It’s good to feel welcome. Whether you’ve met someone for the first time or reunited with an old friend, a comforting feeling comes from the knowledge that they want to see you again.
As human beings, we all crave acceptance, and it feels nice when we can finally get it.
There are many ways to tell someone that you want to see them again. You may simply state that you’re happy to see someone and hope to see them again soon, or you may use another phrase. One common phrase is “don’t be a stranger.”
What Does “Don’t Be a Stranger” Mean?
When somebody says “don’t be a stranger,” they’re expressing that they hope to see you again and often. A stranger is somebody whom you don’t know, and it can also be used colloquially to refer to a friend or family member whom you don’t see often enough. Therefore, “don’t be a stranger” is a welcoming phrase that is used to tell somebody to visit often and maintain contact.
How and When to Use the Expression “Don’t be a stranger”
“Don’t be a stranger” is a polite phrase, but it is somewhat informal. With that in mind, you may not want to use it with clients, business partners, and other professional connections.
Instead, you may want to say “I look forward to seeing you again” or something a little more formal.
Of course, this all depends on your relationships, the culture of your industry, and the specific situation. Also, this phrase can be used with any age group.
Among native English speakers, the vast majority of older people and children alike will understand this phrase, and it is a good way to endear yourself to someone.
In the following example, Richard is talking to his daughter after not seeing her for a long time.
Richard: It’s so nice of you to finally visit! I know how busy you have been, but don’t be a stranger!
Julie: I’m happy that I could finally make it over. I’ve been working so much lately that I haven’t had the chance. I’ll try to stop by more often.
Because Julie had been so busy with work, she hadn’t been able to visit her father very often; she’d been visiting him almost as rarely as a stranger would.
Therefore, Richard told her not to be a stranger because he wanted to see her more often. In the next example, Melissa is moving to another province, and she’s having one final conversation with her friend before she leaves.
Callie: I’m so sad to see you go! Please, don’t be a stranger; give me a call when you’re lonely.
Melissa: Will do, Callie. I don’t plan to live there permanently, so I should be back here within a couple of years.
Callie was sad to see Melissa leave, so she told her not to be a stranger. By this, she meant that she wanted Melissa to call often so that they could keep in touch.
“Don’t be a stranger” can also be used to show a new person that you like them and want to see them again.
In the following example, Taylor is bidding farewell to a new member of her club.
Taylor: We really have so much in common. You really fit in here. Seriously, don’t be a stranger! It would be a shame if you never came to another meeting.
Morgan: I’m so glad that you think I’m a good fit. I’ll be sure to come to the next meeting.
When meeting new people, it can be difficult to gauge whether or not they like you or are just being polite. When someone says “don’t be a stranger” to a new person, it’s usually a good sign that they like that person and want to see them again.
If you think that a new person is pretty cool, then you may want to use this phrase to let them know that you hope to see them again.
While the fact that you like this person may be obvious to you, it might not be as apparent to the other person, so this phrase is a great way to make it clear.
Hey fellow Linguaholics! It’s me, Marcel. I am the proud owner of linguaholic.com. Languages have always been my passion and I have studied Linguistics, Computational Linguistics and Sinology at the University of Zurich. It is my utmost pleasure to share with all of you guys what I know about languages and linguistics in general.