Love & Relationships

You already know that men and women speak a different language. Studies show that men tend to mean what they say. While women find layers of meaning in even the simplest statement.  So, here’s a little Girl-Speak 101. A few hints to help you translate your next guy-gal conversation. This intelligence comes from Netscape .com’s relationship expert Laura Snyder:

• First: if she says, “I’m sorry,” what she really means is, “I apologized. Now it’s your turn.” Basically, her apology’s not the end of the argument. It's the beginning of the “making up” part. So, instead of saying, “Apology accepted,” say: “I'm sorry, too” – and mean it. Otherwise, she’ll feel like you’re blaming her for the disagreement, and she’ll resent you for it.
• Next question translated: “Do I look fat in these pants?” What she’s really asking is whether you still find her attractive. She's fishing for compliments, so take the bait. But don’t ever agree that she’s gained weight, real or imagined. She simply wants to be reassured that even if it she isn’t perfect, you still love her.  
• How about this trick sentence? You’re at a party, and she says, “I’m ready to go. But why don’t you stay and have fun?” Don’t fall for it guys! What she really means is, “What’s more important to you: Me or your friends?” If you know what's good for you, you'll say goodbye when she does.
• And the final statement translated: She says, “I’m fine.” But what she really means is, “I’m angry and it’s your job to find out why.” She won’t just tell you because she thinks it's so obvious you should already know. So, follow up with a simple, “Are you sure? You seem upset.” That’ll get her talking and you’ll get extra points for being perceptive.