Does he like me if he only responds to some of my messages

This pattern almost always points to one of a few situations. He's interested but scattered or busy, so he replies when he has mental space. He's interested in a specific way, maybe as a hookup or casual thing, so he engages only when it fits that mood. Or he likes you fine but is also interested in someone else, and you're getting the replies that are left over. The hardest part is that selective replies don't disambiguate between these. You can't tell which one it is from the pattern alone. What you can tell is this: he's not pursuing you. Interest at his full throttle would mean more consistent effort. So you're reading a version of interest that's competing with something else in his life, whether that's work, another person, or just his own priorities.

The move here is to send something that's actually interesting or funny, not a prompt disguised as banter. Something that either adds real value to a conversation you two were having, or that opens a new thread he'd actually want to engage with. The second part is harder. You can't sound like you're sitting there tracking his replies. You're not mad, you're not desperate, you're just casually in touch. This means no guilt trips, no "finally" jokes, no bringing up that he left you on read. Just send the message like it's normal. The goal is to see if he shows up when you make it easy and don't create social pressure.

If he left you on read, give it a solid week before reaching out again. Texting him sooner doesn't change his interest level, it just shows him the pattern matters more to you than it does to him. Send your second outreach. If he responds within 24 hours and engages with what you said, that's a real signal. If he leaves that one on read too, or takes 3 days to send a one-word reply, you have your answer. At that point, stop reaching out. Not as punishment. Just because you know where you stand. He can text you. He's chosen not to, consistently. That's the information you needed.