https://www.proz.com/kudoz/english-to-french/art-literary/51192-i%5Cll-scratch-your-back-if-you-scratch-mine.html?

I\'ll scratch your back if you scratch mine

French translation: un petit service en vaut un autre

13:29 May 19, 2001
English to French translations [PRO]
Art/Literary
English term or phrase: I\'ll scratch your back if you scratch mine
A novel
Graham Main
French translation:un petit service en vaut un autre
Explanation:
"un petit service en vaut un autre" : this is the French equivalent (a kind of saying/proverb).

If you want the literal translation, it is :
"je te gratterai le dos si tu grattes le mien"
Selected response from:

Carole Reade-Kentros
Local time: 16:02
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
naun petit service en vaut un autre
Carole Reade-Kentros
naJe t'aiderais si tu m'aides
yacine
naRenvoyer l'ascenseur
jmleger
nac'est donnant donnant
Germaine
nase renvoyer mutuellement l'ascenseur
Emmanuel


  

Answers


10 mins
un petit service en vaut un autre


Explanation:
"un petit service en vaut un autre" : this is the French equivalent (a kind of saying/proverb).

If you want the literal translation, it is :
"je te gratterai le dos si tu grattes le mien"


    native French speaker
Carole Reade-Kentros
Local time: 16:02
PRO pts in pair: 65
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
profile removed (X)

Andrea Kopf

Yves Georges
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7 hrs
Je t'aiderais si tu m'aides


Explanation:
I hope it will satisfy you

yacine
Local time: 15:02
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in pair: 157
Grading comment
Wrong tenses - should be future tense
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The asker has declined this answer
Comment: Wrong tenses - should be future tense

15 hrs
Renvoyer l'ascenseur


Explanation:
or "Passe-moi la rhubarbe, je te passerai le séné" (another colorful rendition of the idea)

jmleger
Local time: 08:02
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in pair: 1421
Grading comment
Too colourful for the text
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The asker has declined this answer
Comment: Too colourful for the text

19 hrs
c'est donnant donnant


Explanation:
Donnant donnant: rien n'est donné sans contrepartie / rien sans rien


    Larousse
Germaine
Canada
Local time: 09:02
Native speaker of: French
PRO pts in pair: 4059
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21 hrs
se renvoyer mutuellement l'ascenseur


Explanation:
If the context or the structure of the sentence allows, it means approximately the same.

Emmanuel
Local time: 16:02

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
Christine Lécluse-Boyd (X)
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