Spanish Phrase
Nunca abras la puerta a desconocidos.
Meaning
It is a firm piece of advice meaning 'Never open the door to strangers.' The sentence uses a negative imperative to give a strong warning or rule.
When to use
Use this phrase when giving safety instructions—e.g., parents to children, teachers to students, or anyone warning others about the risks of opening the door to unknown people.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Nuncaabraslapuertaadesconocidos.
Nunca (adverb of frequency)
Placed before the verb, it negates the action and means 'never'.
Abras (negative imperative)
For 'tú' commands with 'no' or 'nunca', use the present subjunctive form of the verb.
La puerta (definite article + noun)
The direct object; 'la' agrees in gender and number with 'puerta'.
a desconocidos (preposition + plural noun)
The preposition 'a' introduces the indirect object, here meaning 'to strangers'.
🗨In Conversation
Nunca abras la puerta a desconocidos.
Never open the door to strangers.
Entendido, siempre preguntaré antes de abrir.
Got it, I’ll always ask before opening.
✕Common Mistakes
Nunca abres la puerta a desconocidos.
Use the subjunctive form 'abras' for negative commands; 'abres' is indicative and incorrect here.
Nunca abras la puerta a desconocido.
The noun must agree in number with the implied plural strangers; use 'desconocidos'.
↔Alternatives
No abras la puerta a extraños.
Don't open the door to strangers.
Jamás abras la puerta a personas que no conozcas.
Never open the door to people you don't know.
Evita abrir la puerta a desconocidos.
Avoid opening the door to strangers.
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries, safety advice often uses the verb 'abrir' with a negative imperative. 'Desconocidos' is a neutral term, while 'extraños' can feel slightly harsher. The phrase is appropriate in both formal and informal settings, but keep the tone firm when giving a warning.