As cute as your boyfriend is, he can also be really annoying at times. You’ve probably noticed that the things you complain about him are weirdly similar to the things your girlfriends complain about when it comes to their boyfriends.
It probably makes you wonder: at the end of the day, are all boyfriends the same? Do they all do the same annoying things? Are they all completely oblivious of how it makes their partner feel?
If you’ve been wondering whether the annoying things your boyfriend does are normal, then look no further. Read on for 20 of the most annoying things all boyfriends do.
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1. He bumps into a friend but forgets to introduce you.
This must’ve happened to you at least once in a relationship. You’re out hanging out with him and holding hands when he sees a friend. They stop to talk to one another, and his friend clearly acknowledges your presence – but your boyfriend doesn’t even take a second to introduce you.
It can feel really annoying and even disrespectful to be in that position. You start to wonder whether he didn’t want to introduce you on purpose. Maybe he isn’t really serious about you or wants to look casual to keep his options open.
The only thing worse than that is when your boyfriend does actually introduce you – but he calls you a “friend” instead of his girlfriend. Now, that’s definitely a topic for a good (and heated!) discussion later.
2. He can’t help but check out other women.
No one’s denying how visual men are, but why do all boyfriends think it’s acceptable to check out other women – especially in the presence of their girlfriends? It literally happens all the time and is super obvious.
Even worse is when he has the audacity to comment on another woman’s body, like her breasts, like “Oh, check that out!”
You can’t help but feel humiliated and a little hurt. You know he does it with his friends, you just wish he wouldn’t when you’re right there.
3. He pretends to listen but really doesn’t.
There’s nothing more annoying than him pretending to listen to you, when it’s blatantly obvious that he isn’t paying any attention. All it takes is asking him a specific question, and he goes “huh?”
If he’s on his phone, watching TV, or just chilling but you really need his attention, say so. It needs to be his undivided attention – or else you’re simply wasting your breath talking to him when he’s checked out. You might as well be talking to the wall.
4. He is funny about a little PDA.
When you love your boyfriend, all you want to do is hang out together, hold hands, hug, kiss, and cuddle. Even if you aren’t at all romantic or sentimental, you still crave that closeness and intimacy, especially at the start of the relationship.
Sometimes, you may notice that he gets really funny about a little public display of affection. He lets go of your hand, doesn’t want to kiss you in front of your friends, or acts awkward when you get close to him in public. Maybe he kind of pushes you away or laughs it off.
At times it makes you feel like he really cares about how it looks in other people’s eyes.
5. He buys you an expensive gift you don’t really want or need.
What is it with guys thinking that if they splash the cash on an expensive gift, then their job is done? It really takes a little more thought than that!
Any woman can tell the difference between a well-thought gift and one that just costs a lot of money.
Now, we’re not saying that an expensive gift isn’t a nice gesture, but there’s nothing worse than having to pretend you like something just because it’s expensive – but it’s not your style or something that you actually need.
6. He makes a face when you talk about your gay friends.
Every heterosexual man out there tends to poke fun at gay men; that’s just the way they’re wired. Even if they themselves have got gay friends, they still make a face when you mention one.
Maybe he wants to stand out and reassure his manliness, at the expense of making fun of your friends. It’s not cool and it’s actually pretty silly. Tell him off if he does it regularly!
7. He makes a fuss about your shopping habits.
He comments about how long you spent at the shopping mall, how much money you spent on new shoes, or how many hours you made him wait around while you try new outfits.
When he wants to shop and spend ages deciding between one pair of pants and another, he assumes you have to be by his side and be okay with it – but when you need a good hour of browsing at an H&M, he’s like “I’m out of here!”
8. He calls out your PMS-ing during your period.
Once a boyfriend has learnt what PMS-ing actually means, he’ll use it against you, and he will use it every month, to make a point when you are being a little cranky or a little moody, even if you aren’t on your period.
He just has to make a point as if to excuse himself from whatever you might be nagging him about. Make it clear to him, that whilst PMS might occasionally mess up your hormones and moods, your brain is still very much focused – and you’re not blind to his B.S.
9. He doesn’t want to ask for directions.
Literally, every guy out there would deny this – while knowing full well that they’re guilty of it. You’re traveling to an unknown place together, and are clearly lost. You start to worry and get a little annoyed with him.
All he does is reassure you that he knows where he’s going, he just needs to check one more route, or it’s just the next turn. He never wants to admit that he’s lost, or God forbid, that he needs to ask someone local for directions.
