5 Phrases That Can Kill a Relationship

We know what you’re thinking: how can there possibly be five phrases so powerful that they can actually destroy a relationship? There’s no way that five of these exist, and if they did, then no one would have to worry about breaking up because they could kill a relationship any time they wanted to simply by railing off a couple of them.

Well, truth be told, things aren’t so simple. It’s often not one particular phrase that can lead to the destruction of a relationship, but the context of the phrase and the emotions and weaknesses of the two people involved. One phrase might be the culmination of a million problems that have been occurring while another phrase might plant the seed for future problems.

Even so, knowing what not to say can be immeasurably important in a relationship. That’s why we decided to give you fair warning and identify five phrases you’ll want to avoid.

1. “Our kids will be so attractive.” Generally, any premature discussion of kids/marriage/future is a sure way to kill a budding relationship – even if you truly did have something going up until you uttered the dastardly words.Granted, this is not a phrase that will damage a relationship once you’ve already crossed the barrier into talking about the future in that kind of way, but it’s best to avoid the subject until you know each other better.

2. “Do you like/love me?” Neediness is a surefire way to kill chemistry, no matter if you’re a man or a woman. Simply stated, if there is one of you in a relationship that feels noticeably more needy than the other, then you have a recipe for an unbalanced relationship. Constantly asking for validation like “do you like/love me” is a sign that the balance in your relationship is out of whack.

3. “I don’t know, what do you want?”It’s one thing to have a little squabble over where you’re going for dinner tonight, but it’s another thing entirely to never display any kind of certainty in the relationship. It’s phrases like “what do you want” that lead to unbalanced relationships, and repeated enough, it might just be enough to kill the fire that fueled the relationship in the first place.

4. “My mom says…”A definite no-no for any guy trying to woo a woman, but certainly a good thing to avoid in general if the phrase indicates that you’d rather your parents rule your relationship than either of you. Deferring to a parent’s judgment on any and all cases won’t just cause tension in the relationship, but could actually put it at risk for fracturing.

5. “I want an open relationship.”Now here’s a phrase that can kill a relationship in an instant. Asking for an open relationship is, in many peoples’ minds, equivalent to asking your significant other to simply allow you to sew your wild oats without having to break up. It’s a sign of weakness, and ultimately it will lead to tension that could break the relationship.