valer

See also: valêr, Valér, and Våler

Catalan

Alternative forms

• valguer, valdre, valre

Etymology

Inherited from Old Catalan valer, from Latin valēre, from Proto-Italic *walēō, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂wl̥h₁éh₁yeti, from *h₂welh₁- (“to rule, be strong”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [bəˈlɛ]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [vəˈlə]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [vaˈleɾ]

Verb

valer (first-person singular present valc, first-person singular preterite valguí, past participle valgut)

1. to be worth
   • 2019 August 14, Lluís Amiguet, “Viu-ho, fes-ne fotos i comparteix”, in La Vanguardia‎^[1]:

     Soc conscient que li he robat l’article, però la consciència humana no val res al costat de la intel·ligència.

     I'm aware that I have stolen the article from him, but human consciousness is worth nothing compared to intelligence.

2. (intransitive) to be useful

Conjugation

    Conjugation of valer (second conjugation, irregular, with velar infix)

infinitive			valer
gerund			valent
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		valgut		valguda
		plural		valguts		valgudes
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	valc	vals	val	valem	valeu	valen
	imperfect	valia	valies	valia	valíem	valíeu	valien
	future	valdré	valdràs	valdrà	valdrem	valdreu	valdran
	preterite	valguí	valgueres	valgué	valguérem	valguéreu	valgueren
	conditional	valdria	valdries	valdria	valdríem	valdríeu	valdrien
subjunctive		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	valgui	valguis	valgui	valguem	valgueu	valguin
	imperfect	valgués	valguessis	valgués	valguéssim	valguéssiu	valguessin
imperative		—	tu	vostè	nosaltres	vosaltres vós	vostès
	affirmative	—	val	valgui	valguem	valeu	valguin
	negative (no)	—	no valguis	no valgui	no valguem	no valgueu	no valguin

Derived terms

• desvalgut
• més val tard que no mai
• no s'hi val
• tant se val
• valer la pena
• valiment

 

Related terms

• prevaler
• valent
• valor

References

• “valer” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “valer”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2024
• “valer” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “valer” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Galician

Etymology

From Old Galician-Portuguese valer, a semi-learned borrowing from Latin valēre (“to be worth”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [baˈleɾ]

Verb

valer (first-person singular present vallo, first-person singular preterite valín, past participle valido)

1. to be useful

   Synonym: servir

2. to be worth; to cost
   • 1466, M. Lucas Alvarez & P. P. Lucas Domínguez, P. P. (ed. ) (1988): San Pedro de Ramirás. Un monasterio femenino en la Edad Media. Colección diplomática. Santiago: Publicacións de Caixa Galicia.

     e se mays valer esta dita casa, deste preco que vos dades, damosvo-llo en pura deacon por boas obras que de vos recebemos

     and if said house is worth more than the price you give for it, then I give you [the difference] in pure donation for the good deeds that we have received from you

   Synonym: costar

3. to fit

   Synonyms: acaer, servir

4. to be valid
   • 1323, M. Romaní Martínez, editor, La colección diplomática de Santa María de Oseira, Santiago: Tórculo, IV, page 59:

     Et mando et quero que esta seia a minna postrimeyra voontade et se esto non valer commo testamento mando que valla commo codiçillo ou commo outra escriptura publica qualquier

     I order and want that this be my last will, and if it is not valid as a testament, then I order that it serves as a codicil or as another whichever public deed

5. to help, aid

   Deus nos valla! ― God helps us!

6. (pronominal) to make use [with de ‘of’]

Conjugation

    Conjugation of valer (irregular)

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (ti)	Third-person (el / ela / Vde.)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / Vdes.)
Infinitive
Impersonal	valer
Personal	valer	valeres	valer	valermos	valerdes	valeren
Gerund
	valendo
Past participle
Masculine	valido			validos
Feminine	valida			validas
Indicative
Present	vallo	vales	vale	valemos	valedes	valen
Imperfect	valía	valías	valía	valiamos	valiades	valían
Preterite	valín	valiches	valeu	valemos	valestes	valeron
Pluperfect	valera	valeras	valera	valeramos	valerades	valeran
Future	valerei	valerás	valerá	valeremos	valeredes	valerán
Conditional	valería	valerías	valería	valeriamos	valeriades	valerían
Subjunctive
Present	valla	vallas	valla	vallamos	vallades	vallan
Imperfect	valese	valeses	valese	valésemos	valésedes	valesen
Future	valer	valeres	valer	valermos	valerdes	valeren
Imperative
Affirmative		vale	valla	vallamos	valede	vallan
Negative (non)		non vallas	non valla	non vallamos	non vallades	non vallan

    Reintegrated conjugation of valer (irregular) (See Appendix:Reintegrationism)

