To ask what you think?

[Anii67]

A colleague at work (male) called me sweetheart. Apparently he hasn’t called anyone else this and my other colleague (female) thinks it means he might like me. What do you think?

It's a bit of a reach tbh. I get called sweetheart at work. They don't fancy me. Do you want him to?

I don't think you can determine whether he does or doesn't based on a single word - whether he uses it with others or not.

Are you very young?

Are you sure these are colleagues and not schoolmates?

I'd assume it was sarcastic. Sweetheart to an adult always sounds derisory or patronising to me. I wouldn't assume someone was interested in me because they'd called me sweetheart.

That doesn't mean he isn't interested in you. But it doesn't mean he is either. It's a question no one other than he can answer really.

It sounds as though he is patronising you tbh.

I think it could be patronising, unless he’s one of those people who calls everyone sweetheart, without even thinking about it. What was actually said?

I've never heard the term sweetheart used in a flirty interaction. Some people use terms like that with anyone, some use it with younger people, some are being sarcastic.

A man called me bambino today. I thought it was quite sweet. I’m 50 something 😆

If a male colleague called me ‘sweetheart’, he’d be a sadder and wiser man shortly afterwards.

Do you like him and are hoping this is because he likes you?

Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't. In my experience, subtlety is not a strong point of most men and they tend to be a bit more obvious when they fancy someone.

Nursery staff used this with all kids, male and female. Last time I was in hospital, all patients got called it by several of the staff. At the gym, everyone who doesn't know my name (or whoever they're talking to) says either love or sweetheart. Some use mate for a man they don't know, sweetheart for a woman, just like a less formal sir or madam. I personally don't use the term except in a jokey Goodnight sweetheart way, very rarely, to friends. So to me it wouldn't mean anything.

It doesn’t mean anything, OP. At most, it’s patronising.

I think nothing about it because it's really not worth thinking about.

No one calls someone they actually feel strongly about “sweetheart” any more than “dear” or “lovely”. Your colleague is over invested in this and reading too much into it.