Trouble in paradise? Wondering how to make your girlfriend smile? Is your girlfriend upset with you and you’re not sure why? You texted your buddy, “My girlfriend is mad at me, Help!”, but to no avail. Don’t worry, we can help you figure out what to do when your girlfriend is mad at you. But before discussing how to make it up to your girlfriend, here are some possible reasons why she may be mad. Check if any of these resonate with your situation.

“My Girlfriend Is Mad At Me” — 5 Possible Reasons

While there are many reasons your girlfriend can be mad at you, we’ve picked out some universal ones to make things easier for you. Once you have, at least, a vague idea of what’s wrong, you can then figure out how to reassure your girlfriend or use what words to make her feel special and trust you.

1. You may have done something that upset her

The most probable answer to, “I wonder why my girlfriend is mad at me”, is that you did something to upset her. You may have said or did something hurtful or maybe you forgot an important date. Try to remember if something went wrong from your side. 

2. Her love language isn’t being met

There are 5 types of love languages and most people favor one over the others. These are:

• Physical touch
• Words of affirmation
• Quality time.
• Acts of service
• Receiving gifts

It is possible that your girlfriend’s love language isn’t being met, i.e. you are not loving her the way she wants to be loved. To figure out how to make it up to your girlfriend, find out what her love language is.

Related Reading: 20 Best Relaxation Gifts For Her To Relieve Stress

3. She is feeling stressed/overwhelmed

It is also possible that the anger isn’t specifically targeted at you. She may have too much on her plate, leading to irritation and a bad mood overall. This is more likely if she is a working woman and has gone through a job switch or a promotion recently.

4. She is feeling disconnected from you

While it may sound strange, sometimes girlfriends, including myself, get mad at their partners when they miss them. She may be experiencing complex emotions such as frustration, loneliness, and even insecurity. So, see if both of you have spent quality time together recently. Also check if she is always the one initiating or you are making enough effort from your end.

5. She is hormonal

Most girls experience mood swings before and during their period. This can mean getting sad, angry, frustrated, or all at once for no apparent reason. But how to make it up to your girlfriend when it wasn’t your fault in the first place? You need not worry, we have answers to that too. Just scroll down.

20 Impactful Ideas On How To Make It Up To Your Girlfriend

Now that you’ve figured out the ‘why’ part, let’s move on to the next problem. What to do if your girlfriend is mad at you? Maybe you need a list of gifts to say sorry to your girlfriend, or find the right words to make her feel special and trust you. Or maybe you need to take the puppy-eyes approach and come up with cute ways to say sorry over text. Don’t worry, we got you. Here are some ideas on how to make up to your girlfriend:

1. Have a discussion

As they say, communication is key. So, sit down with your girlfriend and have a heartfelt conversation about what went wrong. These are the points you should discuss:

• What are the emotions that she is feeling?
• What triggered these emotions?
• How can you make her feel better?

Once you understand her perspective, it will be easier for you to resolve the situation.

2. Offer a genuine apology

If she is angry because of something you said or did, your first action should be to apologize sincerely. Only a ‘sorry’ would not suffice. Here are some tips on how to say sorry to a girl you hurt:

• Start by acknowledging what you are sorry about
• Express your remorse over the action and how it made her feel.
• Explain your perspective (but don’t make excuses).
• Reassure her that the action will not be repeated.

Related Reading: 12 Cute Little Ways To Say Sorry After A Fight

3. Reassure her that it won’t happen again

When figuring out how to say sorry to a girl you hurt, make sure to reassure her that whatever went wrong won’t happen again. This is very important to make sure that the issue is fully resolved and does not lead to another fight.

4. Compliment her

This is how to make it up to your girlfriend 101. Compliment her! And be specific. Generic compliments like “you are pretty” don’t sound genuine. A Reddit user explains how to come up with sweet things to say to your girlfriend, “GIrls like to be noticed. What do you notice about her, the way she speaks, the way she raises her hand, the way she is with animals?”

“What do you like about her? Compliment her on that! Compliments mean more when they come from the heart.

5. Make her dinner

They say the way to a man’s (well, woman in this case; honestly, this applies to everyone— who doesn’t like food?) heart is through his stomach. So if you’re wondering how to make up to your girlfriend, you can never go wrong with cooking. Bonus points if you cook her favorite meal because it shows that you know her well. Double points if your girlfriend prefers acts of service as a love language.

6. Cuddles and kisses

Nothing like some cuddles and kisses to make her anger melt, especially if she is a physical touch girlie. But make sure to take consent as she may not prefer physical affection when upset.

