10 Signs You Still Love Your Partner (Even If It Doesn't Always Feel Like It)

These signs show you still genuinely love your partner.

A close-up of a young man and woman standing outdoors against a backdrop of green trees. The man, with short brown hair, looks forward with a serious expression, while the woman, with long brown hair, gazes directly at the camera with a neutral expression.

If you’ve been in a relationship for a while, you’ll notice that it naturally changes over time.

For some people, these changes can be unwelcome and cause them to worry about whether or not they’re still in love with their partner.

If you’re unsure of the feelings you feel toward your boyfriend or girlfriend, husband or wife, hopefully this guide will help…

1. You’re still intimate with each other.

A couple wearing white shirts is lying in bed together. The man has curly hair and facial hair; he is looking at the woman with affection. The woman, with wavy hair, leans her head on the man's shoulder, holding his hand. They are resting against a blue headboard.

It’s important to remember that every relationship changes over time. It might not be full of passion right now, but if there are still feelings of closeness and intimacy, you’re still in love with them.

You might not be getting physical as often as you once were, but if you’re making an effort to be intimate with them and you still enjoy sharing that, there are clearly feelings involved.

Less regular intimacy is totally normal and can be down to a huge range of factors that you should try not to worry about – work, stress, kids, even just being tired!

But if you’re still sleeping in the same bed, sometimes being intimate, your love is alive and well.

2. You live in the real word, not a fantasy.

Two people stand outdoors near a grill in a park. One person, wearing a hat and sunglasses, holds a beer bottle and wood piece, while the other, also in a hat and sunglasses, holds a beer bottle. Trees and greenery are visible in the background.

It’s normal to want that honeymoon phase to carry on for longer, but it’s not a realistic expectation to have.

Things might not be as intense and exciting as they once were – it’s okay if they feel a bit mundane or boring every so often!

Your relationship may have gone from wild passion and staying up talking until 3am to arguing over who puts the bins out and who’s doing the washing up… but that’s normal!

Try to see the value in everyday tasks with someone and remember that it’s these little things that make your relationship so great. Comfortable is good!

3. You argue every so often.

A person with long hair sits on a yellow couch using a laptop, looking concerned. Another person with curly hair stands next to them, leaning over to see the laptop screen, appearing focused and inquisitive. A white, bright room is in the background.

Some people worry that any kind of disagreement or argument means that they’re in the wrong relationship – this is so not true!

Imagine agreeing with someone on absolutely everything – how boring.

Do you and all your friends have the exact same opinion on literally everything? Of course not! It’s natural to disagree about some things, and, to an extent, arguing shows that you care.

You might argue about the house being messy because you want it to be a nice place you can live in together.

Maybe you get annoyed that they stay out late with friends sometimes – that’s because you love them and want to spend time with them.

Try to reframe little fights and things like this to see that it’s not all doom and gloom!

4. You see a future together.

A couple takes a break while renovating, sitting on the floor by a wall. Both are wearing casual clothes and work gloves. The man is offering the woman a drink, and they both look happy and relaxed. Renovation tools and paint supplies are scattered around them.

No matter how much they annoy or upset you at times, you still see yourself being with them long-term.

This is a clear sign that you are still in love with them, despite the hardships you feel you’re going through.

When we fall out of love with someone, we find it incredibly hard to picture a future together – it may even make us feel guilty, because we feel as though we’re lying to our partner and pretending we’re happy.

If you can see yourselves together and feel happy, not guilty, it’s a good sign.

You don’t need to be looking as far ahead as 80-year olds sitting on a porch swing, but you’ll be able to see yourselves going through life together and sharing all sorts of experiences.

5. You still do the things they hate.

A woman in a casual outfit is vacuuming the floor with a yellow and silver vacuum cleaner in a living room. In the background, a man in a denim jacket and jeans is sitting on a light blue sofa, eating snacks and watching her. The room is modern and bright.

