～かわりに
instead of / in exchange for
～かわりに comes from the verb 代わる（かわる）, “to take the place of”. It attaches to a Noun + の (父の代わりに) or to a plain-form verb (働く代わりに) and has two related meanings: “instead of” (a substitute) and “in exchange for” (one thing balances another).
1. Instead of (substitution)
With this meaning, X does not happen (or is not used), and something else takes its place.
父の代わりに私が行きます。
“I will go instead of my father.”
- 父（ちち）= (my) father
- の = links the noun to 代わりに
- 代わりに（かわりに）= instead of, in place of
- 私（わたし）= I
- が = subject marker
- 行きます（いきます）= will go
2. In exchange for (balance)
With a verb, 代わりに often means that one side gives something and gets something back, a trade or compensation.
働く代わりにお金をもらう。
“I receive money in exchange for working.”
- 働く（はたらく）= to work
- 代わりに（かわりに）= in exchange for
- お金（おかね）= money
- を = object marker
- もらう = receive
How to form it
Noun + の + 代わりに / Verb plain form + 代わりに
- 父（ちち）= father → 父の代わりに（ちちのかわりに）= instead of my father
- 働く（はたらく）= to work → 働く代わりに（はたらくかわりに）= in exchange for working
- 行く（いく）= to go → 行く代わりに（いくかわりに）= instead of going
Key idea
～かわりに puts two things on a scale: one replaces the other, or one is given and the other received. If you see Noun + の代わりに, think “in place of”; with a verb, also consider “in return for”.
Other N3 grammar
Updated .