French Phrase
Ne t'arrête pas pour des inconnus.
Meaning
Literally, ‘Don’t stop for strangers.’ It’s a firm, informal warning telling someone not to waste time or become vulnerable by stopping for people they don’t know. The tone can be protective or advisory, depending on context.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to caution a friend, a child, or a colleague about safety—e.g., when walking home at night, driving, or when someone suggests helping a random passer‑by. It’s informal, so reserve it for familiar interlocutors.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Net'arrêtepaspourdesinconnus.
Ne…pas (negative imperative)
In a negative command, French uses the particle ‘ne’ before the verb and ‘pas’ after it.
Reflexive pronoun ‘t’' (te)
‘t'’ is the elided form of ‘te’, used before a vowel or mute ‘h’ to indicate the action is done to oneself.
Verb ‘arrêter’ in the 2nd‑person singular imperative
Drop the final ‘s’ of the present‑tense ‘tu’ form: ‘arrête!’
Preposition ‘pour’
Introduces the purpose or reason: ‘for’, ‘because of’.
Partitive article ‘des’
Used before a plural noun when referring to an indefinite quantity or group.
Adjective‑noun ‘inconnus’
Means ‘unknown, strangers’; placed after the article.
🗨In Conversation
Ne t'arrête pas pour des inconnus, surtout quand il fait sombre.
Don’t stop for strangers, especially when it’s dark.
D'accord, je continue mon chemin.
Alright, I’ll keep going.
✕Common Mistakes
Ne t'arrête pas pour inconnus.
The partitive article ‘des’ is required before a plural noun.
Ne t'arrête pas pour les inconnus.
‘Les’ makes the group specific; the idiomatic warning uses the indefinite ‘des’.
Ne t'arrêtes pas pour des inconnus.
In a negative command, the exclamation mark is acceptable, but the verb should stay in the imperative without the ‘s’ – ‘arrête!’ not ‘arrêtes!’.
↔Alternatives
Ne t'arrête pas pour des étrangers.
Don’t stop for foreigners/strangers.
Ne t'arrête pas pour des personnes inconnues.
Don’t stop for unknown people.
Ne t’arrête pas pour des inconnus, continue ton chemin.
Don’t stop for strangers, keep moving.
Cultural Tip
In France, especially in big cities, there’s a strong cultural emphasis on personal safety and not engaging with strangers in isolated places. The phrase is common among parents and friends when giving street‑wise advice. It’s informal, so avoid using it in a formal setting or with people you don’t know well, as it can sound overly blunt.