If you find yourself offering to do the vacuuming because you know your partner hates doing it, your love is still alive and well!

It might not always feel like it, but simple things like this show that you still care about their feelings and take them into consideration. You do the things they hate because you don’t want them to have to do them.

Of course, there are some boundaries to this, but, on the whole, you’re keeping your partner happy, you’re keeping the peace, and you’re showing that you value their feelings and listen to what they like and dislike. If that’s not love, what is?

6. You still do the things they love.

A young couple is sitting on a motorcycle in an outdoor setting, smiling and taking a selfie. The man wears sunglasses and a denim jacket, while the woman is dressed in a mustard yellow sweater. The background features a grassy field and a dirt path.

Maybe you hate football, but your partner loves it. So, every so often, you watch a game with them.

This is because you care about them – and, in doing so, you care about making them happy by caring (short-term!) about things they love.

If you find yourself making compromises or sacrifices and doing things because you know your partner enjoys them, you still feel the love, there’s no doubt about it.

You don’t need to be a complete doormat or constantly sacrifice the things you like, just to be clear! But a healthy level of compromise is great for a relationship.

7. You still talk.

A woman with long dark hair is sitting on a couch, engaged in a conversation with a man who has short brown hair and a beard. She is gesturing with her hands, while the man listens intently. They are in a room with a white brick wall and a wooden shelving unit.

We don’t just mean talk, we mean talk. You still have proper conversations about yourselves, your feelings, your days – not just who’s cooking and what time the kids are coming home!

When we get comfortable in relationships, things like spontaneity and excitement take a bit of a back seat – as do those long nights of staying up talking about your dreams.

It’s natural to worry that the spark has faded and your life is now a bit more mundane, but if you both still make an effort to have real conversations, there’s definitely something there and it’s very likely that you do love them.

8. You make an effort with each other.

A man and a woman are sitting across from each other at a wooden table, engaging in conversation. Both hold glasses of red wine. Behind them is a wooden shelf with bottles of wine and hanging wine glasses. The woman is smiling and wearing a blue shirt.

You don’t need to go all-out glam and have fancy date nights every Friday, but if you’re still making an effort to do nice things, look good for each other at times, and show up when it matters, you’re both still in love with each other.

Lazing around in your pyjamas and being ‘real’ with each other is totally normal (and healthy!) too – but if you put in the effort to spend time together and commit to making each other feel good, it’s an indicator of your true feelings.

9. You’re still close.

A smiling couple is standing outside a store, holding hands and looking through the window. The man has dark hair and is wearing a light blue shirt, while the woman has blonde hair and is wearing a white jacket. They appear happy and engaged in window shopping.

Eye contact, hand holding, using each other’s first names? These are all signs that you’re still in love with your partner – you’re still close, you’re still intimate (emotionally and physically), and you’re both present in your relationship.

If you have kids, you might get used to calling each other ‘Mum’ and ‘Dad’ (especially if you’re trying to encourage first words from a little one) – this can quickly become a habit and sap away the romance, but if you’re both still making an effort to be two adults and not just two parents, that’s very positive.

You might not get butterflies every time they look in your eyes, but it shows that there’s care, it shows that you truly know each other, and it’s a clear sign that you still love them.

10. You don’t go to bed on a fight.

A couple lies in bed under white covers. The man, with short dark hair and wearing a white tank top, looks at the woman, who has long blonde hair and is wearing a light blue shirt. They are holding hands and smiling at each other. The headboard is wooden.

If you hate the thought of lying in bed next to your partner with an unresolved argument in the air, you’re in a good relationship and you definitely still care about them!

When we fall out of love with someone, we often stop caring as much about the consequences – we care a bit less about how the other person feels, and we’re less likely to make a big effort to apologize or rectify a situation that we know is hurting our partner.

If you find yourself making up before bed and talking things out so that you don’t both go to bed angry and upset, you still love them.

This shows so much empathy to both your partner and yourself – two key aspects of a healthy relationship.