troquer

Troquer is a French verb meaning to exchange goods or services directly with another person, typically as a barter rather than through money. The action involves giving one item and receiving another of roughly equivalent value, and it is commonly used for informal exchanges among individuals—such as swapping clothes, books, games, or household items with friends, neighbors, or in local communities.

Etymology and form: The verb derives from the noun troc, meaning a barter or exchange. The noun troc comes from Old French and has cognates in other Romance languages. The exact origin is historical and somewhat obscure, but by medieval times the related verb troquer was established to denote the act of trading goods.

Usage notes: In modern French, troquer tends to emphasize mutuality and exchange rather than payment. When money is involved, phrases like échanger contre or vendre are more common. The past participle is troqué and the present participle troquant; used in compound tenses, it agrees with the subject as with most French verbs. Troquer also exists in informal online communities and swap platforms, where people list items they are willing to trade.

Related terms include troc (the barter itself) and échange (general exchange); trocage is a less common noun form for the act of bartering.