I am 29 and male, my primarily love language is physical touch, my secondary is quality time and, my third is words of affirmation.
I have 4 friends who give me the first and second one but they don't give me the third one.

I noticed this last year.

Last month, I was only given words of affirmation 3 times.

On 2019, I felt down as I wanted emotional affection but I didn't get any so I tried to get it by telling someone (they weren't one of my four current friends but someone I grew upn with\) that they were important, they said "I know.".

I really don't want to do that again, I want it to come naturally.

I feel like if I don't give them words of affirmation I won't get it back.

I don't want to give them words of affirmation just for them to give them me back even though it is how I feel about them.

I don't think that's right.

I know that two of my friends aren't ones to give compliments.

I'm not too sure about the other two though.

I do feel like if any of them were to give me them they would have done it by now, I've know all of them between a year and 10 years.

How do I let them know that I'd like them to give me words of affirmation without sounding needy?