Spanish Conversation · Level 9
90 words
Spanish word
valer
Pronunciation
IPA/baˈleɾ/
Meaning
- verbbe worth it, be worth
Example
No vale la pena discutir por eso.
It's not worth it to argue about that.
More examples
¿Crees que vale la pena esperar?
Do you think it's worth waiting?
Core concept
A balance scale with a price tag.
Common phrases
valer la pena
be worth it
Similar words
merecer: Worthy of reward, praise, or formal recognition for its merit.
compensar: Yielding sufficient return or satisfaction to make the effort worthwhile.
costar: Having a set monetary cost or price to purchase or obtain.
servir: Serving a purpose by being practical or functionally appropriate.
Definition in Spanish
Indicar que algo tiene valor, sirve para un propósito o merece esfuerzo; también expresar precio o que algo «vale la pena».
Word origin
From Latin valēre 'to be strong or have value', passing through medieval Spanish into modern valer to mean having value or being worth the effort.
Usage tips
- The short interjection 'vale', common in Spain, usually means 'okay' and can look identical to conjugated forms of valer, so context determines whether the speaker is agreeing or commenting on worth.