The Beat 92.5 It takes an average of 8 months and 36 clues to get your partner to propose By Rick Da Conceicao Britt Erlanson / The Image Bank The average American man knows after seven months of dating if their partner is “the one,” but the problem is most men just can’t take a hint when it comes to knowing when to pop the big question. A survey of 2,000 engaged and married couples revealed that it took an average of 8 months — and 36 clues— before the man got down on one knee and proposed. Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Jewelers Mutual Insurance Group, the survey examined the many ways and number of times ladies dropped a hint.