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JLPT N3 · Sentence patterns

にかわって / にかわり (ni kawatte / ni kawari)

~にかわって/~にかわり — on behalf of / in place of ~

In short · Means that someone takes the place of another person or thing: “on behalf of, in place of.” It follows a noun, usually a person. にかわり is the more formal, written form.
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Pattern

  • 名詞+にかわって+動詞 noun + にかわって + verb (社長にかわって挨拶する)
  • 名詞+にかわり/にかわる+名詞 formal / noun-modifying forms

Meaning and use

Use it when someone else performs the role that another person should have done. It is common for greetings, explanations, attendance or thanks, as in 社長にかわって. In kanji it is written に代わって.

Compared with similar forms

It is nearly the same as の代わりに but sounds more formal, and can also carry the nuance of representing that person. にかわる can also mean replacing one thing with another, as in 古いものにかわる新しい技術.

Examples

  • 社長(しゃちょう)にかわって、私(わたし)が挨拶(あいさつ)します。

    Shachō ni kawatte, watashi ga aisatsu shimasu.

    I'll give the greeting on behalf of the president.

    Doing the president's role in their place.

  • 入院(にゅういん)した父(ちち)にかわって、母(はは)が店(みせ)を開(あ)けた。

    Nyūin shita chichi ni kawatte, haha ga mise o aketa.

    In place of my hospitalized father, my mother opened the shop.

    A clause can modify the noun 父.

  • 担当(たんとう)の人(ひと)にかわり、私(わたし)が説明(せつめい)いたします。

    Tantō no hito ni kawari, watashi ga setsumei itashimasu.

    On behalf of the person in charge, I will give the explanation.

    にかわり is the formal form, with polite いたします.

Common mistakes

  • The noun before it is the person being replaced, not the substitute: 社長にかわって私が (correct).
  • It does not mean “exchange.” It means taking over someone's role.

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