Meaning and Use
The verb valer means to be worth or to have value. It is commonly used to express the worth or price of objects, ideas, or even actions. It is an irregular verb with a mainly irregular conjugation in some tenses.
Present Tense Usage
Valer is frequently used in the present tense to indicate the current value or worth of something. For example, Esta joya vale mucho means This jewel is worth a lot.
Imperfect and Preterite Forms
When referring to past value, valer is conjugated in the imperfect or preterite tense. The preterite forms are irregular and important to recognize since they differ from the stem in many verbs.
Common Expressions
Valer la pena is a common phrase meaning to be worth it or to be worthwhile, used to express whether an action justifies the effort or cost.
Conjugations
| Spanish Pronoun | Spanish Conjugation | English Conjugation | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | valgo | I am worth | Yo valgo mucho en esta empresa. | I am worth a lot in this company. |
| tú | vales | you are worth | Tú vales más que el oro. | You are worth more than gold. |
| él/ella/usted | vale | he/she/you is worth | Ella vale mucho para nosotros. | She is worth a lot to us. |
| nosotros/as | valemos | we are worth | Nosotros valemos más que eso. | We are worth more than that. |
| vosotros/as | valéis | you all are worth | Vosotros valéis poco dinero. | You all are worth little money. |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | valen | they are worth | Ellos valen mucho en el mercado. | They are worth a lot in the market. |
| Spanish Pronoun | Preterite Conjugation | English Conjugation | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | valí | I was worth | Yo valí mucho en aquel proyecto. | I was worth a lot in that project. |
| tú | valiste | you were worth | Tú valiste mucho para el equipo. | You were worth a lot to the team. |
| él/ella/usted | valió | he/she/you was worth | Él valió mucho en la negociación. | He was worth a lot in the negotiation. |
| nosotros/as | valimos | we were worth | Nosotros valimos poco antes. | We were worth little before. |
| vosotros/as | valisteis | you all were worth | Vosotros valisteis mucho ayer. | You all were worth a lot yesterday. |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | valieron | they were worth | Ellos valieron mucho durante la crisis. | They were worth a lot during the crisis. |
Tips for Use
Remember that valer is not often used in progressive tenses (estoy valiendo is rare). Most commonly, it appears in simple tenses with the meaning of being worth or costing something. The reflexive form valerse also exists, meaning to manage or to fend for oneself, but it differs significantly in use.
