Should I/How to tell friend I like him?

I'm close friends with this guy at Uni and really fancy him: should I tell him directly, and if so, how?

We've known each other a couple of years but he's only got out of a long term relationship a few months ago and I didn't want to make a move while he was taken. Now I think he is over the breakup (again, more reason for hesitation), and I don't know how to let him know I like him. I've only been asked out by a friend once before, and in that situation, he just kissed me straight out, so not much experience to go by! Not to mention the obvious that I wouldn't want it to ruin our friendship.

If you do think I should just tell him (rather than overtly flirt), how do I phrase it without sounding weird?

Don't want to hijack the thread, but just came across this and it sounds exactly like the situation I'm in at the moment, except that I'm a guy and she's a girl - even down to her having been in a relationship when we first got to know each other!

I know exactly what you mean about wanting to phrase it without it seeming awkward, but to be honest if a female friend just said straight out that she was interested in me then I'd either be absolutely ecstatic and tell her I felt the same, or let her down gently and make it really clear that I still really valued her as a friend and would be happy to carry on as before.

I'd say that ideally you'd find an opportunity to slip it into conversation where it feels natural, and/or make an effort to spend more time with him and keep in contact more. As long as you've got the guts to do it (and trust me, I know how hard it is, seeing as I'm trying to pluck up the confidence to do it myself), you might have to be pretty obvious about it: if he's anything like me, and especially if he's interested in you as well, then he may well assume you merely complimenting him or being a bit more physically affectionate than usual is just you being friendly - even if he does start to suspect you're into him as more than a friend, he might doubt himself and not reciprocate because he's worried he's misreading things and doesn't want to screw things up.

So I'd basically say - although I'm struggling just as much to do the same thing at the moment - go for it and let him know; the 'how' is the part I don't really have an answer for either, but hopefully someone else can help with that! As long as you're genuinely happy to remain friends if he doesn't feel the same way, and if he's any kind of a decent friend, I reckon you should be fine. Good luck!

Thanks for your comments. I think I will face up to it and tell him @Anon2, I hope you're brave enough to make a move too!

Any tips on how to phrase it? I don't have a clue! Is "sooo, I've fancied the socks off you for a while now" a little to abrupt :P ?

'I really like you, fancy a mcdonalds?'

' I really like you, fancy a mcdonalds?'

Hmm, maybe not :P

Would "I like you more than a friend" be enough/too much?