Make a trade

[kachibibb]

Normally, we say "let's make a deal-you wash the car and I will let you use tonight."

Can I substitute "deal" with "trade"?

Let's make a trade-you wash the car and I will let you use tonight.

 

[emsr2d2]

Normally, we say "Let's make a deal - you wash the car and I will let you use it tonight."

Can I substitute [STRIKE]"deal" with "trade"[/STRIKE] "trade" for "deal"?

Let's make a trade - you wash the car and I will let you use it tonight.

Both sentences are grammatical. They don't mean exactly the same thing but they both work.

Please note my corrections above. Remember to use a capital letter for the first letter of a complete sentence inside quotation marks. Put a space either side of a dash. (Don't put a space either side of a hyphen.) You omitted a word. Your original was offering the other person the opportunity to "use tonight"!

 

[kachibibb]

Do you mean that "trade" can also be used to mean something that does not involve money like a transaction?

For example, a witch helps an old woman turn younger on the condition that the old woman helps the witch to find a treasure.

The above thing does not involve money, selling or buying. We can also call this a "trade" and say "Let's make a trade"?

 

[Tarheel]

The above thing does not involve money, selling or buying. Can we also call this a "trade" and say "Let's make a trade"?

I wouldn't.

 

[probus]

Trade, meaning to exchange something for something else, is very common in Canadian English. I was surprised when Tarheel said he wouldn't use it.

 

[tedmc]

I think "a deal" is a much more common word for that. "To trade off something for another" is also common.

 

[5jj]

I don't think the witch's proposal has the idea of compromise that I associate with trade off.

 

[tedmc]

I don't think the witch's proposal has the idea of compromise that I associate with trade off.

It was said as an aside; I didn't say that trade and trade off are the same.

 

[Tarheel]

For example, a witch helps an old woman turn younger on the condition that the old woman helps the witch to find a treasure.

I suppose you you could call that a trade of sorts. However, I wish you had used a different example.

 

[jutfrank]

We can also call this a "trade" and say "Let's make a trade"?

No. This arrangement is a deal, not a trade. Use 'trade' when you want to exchange one item for another.

 

[kachibibb]

But aren't "washing the car" and "using the car" the two items that are to be exchanged?

Why some native speakers say OK here while some don't?

 

[5jj]

Why do some native speakers say OK here while some don't?

Because this is a matter of opinion rather than fact. I'm with those who would not use 'trade' in this example.

 

[jutfrank]

But aren't "washing the car" and "using the car" the two items that are to be exchanged?

No, those aren't items. When I said 'items', I meant 'things'.

Use trade when two people want to exchange things.
Use make a deal when two people agree to do something.