You met a nice lady-person in whom you have interest. She is great in every way and you have what you think is good chemistry. But you are confused about whether or not she likes you likes you.

You finally get up the courage to make a move and BAM… she says, ” I’ve always considered you a good friend.”  You just found out—probably way too late for your own good—that you’ve been stuck in the friend zone.

So…  what does it mean to be in the friend zone?  It means that this woman has categorized you as a friend rather than a potential romantic partner.  And once you are in the friend zone, it can be almost impossible to get out.

Here are some of the signs you are stuck in the friend zone:

She Keeps Mentioning That You Are Friends

If while you are hanging out, she brings up the fact that you two are friends out of nowhere and regularly, it probably means that she wants to keep it this way. If she says it after you’ve done something overtly romantic, it’s an even bigger sign that she sees you as ni more than a friend

She Always Invites Her Friends Along

You invite her somewhere to get her alone and she asks if it is ok if she invites one or more of her friends along.

If she turns potential dates into group events, especially without telling you, it’s a definite sign you’re in the friend zone.

She Talks To You About Her Personal Problems

Usually, a woman that is interested in pursuing a romantic relationship with you is not going to talk about other guys or her personal problems.

If she was interested in being more than your friend, she would be putting her best foot forward. If she’s is complaining or asking you to help her with her personal problems, she most likely does not have a romantic interest.

She Calls When She Needs Something

When she calls it’s usually not just to say hi, or to let you know about anything important that is going on in her life, and definitely not to ask about you.

She either needs something or she is looking to a great close friend to dump her problems on to get them out.  Women generally do not do this with someone they see as a potential lover.

No Flirting Or Physical Touch

Flirting can be completely innocent and doesn’t always indicate that someone is interested in a romantic relationship. However, if there’s no flirting at all, that’s a sign that you have no chance.

Likewise, innocent touching on the arm or shoulder is a  sign that there’s some physical attraction. No touching doesn’t guarantee that you are in the friend zone, but taken with other signs, it can be an indicator.

Of course, we are generalizing a little bit here, but if you notice a combination of these signs, it is a sure bet that you are in the friend zone.