He’s a man! He needs to find the way himself, no matter how long it takes. It’s utterly frustrating but that’s just their nature. No amount of nagging will make him admit he’s lost.
10. He leaves beard stubble in the sink.
Is he blind? Why can’t he clean the sink after he’s finished shaving? Every boyfriend does this – they’re just not that detail-oriented, so you literally need to drag him back to the bathroom and show him his mess or accept that you’ll be cleaning after him every single time.
There really isn’t any other way around this. It’s the same with leaving dirty socks on the floor – why can’t he take a few extra seconds and put them in the laundry basket?
11. He texts you a million times when he does the groceries alone.
Isn’t it lovely when your boyfriend goes shopping for groceries and you don’t have to lift a finger? No, it’s not! He seems to be incapable of making simple decisions, so he texts you every few minutes with random questions like:
How many avocados should I get?
Do we need more milk?
Apples and bananas, or just bananas?
The Oatly is a bit pricey in this shop…
Hello!!??
In order to teach him independence, you either shouldn’t reply or you should turn off your phone while he’s shopping. After a few trials and errors, he’ll start to get it perfectly well, without the need to check the entire shopping list with you.
That’s the best way forward – otherwise, you might as well be in the supermarket with him.
12. He always wants to finish your food.
Almost every boyfriend loves it when his girlfriend doesn’t finish her food so that he can. But some of them ogle your plate until you literally feel awkward, so you let him have the last pieces.
Maybe he asks if you’re going to finish it, and before you get the chance to reply, he’s already got his hand all over your plate.
Excuse me! Yes, I was going to finish that!
13. He farts with zero shame – and walks away.
This…just this one thing, all boyfriends do! Especially when they feel super comfortable in the relationship, they just feel like it’s okay to fart or burp – and just continue the conversation as if nothing has happened. Remind him that he’s in the presence of a lady.
Just the way you do your best not to alert him of your bodily functions, he should make the same effort.
14. He sends one-word replies to your long texts.
Don’t you just hate it when your boyfriend makes zero effort to send a comprehensive text back? You pour your heart into a message, you write a long explanation of your feelings or desires, and he sends you a one-word reply.
It’s so aggravating! Along with the occasional passive-aggressive “k” or his inability to answer all questions you ask him in a text… somehow, he only answers one of them. Why are men like that?
(Here’s a quick tip: check out these 11 foolproof ways to make him chase you by text, and start changing his habits around!)
15. He forgets an important date.
Men are just not that great with remembering facts. It’s usually fine, until he forgets something really important, like your anniversary! You’ve been hoping that he’s planning something special or at least has some flowers ordered for you, but he completely forgets!
One way to tackle this issue is to put important days in his calendar as recurring events, ideally with a two-week reminder. This way, you know that if he does nothing for an important event, it’s out of choice or laziness – and not because he forgot.
16. He leaves everything to the last minute.
His mum’s birthday is approaching, and you remind him he needs to sort out a present. He says he will do it later because he’s got plenty of time.
- Your beach holiday is approaching, and he needs some new clothes – but he’s in no rush to get to the shops, so you have to go and choose something for him.
- You’re catching a train and he takes ages to even leave the house – which ends up making you really stressed.
Why do all boyfriends leave everything to the last minute, like it’s no big deal? It causes you to stress, which he clearly can’t comprehend. While being organized and on time is a big deal for you, he just doesn’t seem to fret over these things at all.
17. He doesn’t make any effort to look good.
Boys can be so vain – and yet at the same time, there’ll be those moments and events when he simply won’t make any effort to dress well, or be well-groomed, which will annoy the hell out of you.
Just accept that on a few occasions, you’ll have to take charge of what he wears and how he looks – and simply tell him so.
18. He won’t open the door for you.
Unfortunately, not every boyfriend is a perfect gentleman, and it can be really disappointing when he simply won’t even open the door for you. Especially if you dated someone who did, you would notice it every time it doesn’t happen.
19. He won’t miss a football game.
If his favorite team is playing, you could forget about making him do anything else. Your best friend could be getting married, and he’ll still try and stay home to watch the game. The house could be on fire, and he won’t notice.
It’s important to him, so you should just let it go. It’s a male thing.
20. He touches your face or hair when he shouldn’t.
After spending some time putting your make-up on or doing your hair, the last thing you want is someone to touch your face, pull your cheek, or fluff up your hair. It’s so frustrating, but all boyfriends do it.
Despite all the annoying things he does, you still love him – and being with him outweighs the frustrations.