TO CHANGE vs. TO EXCHANGE

Good morning!

Today we are going to answer the following question from one of our readers, Montse. She writes, "I would like to know the difference between change and exchange and when to use them. Thanks."

Good question, Montse! These two verbs are usually used with the following meanings.

TO CHANGE (INTO)

Meaning 1: to transform something.

Example 1: 
The witch in the story changed the handsome prince into a frog.

Meaning 2: to alter or modify; to replace one thing with another

Example 2:
I think we need to change the tyres on the car. They're getting old.

Example 3:
We change the sheets on our bed once a week.

TO EXCHANGE

Meaning: to give something and get something in return. The meaning is similar to CHANGE but there is more reciprocity.

Example 4:
These trousers don't fit me very well. They're too long so I'm going to take them back to the shop to exchange them for a smaller size.

Example 5:
I exchanged business cards with about a dozen different people at the networking event.

I hope this helps clarify the meaning for you, Montse. If not, you can post a question on our Facebook page.

Have a wonderful day!