What Does It Mean If a Girl Calls You Bro?

Co-authored by Kristina Mirgorodskaya and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: May 6, 2025 Fact Checked

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When a girl calls you “bro,” it can be very confusing—does that mean you’re in the friend zone? Does it mean she has feelings for you? What if she calls everyone bro? Fortunately, with our tips, you can figure out what it means for you and her going forward. Keep reading to learn exactly why a girl might call you bro and what to reply when a girl calls you bro.

1

She sees you as a friend.

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Sometimes, people say “bro” to show that you’re just friends. Yes, it’s true—a girl calling you “bro” could mean you’re in the friend zone. Pay attention to how she says it: does she make a point to enunciate the word? Is she only calling you bro and no one else? If so, she might be making a point that she doesn’t like you.^{[1]
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- If you aren’t sure, there are other ways to find out you’re in the friend zone. For example, she might avoid hanging out with you alone or tell you all about her relationship problems and her crushes.
- If your goal is to get out of the friend zone, don’t call her “bro” back. This might show her that you only think of her as a friend, and it could solidify your friend zone status in her mind.

2

She thinks of you as a brother.

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“Bro” is short for brother, which could mean she sees you that way. Thinking of you like a brother is even deeper than friendship—it means she truly feels like she can be herself around you. Again, this isn’t a bad thing at all, but it might not be what you’re looking for if you like her romantically.^{[2]
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- She might also say things like, “You’re like my brother!” or, “It’s like we’re related!”

3

She trusts you.

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She might feel comfortable around you as a friend. If you’re the one she calls when she’s having problems or she spills all her secrets to you, she’s probably calling you bro as a sign of platonic endearment. This isn’t a bad thing, but it does probably mean that she sees you as a friend rather than a potential date.^{[3]
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- The best way to get out of the friend zone is to express your feelings to her. It might sound scary, but telling her that you like her is the only way to know if she likes you, too.

4

She secretly likes you.

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She might be calling you “bro” because she’s nervous. Confusing, right? Sometimes, a girl will call you bro or dude because she actually does have feelings for you. She might be trying to hide her feelings, or she could be doing it to calm her own nerves.^{[4]
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- Not sure if she likes you back? You can tell if she likes you by taking note of her body language: if she makes a lot of eye contact with you or touches you on the arm often, there’s a good chance that she has feelings for you.

Quiz

wikiHow Quiz: Does She Like Me?

Some girls can feel like a total mystery. How can you figure out if she likes you just as a friend or if she wants something more? Take this quiz to find out!

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How do her friends treat you?

They told me that she likes me.

They giggle and laugh with her when I walk into the room.

They’ve mentioned her in conversation.

They haven’t done anything out of the ordinary (or I don't know them).

5

She’s flirting with you.

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She might be calling you “bro” as a way to playfully tease you. “Bro” is a funny thing to call someone if you have feelings for them, so she might be doing it in hopes that you catch on. Teasing is a sign that she may like you,^{[5]
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Expert Source

John Keegan
Dating Coach

Expert Interview} so try paying attention to how she talks to you—if she’s super flirtatious and wants to hang out with you often, she might just be waiting for you to make the first move.^{[6]
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- If you think she likes you, it’s best not to call her “bro” back. Instead, use her name often to show that you’re thinking about her and that you like her.

6

She’s not sure how she feels about you.

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She might be calling you bro as she figures out her feelings. Maybe she’s on the fence about whether she likes you as a friend or if there’s something more. If that’s the case, you might notice that she starts calling you “bro” less and less.^{[7]
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- The best way to handle a situation like this is to not call her “bro” back. That way, she knows that you don’t see her as just a friend, which might encourage her to explore her feelings about you.

7

Her friend has a crush on you.

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She could be calling you bro to hint that her friend has feelings for you. Maybe she’s picked up on the fact that you like her, but she doesn’t want to give you the wrong impression. Is she constantly trying to set you up with her friend or give you her friend’s number? If so, you could be going after the wrong girl!
- It’s totally fine if you don’t like her friend. Just know that girls usually won’t go after a friend’s crush.

8

She likes someone else.

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Some girls use “bro” as a way to signal that you’re not their crush. Have you noticed her spending a lot of time with anyone else recently? Maybe she’s found someone she likes, and she doesn’t want you to get the wrong impression. It might be hard to accept, but if she likes someone else, the best thing you can do is move on.^{[8]
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- You could also try asking her if she likes anyone or has a crush on anyone else. If you two are good friends, she might just tell you.

9

She’s mad at you.

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She could be calling you bro to tell you that something’s wrong. Maybe she only started calling you “bro” recently, or she’s using it after you two had a fight. Some girls will call you bro to signal that she did like you, but she’s not feeling it anymore. Think about your last few interactions: is there anything that happened that might have made her angry? If so, that could explain the sudden switch.
- Try asking her if you did anything to make her mad. Hopefully, you two can talk about it and make up.

10

She calls everyone in her life bro.

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“Bro” might be something she says to all of her pals. Pay attention to how she talks to other people—does she call her other friends “bro” or “dude”? If so, you might not be in the friend zone after all. “Bro” is a very popular name to call someone, and you don’t need to read into it too much.^{[9]
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- When she calls everyone bro, feel free to call her “bro,” too. Chances are, she doesn’t think much of it, and it’s just a common nickname that she likes to use.