How To Tell if You Really Know Someone Well

The connections we share with our friends, family, and romantic partners are what makes life special.

Having other people who know us perfectly provides us with confidantes, advisors, and counselors whenever we need someone to talk to.

Sometimes these connections happen automatically, like love at first sight, but usually, they are built over many years of shared experiences and emotional times. There are those sad occasions in life, however, when you think you know and understand a person, but then they do something which totally surprises you.

Here are some interesting ways to tell if you really know someone well.

1. Talk to Them

One of the easiest ways to tell if you really know someone well is to simply talk to them. Have a conversation about something which is important to you or which you feel particularly passionate about and see if they share a similar opinion. Remember that it is not always necessary for your friend or partner to have exactly the same views as you on everything. In fact, having some differences in opinions with people in your life creates engaging conversations and debates which keep your relationships interesting.

Another way to talk to someone to see how well you know them is to ask them meaningful questions. You can find questions to ask your friends online which will build trust in your relationships and will also help you to know if there is anything your friends need from you. There are different questions for new friends, good friends, and best friends, and they can really elevate your relationships to a new level.

2. Take a Trip Together

It is a very different experience when you take a trip with your friends, your partner or your family, but all are a great opportunity to find out just how well you really know them. For a lot of romantic relationships, the first trip you take together can really tell you a lot about whether or not you are compatible as a couple. Travel can be very stressful with missed flights, lost luggage, and hotel problems, so it is a great test to see how patient you can be with each other in difficult situations. Just remember that even when you are on a trip together, it is ok to spend some time alone and that every minute of a romantic getaway isn’t actually going to be romantic.

Taking a vacation with your friends can shine a new light on your friendships and test your bonds when you are away from your normal environment. Many friends meet at school and so the first time they travel may be the first time out of their own country together. Meeting new people while traveling and dealing with the difficult moments on a trip can help you see if you really know your friend and if your friendship is as strong as you thought it was.

3. Share a Secret

Having close relationships in our lives means that there is always someone to turn to when we have a problem. Knowing that you can trust someone with an important secret and that they won’t tell anyone else is a very important part of every relationship. There are sadly some people who are completely unable to keep a secret, either out of carelessness or some more malicious reason. If you talk to someone in confidence and they then share that information with someone else, it is usually a sign that they are not very trustworthy. While this doesn’t always have to mean the complete end of your relationship, you may need to just reassess what you share with them.

4. Sit in Silence Together

When we feel comfortable around someone, it is far easier to just relax and be ourselves. One really good sign that you know someone well and feel relaxed in their company is that you are able to just sit in comfortable silence together. When we first meet someone, whether it be a friend or a new romantic partner, we talk a lot more so that we can get to know them. When these early conversations naturally give way to more considered, thoughtful interactions, it is a good sign that you know each other well.

The most special connections in which we really know someone inside and out are sadly all too rare. Finding someone with who you share that kind of bond, whether it be a friend, brother, sister or lover is a really wonderful thing. It can be a lot of fun to test your relationships by asking interesting questions or playing a game. Try out some of the suggestions in this article and you will see just how well you really know the people in your life.