Los usos de trocar en español

Question

He encontrado lo que parece ser tres usos de la palabra "trocar" con preposiciones:

(1) trocar con

(2) trocar por

(3) trocar en

En particular no estoy seguro sobre "trocar con"--"él trocó asiento con ella" pero "trocó un tenedor con una cuchara" o no (?)

He encontrado también:"trocarse en" como "to become" o "to turn into" en inglés, por ejemplo:"los dos enemigos se trocaron en amigos" ("the two enemies became friends")

Finalmente, parece también que la palabra "trocar" se pueda usar con un objeto directo y significa "to truck" , "to buy", "to sell" o "to exchange one thing for another"(cambiar algo por algo) en inglés.

Se puede clarificar, por favor, en inglés or español o en ambos idiomas, los usos diferentes de esta palabra y especialmente cuando se usa con un objeto directo?

Muchas gracias y perdón mi mal espánol.

Why on earth are you apologizing? What is this for, but to learn more, and you seem to knowmore than most already? - annierats, Jun 8, 2013

Answer 1

I guess it depends where you live.

This word is not very common. I have heard people use it when they encounter somebody by accident. "Me troqué con..."

Also, I have heard it when something/somebody clashes (choca) with somebody else/something.

People also uses trocar when making mistakes. I have heard people saying "me troqué" when they are saying that they made a mistake or got confused.

Regarding "trocar" for exchanging, for example I have heard "Hice un trueque con el. Le dí mi televisión por su estéreo". I have never heard "Troqué mi tv for su estéreo".

Muchas gracias--interesante. - EugenioCosta, Jun 8, 2013

Any chance that first example wasnt simply 'me choqué con' to unexpectedly meet up with someone, to bump into someone - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 8, 2013

Answer 2

In Mexico: Toparse con alguien ..... to come across someone. This is an idiom possibly given birth by all the topes (speed bumps) for which Mexico is so famous or simply from "topar" as in chocar" and usually an unplanned event.

We also use "caerse a alguien" but it doesn´t have to unplanned like "trocar".

Muchas gracias. - EugenioCosta, Jun 9, 2013

Answer 3

trocarse en.. to change onself into/ to become something different.

Apart from that, I think , as Cileno says, it's mostly just used for ' to exchange' , trocar por, I would guess. I don't think it's very common.

Muchas gracias. - EugenioCosta, Jun 8, 2013

Answer 4

I don't agree with everything was said by Sylyon1976 and here it is why:

From the RAE:

trocar2.

(Etim. disc.).

1. tr. cambiar (? dar o tomar algo por otra cosa).

2. tr. Arrojar por la boca lo que se ha comido.

3. tr. equivocar. Al criado no se le puede encargar nada, porque todo lo trueca.

4. tr. Equit. Hacer que una caballería al galope cambie de pie y mano.

5. tr. desus. Cambiar moneda.

6. intr. cambiar (? mudar).

7. prnl. Cambiar de vida.

8. prnl. Permutar el asiento con otra persona.

9. prnl. Dicho de una cosa: Mudarse, cambiarse enteramente. Trocarse la suerte, el color.

Now, that does not mean that I want you to change your election or take points away from her, and much less choose me over her.

I am interested in everybody learning, including myself.

:) - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 9, 2013

Answer 5

Trocar = to (ex)change

Maybe it helps.

Gracias--¿Entonces la significación esential es cambiar? - EugenioCosta, Jun 8, 2013

Intercambiar :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 8, 2013

Gracias. - EugenioCosta, Jun 8, 2013

Answer 6

Uncommon word to say the least. I know it, but I've never used it once in my whole life.