1 A2 idiomatic informal
to visit someone or a place for a short time
"Why don't you come by after work for coffee?"
inseparable
come by
B1 neutral inseparable transitive/intransitive
to visit briefly, or to obtain something, especially with some difficulty
In plain English
to stop and see someone, or to get something
What does "come by" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
to obtain or acquire something
"Good seats were hard to come by."
“
Jobs are hard to come by.
— Common news and public commentary phrase; no single reliable source recalled
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
to move near or past a place
Actually means
to stop and see someone, or to get something
Usage tip
Very common in spoken English for visits. The 'obtain' sense is often used with things that are rare or not easy to get.
Words that pair with "come by"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
house office ticket information money chance
How to conjugate "come by"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
come by
I/you/we/they
3rd person
comes by
he/she/it
Past simple
came by
yesterday
Past participle
come by
have + pp
-ing form
coming by
continuous
Hear "come by" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "come by" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "come by"
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