to other guys, I know you’re cheating”.
These are baseless accusations and are just a way for your man to try and control you by making you feel guilty.
7. He Does Things to Try and Make You Jealous
One way some guys deal with their own jealousy is to try and make you jealous, but they will take it too far.
This might include flirting with other girls in front of you, talking about ex-girlfriends, or trying to make you feel guilty for talking to other guys.
Making you feel jealous is not a healthy way to deal with jealousy, and is just a sign that your man is immature and doesn’t know how to deal with his emotions.
8. He’s Gone as Far as To Tell a Guy to Back Away from You
In the most extreme cases, a man who is jealous will go as far as to tell a guy to back away from you.
This is very controlling and manipulative behavior and is a sign that your man is feeling insecure in your relationship.
It’s awkward to say the least, and if he’s getting angry or confrontational you need to seriously consider if he’s the right man for you.
9. He Asks Your Friends a Lot of Questions About You
If your man doesn’t want to be confrontational or maybe try and keep his jealousy a secret, he might interrogate your friends instead.
He’ll try and find out what you’re doing, who you’re talking to, how close you are to these other men, and anything else he can think of.
This is a very sneaky way to try and control you, and is a sign that your man is feeling insecure in your relationship.
10. He Tries to Make You Feel Sorry for Him
In some cases, if your man is jealous he will try and make you feel sorry for him.
He might say things like “I’m just worried about you, I don’t want to lose you” or “I just care about you so much”.
While it’s normal to be worried about losing someone you care about, if your man is constantly trying to make you feel sorry for him this is a sign that he’s using jealousy as a way to isolate you from your male friends.
11. He’s Interacting with Your Guy Friends on Social Media
If your man starts reaching out to your guy friends on social media when he doesn’t know them, it’s weird to say the least.
This is a sign that he’s feeling jealous and is trying to keep tabs on you by interacting with your friends online.
It’s not a normal or healthy relationship behavior and raises a red flag.
12. He Accompanies You When It’s Not Necessary
If your man starts to accompany you to places where it’s not necessary, this is a major red flag that he’s feeling jealous and is keeping close tabs on you.
This is another unhealthy behavior that’s going to wear on you over time and be the cause of arguments.
This is something you need to put a stop to asap as it’s only going to escalate into more controlling behaviors.
13. He Tries to Pull You Away from Talking to Guys
If your guy’s jealousy is really boiling over, he might even go as far as to interrupt you and pull you away from talking to a guy.
This is another controlling and possessive behavior and is a sign that your man needs to learn how to deal with his emotions in a healthy way.
Not to mention it’s embarrassing for you!
14. He Gets Competitive with Other Guys
In some cases, if your man is jealous he will start to get competitive with other guys.
This might include trying to one-up them in conversation or trying to physically assert his dominance.
This is very childish and immature behavior, and is a sign that your man needs to learn how to control his emotions and not embarrass himself (and you) in public.
15. Your Friends Are Warning You He’s Jealous
Sometimes our friends can see all the red flags and warning signs better than we can from where they’re standing.
If your friends are telling you that they think your man is jealous, it’s probably because they see all the signs that you’re missing because you’re too wrapped up in him.
Always listen to your friends, and remember, they have your best interests at heart.
16. He Blows Hot and Cold with You
This is another tactic guys will use to try and play with your emotions and gain control over you.
They’ll be sweet and loving one minute, and then the next they’re cold and distant.
This is a very confusing and frustrating behavior that will leave you feeling off-balance and uncertain.
It’s a sign that your man is playing games with you and trying to control you through manipulation because he’s jealous.
17. He’s Standoffish with Your Male Friends
This is another of the awkward ways some guys will act when they’re jealous of you and don’t like seeing you talk to other guys.
If your male friends are just trying to be friendly with your man and he’s giving them the cold shoulder, it’s obvious he has an issue.
It’s very likely he’s jealous and is putting up a wall to make it clear that he doesn’t want them around him (or you if he has his way).
18. He Tries to See Who You’re Texting
This is a very invasive and controlling behavior, but unfortunately, it’s one that some jealous guys will resort to.
They’ll try to see who you’re texting or even go through your phone when you’re not looking in an attempt to satisfy their jealous curiosity.
This is a massive violation of your privacy and it’s something you need to be clear about that is not going to be tolerated.
Related – Here are some tips for making your ex jealous on social media.
19. He Makes You Feel Guilty for Talking to Other Guys
If your man is making you feel guilty or embarrassed for talking to other guys, this is a sign that he’s feeling jealous and insecure.
Making someone feel guilty is one of the key signs that someone is feeling jealous, and it’s one of the more ugly traits.
You should never feel guilty or like you’re doing something wrong for talking to other guys, and if your man is making you feel that way it’s time to have a serious talk.
20. He Can’t Stop Staring when You’re Talking to Another Guy
This is borderline creepy and disturbing!
If your man just stares at you while you’re talking to other guys he’s clearly trying to make you feel uneasy.
No one should treat their partner like this, especially over something as innocent as simply talking to a friend who happens to be a male!
It’s a very unhealthy sign and is something you need to address with your man if he’s doing it.
What to Do if Your Man Is Jealous of You Talking to Other Guys
If your guy is exhibiting any of the signs above that he’s jealous of you talking to other guys you have to talk to him about it.
There is no other way around this, you need to be upfront and honest with him about his behavior and how it’s making you feel.
Jealousy is a very destructive emotion and it can ruin relationships if it’s not dealt with properly.
You need to explain to him calmly and rationally why his behavior is a problem, and what he needs to do to fix it.
If he’s unwilling or unable to change then you need to decide if the relationship is worth continuing.
Jealousy can be a very difficult emotion to deal with, but it’s important to remember that you shouldn’t have to put up with it in a relationship.
If your man is making you feel uncomfortable, unsafe, or unhappy then it’s time to take a stand and do something about it.
I’m sure he’ll try and make excuses for his behavior at first, and may even try and turn it around on you and make you feel guilty.
Don’t have any of it.
You know how he’s making you feel, and if it’s anything less than special, respected, and trusted, he needs to do something about it!
Image credits – Photo by Tyler Nix on Unsplash
Phil lives in England, UK, and has around 20 years experience as a professional life, career and executive coach. He started this blog to help others find and define their own self development journey. Blogging about a wide range of topics to help facilitate a better future.