10 Common Dreams About Other People & What They Might Mean

Wake up from a dream about a fifth-grade classmate...again? According to dream analyst Lauri Loewenberg, the sometimes random people that show up in your dreams often represent situations in your real life that are weighing on your mind. Whether it's someone you really know, or a seemingly made-up dream character, Loewenberg tells mbg there's a lot of insight to gain from dreams about people—but specifics matter.

Here, we break down dream interpretations for 10 common dreams about other people and what they could be telling you about your waking life.

If you recently went through a breakup and you're dreaming about your ex, Loewenberg says the dream is likely helping you move through the split. Additionally, if the ex is the one who ended things, "Those dreams try to help us understand why," she says. You might be digging through their stuff, for example, which would represent you trying to figure out what went wrong.

An ex from long ago—your first love, for instance—could represent a desire to add more spark to your life if you're single or in a lackluster relationship, Loewenberg notes.

When someone from childhood shows up in your dream, Loewenberg recommends asking yourself what stands out the most about that person. Whether it's a quality they have or a memory of them, that trait may mirror something you see in yourself. It could be positive or negative—something you want to cultivate or something you're ashamed of, respectively.

This person could also represent a time in your life that's still affecting you today, she adds.

If you're dreaming of a current friend, most obviously, it could be related to a current situation with that friend. But additionally, Loewenberg notes, "Friends can also represent our ability to be a friend to ourselves." If your friend in a dream is telling you they don't like your significant other and think you deserve better, for example, it could actually represent you giving yourself that advice, she says.

If you're getting along with an enemy in your dream, you may want to find peace or common ground with them, Loewenberg says. Physical violence, on the other hand, "would be a release or expression of your anger," she says. And if your enemy is in control in the dream (say, they're driving a car you're both in), that could mean you're giving them too much control over your life. Lastly, if they're sick or dying, Loewenberg notes that's a sign your issues with this person are on the way out.

Moving on to the workplace, Loewenberg says the most co-worker dreams she hears about involve an office romance or intimacy. Aside from an obvious crush (you shouldn't need a dream to explain that one, she says), being intimate with a co-worker could also mean you want to collaborate on something at work. If it's someone you don't actively work with, she adds, there's likely something about them that you admire, even if you don't have romantic feelings for them.

"Generically, the boss would represent your own ability to be a boss in your own life," Loewenberg says. And if you're arguing with your boss about something at work that's upset you? "Pay very close attention to what is said in the dream," she notes, "because what you and your boss are saying to each other is really a conversation you're having to yourself about the situation."

Significant others are obviously a huge part of our day-to-day lives, so it's not uncommon for them to show up often. Loewenberg says to "compare the dream to your waking life and pay attention to how they're behaving and what they're saying." Take note of their state as well, such as if they're sick. "All those things would apply to something in your real life," she adds, so pay attention to "how you feel toward them, or if there's a struggle."

When it comes to strangers, they often represent parts of you, Loewenberg says. Pay attention to the basics, like are they a man or a woman? How are they presenting themselves? What qualities do they possess that you resonate with? Or oppositely, is there something about them that puts you off?

If you have kids, Loewenberg says that dreaming about your own parents will often reflect how you perceive your own parenting. "If you're trying to get pregnant, you might dream of your mom a lot," she adds. Ask yourself what the outstanding quality of your mom or dad was in the dream (and even in real life). It will often represent a part of you that you feel connected to, whether it's a good or bad thing.

And lastly, if you're dreaming about a certain celebrity and you're romantically involved in the dream, "There are qualities in them you want in a mate, in many cases," Loewenberg says. And if the celebrity seems more random, think about what you associate them with. Is it a movie or song? "You associate them with something relevant to your life," she adds. "They can also represent the part of you that wants recognition and applause."

Moral of the story: The people in our dreams often represent different aspects of our own personality. As always, the most important part of dream interpretation is considering how you felt in the dream and how the day leading up to it could have contributed to those emotions. With a little introspection (and a dream journal handy), you can decipher your entire dream cast of characters in a way that's useful to your everyday life.