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I am trying to figure this out, but online searches don't seem to be helping. In particular what I'm looking for is something like "In exchange for helping you, please help me" or put more simply "In return for X, Y." To be more precise, used in an actual sentence: "In exchange for me helping you with your English, please help me with my Japanese."

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  • What have you come up with so far? Also, try looking into 代わりに and see if that helps.
    – senshin
    May 27, 2014 at 6:34
  • Almost feel guilty posting an answer using 代わりに now, even if I did think of it prior to clicking on the question...
    – Kaji
    May 27, 2014 at 7:03
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    @Kaji あはは・・・まぁ、ええや～ん、がんばって～ ^^
    – user1016
    May 27, 2014 at 7:10
  • In all fairness, I guess part of it is the fact that there's little actual attempt to share what they've pieced together so far. Bah, I guess I'll post.
    – Kaji
    May 27, 2014 at 7:12

2 Answers 2

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As has been noted in the comments, 代わり【かわり】に is the construction you are looking for.

When referring to discrete objects, it usually takes the following format:

object of desire + の + 代わりに + favor performed in return

e.g. このリンゴの代わりに何をくれる？"What will you give me for this apple?"

In the case of your request, there are a couple of other ways it can be phrased to achieve a more natural feeling:

  • If you're simply talking about an exchange, try using 〜てあげる代わり【かわり】に:

英語【えいご】を教えて【おしえて】あげる代わりに日本語【にほんご】を教えて【おしえて】ください。 "In exchange for teaching [you] English, please teach [me] Japanese."

  • If you're already teaching them bits of English, then you can express the sentiment that you're already giving something by using the plain form of the verb + から ("therefore"):

英語【えいご】を教えて【おしえて】あげるから、代わり【かわり】に日本語【にほんご】を教えて【おしえて】ください。 "I'm [already] teaching [you] English, so please teach [me] Japanese in exchange."

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  • Updated based on some recommendations courtesy of @Chocolate.
    – Kaji
    May 27, 2014 at 7:52
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I think the most common way to express "In exchange for helping you, please help me" is simply

（私が）Aするから、（あなたは）Bして

i.e.

英語を教えるから、日本語を教えて。

though this of course doesn't explicitly include "in exchange", much like the English phrase "I'll do this, so please do that"

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