Compliments Brothas Hate To Hear...

Compliments Brothas Hate To Hear…

Sometimes emotional responses, like frustration and excitement, creep into compliments and unintentionally wound guys’ pride. “When giving a compliment, put it in the best light possible to show you really appreciate him,” says Match.com relationship expert Whitney Casey. Here, experts dish on 10 compliments that could use a man-friendly makeover. Photo by GettyImages.

1. “It’s so sweet you want to help me clean up, but I can do it faster myself.”

While you may have certain chores down to a science, your man may not. Be gracious when he offers to ease the load, and don’t comment on his glacial pace. “We’re all guilty of it. You’ve had a long day and want things done as quickly as possible so you can relax,” says Casey. “But men hate feeling like they’re not good enough for you-and he’ll think you’re calling him slow with that comment.” Instead, use the extra time you spend on dishes to catch up on each other’s day. Above all, tell him you appreciate him wanting to help.

2. “I’m amazed you were able to fix the leaky faucet.”

Don’t act surprised when he pulls off a project without professional help. “Telling a man you’re ‘shocked’ by his capabilities is a huge hit to his self-esteem,” says Casey. “Men never want their wives to question their ultra-masculine abilities.” Try this: “Handsome, smart and handy? I knew I married a triple threat.” Nothing says you see him as a sexy stud more than complimenting multiple facets of his manhood at once.

3. “I fold the laundry this way, but thanks for trying without me asking.”

Nix “trying” from your complimentary vocabulary. “He thinks he’s done something great by pitching in, but that gets shot down quickly when he takes ‘trying’ as ‘it wasn’t good enough.'” Abandon your inner perfectionist and go with the flow. “It’s OK to have a specific way of doing things, but compromise instead of critiquing his efforts,” Casey says.