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (ti / tu)	Third-person (ele / ela / você)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / vocês)
Infinitive
Impersonal	valer
Personal	valer	valeres	valer	valermos	valerdes	valerem
Gerund
	valendo
Past participle
Masculine	valido			validos
Feminine	valida			validas
Indicative
Present	valho	vales	vale	valemos	valedes, valeis	valem
Imperfect	valia	valias	valia	valíamos	valíades, valíeis, valíais1	valiam
Preterite	valim, vali	valeste, valeche1	valeu	valemos	valestes	valêrom, valeram
Pluperfect	valera	valeras	valera	valêramos	valêrades, valêreis, valêrais1	valeram
Future	valerei	valerás	valerá	valeremos	valeredes, valereis	valerám, valerão
Conditional	valeria	valerias	valeria	valeríamos	valeríades, valeríeis, valeríais1	valeriam
Subjunctive
Present	valha	valhas	valha	valhamos	valhades, valhais	valham
Imperfect	valesse	valesses	valesse	valêssemos	valêssedes, valêsseis	valessem
Future	valer	valeres	valer	valermos	valerdes	valerem
Imperative
Affirmative		vale	valha	valhamos	valede, valei	valham
Negative (nom)		nom valhas	nom valha	nom valhamos	nom valhades, nom valhais	nom valham

¹Less recommended.

Derived terms

• valedeiro
• valedor
• válido

References

• Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, Ana Isabel Boullón Agrelo (2006–2022) “valer”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Xavier Varela Barreiro, Xavier Gómez Guinovart (2006–2018) “valer”, in Corpus Xelmírez - Corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: ILG
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “valer”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “valer”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “valer”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

Mauritian Creole

Etymology

From French valeur.

Noun

valer

1. value, worth

References

• Baker, Philip & Hookoomsing, Vinesh Y. 1987. Dictionnaire de créole mauricien. Morisyen – English – Français

Norman

Etymology

From Old French valeir, from Latin valeō, valēre (“be worth”).

Verb

valer

1. (Jersey) to be worth
   • 1903, Edgar MacCulloch, “Proverbs, Weather Sayings, etc.”, in Guernsey Folk Lore‎^[2], page 533:

     Vent d'amont ôve pllie, ne vaut pas un fllie.

     An east wind with rain is not worth a limpet.

Old French

Verb

valer

1. to drop (to allow to fall)

Conjugation

This verb conjugates as a first-group verb ending in -er. The forms that would normally end in *-als, *-alt are modified to aus, aut. Old French conjugation varies significantly by date and by region. The following conjugation should be treated as a guide.

    Conjugation of valer (see also Appendix:Old French verbs)

		simple			compound
infinitive		valer			avoir valé
gerund		en valant			gerund of avoir + past participle
present participle		valant
past participle		valé
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		jo	tu	il	nos	vos	il
simple tenses	present	val	vales	vale	valons	valez	valent
	imperfect	valoie, valeie, valoe, valeve	valoies, valeies, valoes, valeves	valoit, valeit, valot, valeve	valiiens, valiens	valiiez, valiez	valoient, valeient, valoent, valevent
	preterite	valai	valas	vala	valames	valastes	valerent
	future	valerai	valeras	valera	valerons	valeroiz, valereiz, valerez	valeront
	conditional	valeroie, valereie	valeroies, valereies	valeroit, valereit	valeriiens, valeriens	valeriiez, valeriez	valeroient, valereient
compound tenses	present perfect	present tense of avoir + past participle
	pluperfect	imperfect tense of avoir + past participle
	past anterior	preterite tense of avoir + past participle
	future perfect	future tense of avoir + past participle
	conditional perfect	conditional tense of avoir + past participle
subjunctive		que jo	que tu	qu’il	que nos	que vos	qu’il
simple tenses	present	val	vaus	vaut	valons	valez	valent
	imperfect	valasse	valasses	valast	valissons, valissiens	valissoiz, valissez, valissiez	valassent
compound tenses	past	present subjunctive of avoir + past participle
	pluperfect	imperfect subjunctive of avoir + past participle
imperative		–	tu	–	nos	vos	–
		—	vale	—	valons	valez	—

References

• Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l’ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IX^e au XV^e siècle (1881) (valer)
• valer on the Anglo-Norman On-Line Hub

Portuguese

Etymology

From Old Galician-Portuguese valer, from Latin valēre, from Proto-Italic *walēō, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂wl̥h₁éh₁yeti, from *h₂welh₁- (“to rule, be strong”).

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /vaˈle(ʁ)/ [vaˈle(h)]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /vaˈle(ʁ)/ [vaˈle(h)]
  • (São Paulo) IPA^(key): /vaˈle(ɾ)/
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /vaˈle(ʁ)/ [vaˈle(χ)]
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /vaˈle(ɻ)/

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /vɐˈleɾ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /vɐˈleɾ/
  • (Northern Portugal) IPA^(key): /bɐˈleɾ/
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /vɐˈle.ɾi/

• Hyphenation: va‧ler

Verb

valer (first-person singular present valho, first-person singular preterite vali, past participle valido)

1. (transitive) to be worth, valid or acceptable

   Quanto é que isto vale? ― How much is it worth?

