席を替わってくれませんか

[Davide92]

Hi everyone,

I found the above sentence in a grammar book. It's translated as 'Would you please change seats?'. Isn't 替わる an intransitive verb though? Thanks.

 

[Toritoribe]

替わる can work as a transitive verb when meaning "to be changed/replaced a roll/position/situation".
e.g.
運転を替わる
電話を替わる
担当を替わる
議長を替わる
役目を替わる

The transitive verb 替える often has a forced nuance, so it's considered that the intransitive verb 替わる is used to soften the nuance. In fact, it's often used when the subject is the speaker themselves.

 

[Davide92]

I see. Is it correct, then, to say, :
旅行中太郎さんと運転を替わりました　?

 

[Toritoribe]

Yes, that's correct and natural.

 

[Davide92]

Thank you! :emoji_grin: