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Even the most expressive dudes have moments when they don’t feel like talking to anyone, including you. Is it something you did? Maybe. Here, explanations for his zipped lips.

He’s Feeling Guilty
Women are smart—like Nancy drew smart—and guys know it. When your man has committed a minor crime (like casually e-mailing an ex), he may get quiet to avoid incriminating himself. Bryan, 29, engineer, cops to that kind of behavior. “I went to my girlfriend’s place after going out for happy hour. Since I had lied and told her I was working late, I just stared at the TV all night because I was scared I would let something slip accidentally.” Don’t worry—the occasional silence of this kind is usually only indicative of a small faux pas, not a major offense.

You Undermined Him
Sure, you don’t mean to bust his balls in public, but when you question your man or make a biting comment in front of other people, he feels stupid. After singeing his manhood, you can count on getting the cold shoulder. “This chick I took to my buddy’s wedding was telling all my hard0partying friends how I’d become a homebody,” says Jon, 24, bank employee. “I kept saying that it wasn’t true, thinking she’d get the hint and just shut up. Instead, she continued to fight me on it. I was so annoyed, I wouldn’t talk to her the whole next day.”

He Wants You To Quiet Down
Harping on the high-calorie count of your dinner or yammering on about why some girl’s not right for your brother are things that men don’t really care about. Our covert way of getting you to pipe down is clam up ourselves. “When my girl steers us into a conversational black hole, I stay quiet as a way of letting her know that I’m not interested in talking about dumb stuff,” says Kevin, 32, chef. “It took a while for her to catch on, but now she knows it’s my signal of disinterest.”

He Had A Hard Day
Put simply: If his day sucked, he’s not going to feel like rehashing the whole thing. You might feel better venting, but he doesn’t…at least not today. “If I sit down to dinner and mutely stare at the menu, my girl knows I’ve had a crappy day,” admits Kiko, 24, entrepreneur. “But she’s figured out that it’s not personal, so she waits it out. Halfway through the meal, I usually start to feel like myself again and will either talk about what happened or just direct the conversation toward lighter subjects.”

“I Was Afraid To Tell Her…”
Pinoy guys speak out.

“I would sometimes force myself not to call just so that I wouldn’t seem too anxious to talk to her.” —Brian, 29, entrepreneur

“I was afraid to tell her that I plan to look for opportunities to work abroad.” —Alvin, 29, account manager

“I was afraid to tell her about my past experiences with my ex.” —Peter, 30, division manager

“I was afraid to tell her I could understand and speak Tagalog.” —Javy, 28, product development manager