How to Act Like You Have a Boyfriend

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: January 16, 2023

Although most people want to be in a relationship at one point or another, there are times when it makes sense to act like you already have a boyfriend. Whether you're trying to impress a group of people or deter a persistent suitor, pulling the "I have a boyfriend" card can come in handy. Although you may look silly if you're caught faking, acting out a different life can be a fun break from the norm.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Faking a Boyfriend to Reject Someone

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Look for signs of attraction. If you're out at a party or event and a guy is talking to you, you should be on the lookout for signs of attraction. Things like persistent eye contact, compliments, and assertive body language may indicate that a guy has his eyes set on you. If you want to reject someone, it helps to identify the early warning signs, and then pull the boyfriend card early on.^{[1]
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- Leading someone on makes things worse for the both of you. Your best bet is to tell a guy you have a boyfriend as soon as you think he's coming on to you. If you welcome the attention at first and turn it away later, telling him you have a boyfriend might not work as a proper rejection, as he may assume you want to cheat with him.
- Say your boyfriend's just coming back from the bathroom if someone's coming on too fast.
2
Tell him you have a boyfriend.^{[2]
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Research source} In the vast majority of cases, the simplest way of telling someone you have a boyfriend is the best. If a guy makes an overt advance on you, you should say "I have a boyfriend" without trying to dress it up with any detail. If you're having a conversation and want to be less confrontational, you can work your would-be boyfriend into the conversation.
- For example, if you're talking about music, you might say "My boyfriend's favourite band is..." This method is a good way of letting someone know you're taken without making it seem like you're rejecting him.
- Be straightforward. Don't beat around the bush if you're trying to get someone to think you have a boyfriend. Even if you're trying to save someone's feelings, being straightforward about your rejection will minimize the risk of dragging it out longer than it needs to last.
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3
Avoid sending mixed messages. Mixed messages are a big problem if you're trying to reject someone. In fact, just being polite can indicate to some guys that you're at least somewhat interested in him. If he's into you, he may take any indication as a sign to keep going. If you're intent on saying "No" to a guy, make sure you're expressing it on all levels.
- You should also be aware of your body language. While you don't need to be completely standoffish, you should keep your hands to yourself, even if you usually like to express yourself with touch.
4
Remember you live in the age of technology. In other words, if the guy knows your name, he may have enough information to look you up online. If he can look you up, he can find your relationship status on social media. He can figure out you're lying if you have it set to "single."^{[3]
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- If someone does figure out you're not being truthful, you could use an excuse like you just started seeing someone, and you haven't made it "Facebook official" yet.
- If you use this technique often, you may want to keep your relationship status hidden.
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Consider alternate approaches. Some women think that the "I have a boyfriend" approach reinforces the concept that a woman needs a man in order to be complete. This tactic is also overused, often to the point where guys may suspect you're lying. Simply saying "I'm not interested in dating anyone" will leave no room for interpretation, as well as demonstrate to others that you're confident in your own decisions.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Acting Like You Have a Boyfriend to Friends

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Refer to your fake boyfriend by name. Friends are generally very difficult to fake a relationship around, particularly if you were planning on making it a long-term illusion. Although you'll always have to deflect the offer when they ask to spend time with him, you should put detail to good use. Refer to him by name, and treat it as if you're talking about a real human being.
- The choice of name is important. Avoid outlandish or foreign-sounding names.
- You should avoid giving out a surname as well. Your friends may be curious and try to look him up on social media if you do.
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Think up a personality for your beau. Any illusion has a better chance of working if you put extra thought into it. Because friends are going to want to know more about your boyfriend, you should prepare a believable personality for him. What does he do for work? How did the two of you meet? What are his personality quirks? If you're going to act like you have a boyfriend around your friends, you'll need to dig beneath the surface and concoct a well-rounded story.
- Believability includes not making your boyfriend seem too perfect. Although you don't need to list out his flaws along with the good things, you should limit the good things so you don't seem like you're exaggerating. Everyone has a complaint about their significant other from time to time.
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Avoid trying to impress anyone too much.^{[4]
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Research source} If you're already dating someone faithfully, you likely won't be going out of your way to impress other people as much, especially when they're the opposite sex. Even if you're regularly extroverted, you shouldn't go out of your way as much to spark conversation with new people.
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Feel secure and happy in yourself.^{[5]
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Research source} Many people place a lot of their self-worth on whether or not they're in a relationship. If you want to make it seem like you're with someone, you should do your best to exhibit this confidence in yourself. One way or another, you shouldn't let your relationship status affect how you feel on a normal basis.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Acting Like You Have a Boyfriend Online

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Make statuses about your relationship. The easiest way you can act like you have a boyfriend online is by making posts about your relationship together. Compliment your boyfriend in public via your social media account, and keep your online social circle up to date about romantic nights you're not actually having.
- Don't go overboard with these posts, as they often tend to be annoying to other people, especially to those who are having trouble finding a relationship of their own.
2
Act cheerful and upbeat online. Whatever your reason for faking a relationship, do your best to make yourself feel the way you would if you were really with someone. Visualize the thoughts and feelings that normally distinguish being single from being in a relationship, and try to emulate the latter as best as you can. For example, being in a relationship may lead to you making cheerier posts online, rather than unhappy ones.
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Stage pictures that imply a relationship.^{[6]
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Research source} Although people may be suspicious of a faked profile, a fake boyfriend will seem that much more real if you stage pictures in the real world. A picture as basic as two coffee cups on a table with an appropriate caption will make it seem like you're out doing things with someone special. Even if you won't have an actual boyfriend to photograph, the implication is often enough.
- A caption is a vital part of creating the illusion. Make it affectionate and romantic. For instance, if you have two coffee cups set up, you can say something like "Drinking my favourite coffee with my favourite guy."
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Try a virtual boyfriend service. There are virtual relationship services that will give you the experience of having a fake relationship for a monthly fee. Upon paying, you'll normally get custom-made voicemails, cutesy texts, and a believable backstory on how the two of you met in the first place. If you need a quick way to act like you have a boyfriend, delegating some of the creativity to professionals may be the very help you need.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I tell your friends and family about him?

Community Answer

You can, but remember that the more people you involve, the more complicated the lie becomes.
Question

What if my friends want to meet my "boyfriend"?

Community Answer

Just say he is on vacation or out of town. If they keep asking, tell them you broke up with him or got into a fight and don't want to talk about it.
Question

What if my friends figure out I don't have a boyfriend? If I keep saying that I do, they might not want to be my friends anymore because I lied.

Community Answer

This is why it's always best to just tell the truth. If you've already told them you have a boyfriend, come clean now or just tell them you broke up with him.

Warnings

If you are single and looking for a real boyfriend, keep in mind that acting like you already have one may deter guys who want to date you.

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