Translation guide
How to express visiting someone or somewhere casually, briefly, or without prior arrangement in Japanese.
To visit someone or a place informally, often for a short time, without a formal plan.
The most common and natural way to say 'drop by' or 'stop by' in Japanese. Implies a brief, casual visit on the way to somewhere else.
I'll drop by the convenience store on my way home.
Can I drop by my friend's house for a bit?
A slightly more formal version of 寄る, often used in written or polite speech. Still means a brief stop.
Literally 'show one's face'. Used when you drop by briefly to say hello, often at a social gathering or someone's place.
Adds a nuance of dropping by casually, on a whim, without any particular reason. ふらっと is an onomatopoeia for wandering in.
Yesterday, I just dropped by my parents' house on a whim.
To visit someone without prior notice, often surprising them.
Means to visit suddenly or unexpectedly. Can be used for dropping by without warning.
He dropped by unexpectedly.
Literally 'go without an appointment'. Very common in casual speech for dropping by unannounced.
I dropped by without notice, but they weren't home.
Implies dropping by uninvited or barging in, sometimes with a negative connotation of intruding.
To tell someone they are welcome to visit casually.
A friendly, casual invitation to drop by anytime.
Drop by anytime you're in the neighborhood.
A polite way to say 'please feel free to drop by'.
The English phrasal verb 'drop by' doesn't have a direct word-for-word equivalent. Using 落ちる (to drop) or によって (by means of) would be incorrect. Use 寄る or 立ち寄る instead.
寄る (yoru) implies a brief, casual stop, often on the way to another destination. 訪ねる (tazuneru) means to visit with more purpose, often planned. For 'drop by', 寄る is usually more natural.
I dropped by a cafe near the station.
I visited his grandmother.
お近くにお越しの際は、ぜひお立ち寄りください。
Please feel free to drop by when you're in the area.
パーティーにちょっと顔を出すつもりだ。
I plan to drop by the party for a bit.
My friend dropped by late at night (uninvited).
Please feel free to drop by.