7. Plan a date

If your girlfriend is mad because you are not making time for her, what better way to make up than to plan a date? A planned date shows your girl that:

• You know her well enough to notice she was upset and figure out why
• You care enough to take time out of your day to make it right
• And most importantly, you planned the whole date so she didn’t have to make any decisions

8. A thoughtful gift

If reading this made you go, “But I never know what to give her”, trust me, you do know. You can come up with plenty of gifts to say sorry to your girlfriend, only if you pay attention. Here are some ideas: 

• Remember the dresses she called cute but couldn’t buy the last time you went shopping? Buy that
• Or a nail polish/lipstick in her favorite color
• Is she artsy? Then art supplies will make her eyes light up!
• Does she read? Pick a genre she loves and buy her a book. Or 4

Related Reading: Online Gifts For Her – Gift Ideas For Women That She Will Love

9. Take some things off her plate

What to do when your girlfriend is mad at you because she’s overwhelmed or stressed? Take over some tasks. If you are living together, review the distribution of the household chores. Is it fair or can you take up more chores? If living separately, see if you can help out with any external tasks like setting up bill payments, doing taxes, commuting to work, grocery shopping, etc.

10. Offer a relaxing massage

While you may not always be able to help with the work, you can always offer a massage to help her relax and reduce the stress. Plus, this helps build intimacy and strengthens your bonding.

11. Let her take some ‘me time’

Another great way to help her relax is to suggest some ‘me time’, where she can unwind at her own pace by binging her favorite show, listening to some music, or maybe taking a long bath. Bonus points, if you can help prepare for the activity beforehand (Putting together a playlist or drawing a bath).

12. Schedule a spa appointment

If the above points are not enough to alleviate the stress, a spa appointment will surely make her loosen up. Surprise her with a spa appointment, either solo or couple, depending on your relationship dynamic.

13. Plan a vacation

This may seem a little extra and, of course, you don’t have to go on a vacation every time there is a quarrel. But if you are already due for a vacation, this may be a good time to change the scenery and reconnect after a fight.

Related Reading: Travel For Two: Tips To Be Ready For Adventure Vacations For Couples

14. Schedule an activity together

If both your routines have been ‘work, eat, sleep, repeat’ for a while, look for a new activity to try together. This is especially helpful for people who favor quality time.

Here are some ideas:

• Take a new class (like dance or pottery)
• Explore a part of the city you haven’t visited
• Try a new cuisine
• Go to an escape room

15. Make a sweet gesture

If she is feeling disconnected from you and you are wondering how to reassure your girlfriend of your love for her, a small romantic gesture goes a long way. You can bring her flowers, make her a card, or write her a poem or a love note. You don’t have to be Shakespeare, a few heartfelt lines can do the trick. Just list some sweet things to say to your girlfriend, put it in her diary, or stick it on the fridge. It is bound to make her smile. This Reddit thread offers some great ideas, such as:

• Tell her how much you appreciate her and how she makes you life better.
• Send her a song that reminded you of her.
• Send her some memes. Girls love memes.
• Tell her you love her. Tell her WHY, the why is always important.

16. Spontaneous slow dancing

This is one of those cliché romantic ideas that always work. Just play her favorite song, extend your hand, ask, “May I have a dance, M’lady?”, and watch her melt.

17. Bring her a snack

This is a one-size-fits-all solution. Whether she’s upset, hangry, stressed, or hormonal, a snack or sweet treat is guaranteed to make things better.

18. Make an ‘I love you because’ list

This is an extended form of a love note. List down all the things you love about her. Be specific and include little details. Here are some things you can include in an ‘I love you because’ list:

• Appearance (Eye color, hair style, sense of fashion, an specific outfit)
• Intellectual (intelligence, emotional capacity, any skills she has)
• Habits (the way she curls her hair or jumps up and down when excited)

19. Try Texting

As dating norms evolve, cheesy texts have slowly replaced love letters. If you are one of those couples who enjoy texting, come up with some cute ways to say sorry over text and make sure to add plenty of emojis.

20. Make her smile

As a boyfriend, you probably know how to make your girlfriend smile. Be silly, crack an inside joke, you know, all the cutesy stuff that makes her lovingly go, “you are an idiot”. 

Infographic On What To Do If Your Girlfriend Is Mad At You

Girls are simple. They don’t always need some grand gestures or expensive gifts. There are many small acts you can choose from to make your girl feel special. Have a glance at the infographic below for a quick idea on how to make up with your girlfriend.

Final Thoughts

To sum up, there are various reasons your girlfriend could be mad at you. Talk to her to find out how to make it up to your girlfriend. If it is something you did, make an apology coupled with a gift or a gesture. If it is a mismatch of love language, find ways to love her how she wants to be loved. Schedule some quality time to strengthen your bond. Small gestures also go a long way. The point is to remind her that you love her and care for her. 

18 Cute Apology Gift Ideas To Tell Her How Sorry You Are

40 Best Homemade DIY Gift Ideas For Girlfriend

35 Apology Texts To Send After You Hurt Your SO Deeply