How long does it take to fall in love? (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take to fall in love? ›

Falling in love typically takes a few months. Love at first sight is likely an expression of strong lust or physical desire that transforms over time into romantic love for each other. There is no definitive time frame for falling in love, though about 3–4 months may be a rough average, according to limited research.

Related Stories. But just as there is no hard-and-fast rule for how long it takes to fall in love, there's no set checklist for how to know if what you're feeling is the real deal. Some people know after a single moment; others develop the feelings after months or even years of small gestures.

There's no set timeline for falling in love. Some people feel instant attraction at first sight, while others may take months to form a deep connection. Love tends to be somewhat complicated. Most people would probably agree, in fact, that even “complicated” is putting it mildly.

The average time for men to fall in love is 88 days, while those same feelings of true love take women 134 days. Another dating site, Elite Singles, did a poll in 2017 and found that 61 per cent of women believe in love at first sight, while 72 per cent of men do. These surveys focused on heterosexual relationships.

The 3-month rule is a 90-day trial period where a couple “tests out” a relationship to see if they're compatible. During the 90 days, couples learn about each other's likes, dislikes, and possible red flags. At the end of the 3 months, couples discuss if they want to pursue a long-term relationship.

“There is no absolute rule,” says Dr. Lauren Kerwin, a clinical psychologist in Los Angeles. “[Falling in love] can happen instantaneously or take weeks, months, or years! It happens differently for everybody and takes different forms.”

If the man in your life wants to be around you as much as possible, this may be a good sign that his feelings are strengthening. He may stay over at your place more often or regularly ask you to stay at his. He might also make plans weeks or months in advance, ensuring he is able to spend time with you in the future.

How fast is too soon to say I love you? It depends on the person and the situation (there's no one right way to date or love someone!) but typically, experts recommend waiting to say "I love you" until at least three months into the relationship.

Most people say they've been in love before, with the late teens and early twenties being the time where most individuals experienced love for the first time (40%).

Is saying I love you too soon a red flag? ›

Saying "I Love You" Too Soon

The first red flag in a relationship is when someone says "I love you" too soon. It is essential to slow down and be thoughtful about what love means. We all want a space to feel accepted for our authentic, aligned selves.

To break it down to you, it is about the first three months, a phase when you are getting to know each other, the second set of three months when you are building a deeper connection, and the last set of three months when you should have a clear idea of whether the relationship has long-term potential.

The honeymoon phase is an early part of a couple's relationship where everything seems carefree and happy. It usually lasts from six months to two years and can be marked with lots of laughs, intimacy, and fun dates.

It is my Rule of 3s and it goes like this: Give it three dates, three weeks and three months to see how things go with someone before you get overly attached and start planning a future together.

You might have heard the term “falling in love at first sight.” Although you might not fully get to know someone when you first meet them, scientists show that falling in love chemically can happen in a fifth of a second.

When it comes to how quickly it happens, there's a good chance that he's falling in love faster than you are. It's even believed that men are more likely to fall in love at first sight compared to women.