How to know whether they’re flirting or just being friendly

Your phone dings, and you look down to see a “Hiiii” message staring back at you. What does it mean? Is this a casual conversation starter, or your crush shooting their shot? The difference between texting "hi" and "hiiii" to someone you like may seem minor, but it can actually send very different messages. No matter if a guy or girl sends you this text, it usually means the same thing. In this article, we’ll teach you everything there is to know about what a “hiiii” text means and how you can respond to it. Thankfully, this intriguing text is a lot easier to interpret than you may think!

Things You Should Know

  • “Hiiii” is a flirtatious greeting a guy or girl will text when they want to get together.
  • Respond to a “hiiii” message with a “Hiii 😉” if you're feeling flirty or a casual “What’s up?” if you want to keep things in the friend zone.
  • Keep in mind that the more i’s attached to the end of “hi,” the more someone likes you.
Section 1 of 3:

What does a “hiiii” text mean?

  1. If a guy or girl texts you “hiiii,” they’re excited to talk to you. As a general rule, the more repeated letters at the end of a message, the more a person likes you. It doesn’t matter if a girl or guy is texting you—this rule is universal! So, if your crush, partner, or even friend sends you a “hiiii” out of the blue, they’re totally into you and are trying to start up a flirty conversation.[1]
    • More often than not, a “hiiii” text is the sender’s way of saying, “I like you. Let’s hook up!”
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Section 2 of 3:

How to Respond to “Hiiii”

  1. 1
    “Hiii 😉” Respond with a flirty message to show them you’re into them too. Now, your first reply doesn’t have to be something elaborate. Keep it simple but suggestive so they know you’re down for whatever they have in mind.
    • “Hi to you too!”
    • “Hi stranger 😉”
    • “Hey beautiful! What are you up to?”
    • “Hiiiiiiiiii right back 😚”
  2. 2
    “Hi! What are you doing tonight?” Ask them about their plans in a friendly or flirtatious way. Stick with a simple “What’s up?” if you want to stay in the friend zone, or spice it up with a flirty emoji or elongated “hi.”
    • “Hey! Want to catch a movie this weekend?”
    • “What are you up to, babe?”
    • “Hi, how’s it going?”
    • “Hiiiiii got any plans for tonight 😏”
  3. 3
    “I was just about to text you!” Let them know they’ve been on your mind lately, especially if you’re hoping to make it to first base. Be honest and stay true to your feelings. Remember, if they’ve sent a “hiiii,” you’re on their mind too.
    • “What a coincidence! I was about to call you.”
    • “You’ve been on my mind all day 😏”
    • “I can’t stop thinking about you.”
    • “We must be on the same wavelength cause I just picked up my phone to text you 😂”
  4. 4
    “Hey! How’d your biology exam go?” Get them talking with an open-ended and specific question. This is a great way to start up a friendly conversation that could easily sway into the flirty zone (if you want it to).[2]
    • “Hi you! How was your weekend?”
    • “Hello! Tell me all about your day 😊”
    • “Hey! Did your mom like her birthday present?
    • “Hi! How was your night out with the girls? Didn’t get too crazy, did you? 😉”
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Section 3 of 3:

Hi vs. Hii vs. Hiii

  1. 1
    A plain old “hi” is usually just a friendly, casual greeting. “Hi” over text generally means the same thing as saying “hi” to someone in person. This is the sender’s way of starting up a conversation.
    • The tone of a simple “hi” message may change if an emoji follows it. For instance, a 😉 can suggest a flirtatious convo, while a 🙂 is universally friendly.
  2. 2
    A “hii” could be a typo. If you receive this text from someone, don’t read into it too much. The sender could’ve accidentally hit the i too many times before hitting send. It happens, so just roll with the conversation as you normally would.
  3. 3
    A “hiii” means they totally like you. Generally speaking, the more i’s in the message, the more they’re into you. They’re drawing out their message to say, “Hey! I’m feeling flirty!”
    • If you get a “hiii” message, shoot your shot! Who knows? You may find yourself in a relationship.
    • If the “hi” has more than 5 i’s, they may be drunk and trying to get a little something something.[3]
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Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about flirting, check out our in-depth interview with Laura Bilotta.

About This Article

Laura Bilotta
Co-authored by:
Dating Coach & Matchmaker
This article was co-authored by Laura Bilotta and by wikiHow staff writer, Aly Rusciano. Laura Bilotta is a Dating Coach, Matchmaker, and the Founder of Single in the City, her dating and relationship coaching service based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. With over 18 years of experience, she focuses on helping singles date more intentionally, encouraging them to let go of negative patterns so that they can attract the love that they deserve. Her experience, skills, and insights have led to thousands of successfully united over 65,000 singles through events and one-on-one matchmaking coaching sessions. She has been the host of The Dating and Relationship Show on Global News Radio 640 Toronto (AM640) for 6 years and is known as The Hookup Queen of Clubhouse; her popular singles club, Single in the City, has over 95.5K members who regularly join in weekly dating and relationship-focused rooms. This article has been viewed 8,681 times.
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Co-authors: 6
Updated: March 23, 2023
Views: 8,681
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