The term friend-zone has given friendships between guys and girls a bad name. While it's an honor to have a girl call you her best friend when you want more than just friendship, the word friend can feel like rejection and a veiled insult to your masculinity.

Some guys, however, never see the friend-zone coming until it's too late. By then, they have wasted a lot of time trying to woo the girl.

So, how do you know if a girl has friend-zoned you? What are friend-zones, what do they actually mean?

As you can probably guess, no girl will come right out and tell you they have put you in the friend-zone. If you are not keen, you will just realize one day that you are nothing more than a friend.

You can learn you are in the friend-zone through a text or during a regular conversation, and here are some friend-zone words girls use and what they mean.

1. Is It Okay If My Friend Tagged Along?

You have gone out on a limb and asked the girl out for a date, and she has agreed. You are all excited, and thinking you are finally making progress, and then she drops the bomb on you by asking if a friend can come along.

Face it, pal, you are being diverted into a group date. She is just not that interested in having intimate moments with you.

She might also ask if you are bringing someone else, a clear sign she doesn't look forward to spending time with you only.

2. Calling You Bro, Buddy, Or BFF

If the girl keeps insisting you are her best friend or best buddy, then you are in the friend-zone. This usually happens in texting conversations.

And things like "Hey buddy" are some of the texts girls send when they're trying to friend-zone you. If she uses these words regularly, you are definitely in the friend-zone.

This is just a polite way of letting you know there is nothing more going on between you two. You are just two friends and nothing more.

A woman might also send emotionless texts, such as saying "Good night" or "Hi." A girl who wants to go a little further with you will usually add words like "honey", "sweetie" or "dear" after these phrases.

So, you should be on the lookout for texts that have put people in the friend-zone to know if it's happening to you.

3. Asking For Dating Advice

A girl who has no intention of starting anything with you will have no issues asking you about her love life. She can begin dating another guy and go on and on about him in your presence.

To be honest, this does not exactly mean she has no romantic interest in you. However, if her behavior does not change after she starts seeing someone else, then that is a clear sign you are truly just a friend.

If she acted weird after starting to see another man, then that would suggest she is struggling to understand if you two might have a chance.

4. What's The Deal With Your Friend?

A girl asking about your male buddy is one of the most powerful friend zone signs. This question tells you she saw you and still kept looking because you were not a viable romantic prospect.

And clearly, if she is bold enough to ask you to hook her up with your friends, she doesn't care if you know about her love life or the fact that it might make you less attracted to her.

If she thought of you as a potential partner, she would try to keep such things from you if you got together one day.

5. No Words

We have been looking at all the words you will hear or read when you have been friend-zoned by a girl. However, it's just as important to consider what she won't say when you are in the friend zone.

The most telling sign your relationship ends at friendship is the lack of response to your texts.

If you text something suggestive and she leaves you hanging without a reply, regardless of whether she reads it or not, then you are probably in the friend zone.

She might also ignore the endearing text and talk about something else.

Friend-zone is usually a word guys love to use, but even girls experience this phenomenon in the dating scene. Lots of girls have been friend-zoned by a guy, although it would seem guys experience this hiccup the most.

So, you should not trouble yourself too much wondering what she's thinking when she friend zones you. It has nothing to do with your being undesirable or not good enough.

In some cases, you are simply not a good match for each other, and she knows it although you don't.

Some guys truly realized they were better off as pals with their girl buddies after trying to have a romantic relationship that didn't work.

The sparks that keep a friendship going are very different from the chemistry that makes people romantically attracted. More people need to know this and stop demonizing the word friend-zone.

Sure, many people might be using friend-zone to mean romantic rejection, but that's not always a fair assumption.

Besides, if you come right out and ask her if you have a chance as a couple, you will probably know the truth early and become real friends instead of a frustrated suitor.