Stop by means to drop in or visit briefly, usually on the way somewhere else. People use it for a short visit to friends or for popping into a shop, office or café: stop by the bakery. When it's about a visit, it doesn't mean stopping next to something; it means going in.
Want to use stop by in conversation?
Write a sentence — we'll show the mistakes right away and suggest how to say it more naturally.
The check is taking longer than usual. Your feedback will appear here automatically.
stop by (+ place); stop by + someone's place/the office; stop by for + a coffee/a chat; stop by to + verb
- Can you stop by the chemist's on your way home and get some cough syrup?
- My neighbour stopped by for a quick chat and stayed for two hours.
What changed
First versionStop by to me after work and I'll give you the charger.
RevisionStop by my place after work and I'll give you the charger.
Stop by to me can look like a natural way to say “come and see me”. But after stop by, you name the place you visit: my place, the office, the shop. To me was replaced with my place.
When you're describing a journey or a walk, by can simply mean “next to”: We stopped by the river for lunch means we stopped beside the river to eat. The place tells you the meaning: you stop beside a river, but you drop into a shop or a friend's place.
Your turn
I'll ___ your office on Friday to sign the contract; it'll only take ten minutes.
Show the answer
stop by — The speaker will drop into the office for ten minutes to sign a contract, which is a short visit: stop by. Stop over means a break in a long journey, usually staying the night in another city, and it isn't followed directly by a place.
Invite a colleague or friend to drop in briefly. Mention the time and the reason for the visit.
Stop by my desk around three and I'll show you the new budget figures.
Learn to use new words without mistakes
Write phrases with the words you are learning. LetsWords shows mistakes in usage and grammar, suggests corrections and explains them, and review helps the words stick.