What to say when a guy slows down communication over text?

A single slow reply means almost nothing. A pattern across several days does. Look at how long he now takes to answer, how many words he uses, and whether he still starts conversations or only responds to yours. If he used to ask you questions and now only answers them, the thread has changed shape, even if he is still replying.

Also notice what has dropped away. Did he stop mentioning plans? Did the good-night messages stop? Those are the things people usually cut first when interest cools, but they are also the first things busy people let slide. Check whether anything else in his life has changed that you know about, like a new job, a trip, or a friend in town, before you decide what the drop means.

A reply that fits this situation does three jobs. It answers what he said, it gives him one easy thing to respond to, and it does not ask him to justify the gap. A good shape is a short reaction to something specific from his last message, plus a light, low-effort question or observation. Avoid anything that is really a request, such as asking him to call, confirm plans, or explain his schedule.

You can tell a draft has drifted when it contains an apology for being too much, a pointed remark about how quiet he has been, or a message so long it needs a reply. Keep the weight of the message on the topic and off the relationship between you two. If you find yourself writing a second paragraph about how you are feeling, cut it.

Send your reply at a time that looks ordinary for you, not one that suggests you have been waiting. If he texted at lunch, answering at lunch the next day reads as normal. Answering within a few minutes, especially late at night, can signal more eagerness than the situation calls for and can make a slow thread feel lopsided.

If you have sent something and he does not answer for a day or two, leave it. One follow-up is reasonable if the first message was a real question or plan. Anything beyond that starts to become pressure. If the thread goes dead after a few exchanges with no sign he is coming back, stop initiating. Keep replying warmly if he does, but do not spend your evenings checking. A clear no after two or three weeks of quiet is more useful than a long hopeful wait.