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German Phrase

Ich will mich bei dir revanchieren.

/ɪç vɪl mɪç baɪ diːɐ̯ ʁeˈvançiːʁən/
Meaning"I want to repay you."
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Meaning

Literally, ‘I want to reciprocate to you.’ In everyday English it means ‘I want to return the favor to you’ or ‘I’d like to repay you for what you’ve done.’ The phrase carries a sense of gratitude and a desire to balance the social exchange.

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When to use

Use this sentence after someone has helped you, given you a gift, or done you a favor and you feel the need to show that you’re not just a taker. It works in both formal and semi‑formal contexts, such as after a colleague’s assistance or a friend’s support.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Ichwillmichbeidirrevancieren

1

Ich

First‑person singular pronoun, nominative case, the subject of the sentence.

2

will

Modal verb meaning ‘want to’; it is conjugated for the subject and is followed by an infinitive.

3

mich

Reflexive pronoun in accusative; required because ‘revanchieren’ is a reflexive verb.

4

bei dir

Prepositional phrase with ‘bei’ + dative pronoun ‘dir’, indicating the person you want to repay.

5

revanchieren

Reflexive verb meaning ‘to reciprocate, to return the favor’; the infinitive follows the modal verb.

🗨In Conversation

A

Danke, dass du mir beim Umzug geholfen hast!

Thanks for helping me with the move!

Ich will mich bei dir revanchieren.

I want to return the favor to you.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Ich will dich bei dir revanchieren.

    ‘revanchieren’ is reflexive and takes the accusative reflexive pronoun ‘mich’, not the personal pronoun ‘dich’.

  • Ich will mich bei dir zurückzahlen.

    ‘zurückzahlen’ is used for money or a debt; it sounds odd when talking about a favor.

  • Ich will revanchieren mich bei dir.

    The modal verb ‘will’ must be followed by the infinitive ‘revanchieren’; placing ‘mich’ before the infinitive is correct, but some learners mistakenly put the infinitive first.

↔Alternatives

  • Ich möchte mich bei dir revanchieren.

    I would like to return the favor to you.

  • Ich will dir etwas zurückgeben.

    I want to give something back to you.

  • Ich will mich bei dir erkenntlich zeigen.

    I want to show my appreciation to you.

de

Cultural Tip

‘Revanchieren’ is a relatively formal verb and is more common in written German or in polite, semi‑formal speech. In casual conversation many native speakers prefer simpler expressions like ‘Danke zurückgeben’, ‘etwas zurückzahlen’ or ‘ich will mich erkenntlich zeigen’. Also remember that the verb is always reflexive – you cannot say *‘ich will dich revanchieren’*.