   Vale tudo. ― Anything goes.

   Não vale deixar o rei em xeque. ― It is not permitted to leave the king under check.

   Esse jogador não vale nada. ― That player is worthless / sucks.

2. (reflexive) to show bravery
3. (pronominal) to make use [with de ‘of’]

   Ele se valeu de mentiras para ganhar esse prêmio.

   He used lies to win this prize.

4. (transitive) to earn, to draw

   O ator valeu um prémio pelo seu desempenho. ― The actor earned an award for his film.

   A guerra valeu críticas dos países da União Europeia. ― The war drew criticism from the countries of the European Union.

Conjugation

    Conjugation of valer (irregular) (See Appendix:Portuguese verbs)

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (tu)	Third-person (ele / ela / você)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / vocês)
Infinitive
Impersonal	valer
Personal	valer	valeres	valer	valermos	valerdes	valerem
Gerund
	valendo
Past participle
Masculine	valido			validos
Feminine	valida			validas
Indicative
Present	valho	vales	vale	valemos	valeis	valem
Imperfect	valia	valias	valia	valíamos	valíeis	valiam
Preterite	vali	valeste	valeu	valemos	valestes	valeram
Pluperfect	valera	valeras	valera	valêramos	valêreis	valeram
Future	valerei	valerás	valerá	valeremos	valereis	valerão
Conditional	valeria	valerias	valeria	valeríamos	valeríeis	valeriam
Subjunctive
Present	valha	valhas	valha	valhamos	valhais	valham
Imperfect	valesse	valesses	valesse	valêssemos	valêsseis	valessem
Future	valer	valeres	valer	valermos	valerdes	valerem
Imperative
Affirmative		vale	valha	valhamos	valei	valham
Negative (não)		não valhas	não valha	não valhamos	não valhais	não valham

Seychellois Creole

Etymology

From French valeur.

Noun

valer

1. value, worth

References

• Danielle D’Offay et Guy Lionnet, Diksyonner Kreol - Franse / Dictionnaire Créole Seychellois - Français

Spanish

Etymology

Inherited from Old Spanish valer, from Latin valēre, valeō, from Proto-Italic *walēō, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂wl̥h₁éh₁yeti, from *h₂welh₁- (“to rule, be strong”). Compare English value.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baˈleɾ/ [baˈleɾ]
• Rhymes: -eɾ
• Syllabification: va‧ler

Verb

valer (first-person singular present valgo, first-person singular preterite valí, past participle valido)

1. to be worth
   • 2007 , El sueño de Morfeo, Entérate ya

     No me valen tus lamentos; ya sé que nadie es perfecto. Me has hecho daño; no hay vuelta atrás.

     Your regrets are worthless to me; I already know nobody's perfect. You've done me harm; there's no going back.

   ¿Cuánto vale? ― How much is it worth?

2. to be useful or valid
3. to be well, healthy
4. to be strong
5. (reflexive) (+ de) to make use of

   Se valió de la confusión para robarse una televisión.

   He made use of the confusion and stole a TV.

   valerse de su posición privilegiada

   to make use of one's privileged position

   • 2013, Raúl D. Montoya, La Herencia De El Encanto:

     Presentándose como víctima de una conjura maligna, y valiéndose de sus conocimientos de sacristana, pudo convencer a la comunidad de su inquebrantable vocación religiosa y amor por Dios.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

6. (reflexive) to take care of oneself, to manage (on one's own)

   Ya después de su caída, mi abuelo no pudo valerse por sí mismo.

   After his fall, my grandfather could no longer take care of himself.

   Aunque sea viejo, ¡todavía me valgo!

   Though I may be old, I can still manage on my own!

Conjugation

    Conjugation of valer (irregular) (See Appendix:Spanish verbs)

infinitive			valer
gerund			valiendo
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		valido		valida
		plural		validos		validas
		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
indicative		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	valgo	valestú valésvos	vale	valemos	valéis	valen
	imperfect	valía	valías	valía	valíamos	valíais	valían
	preterite	valí	valiste	valió	valimos	valisteis	valieron
	future	valdré	valdrás	valdrá	valdremos	valdréis	valdrán
	conditional	valdría	valdrías	valdría	valdríamos	valdríais	valdrían
subjunctive		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	valga	valgastú valgásvos2	valga	valgamos	valgáis	valgan
	imperfect (ra)	valiera	valieras	valiera	valiéramos	valierais	valieran
	imperfect (se)	valiese	valieses	valiese	valiésemos	valieseis	valiesen
	future1	valiere	valieres	valiere	valiéremos	valiereis	valieren
imperative		—	tú vos	usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ustedes
	affirmative		valetú valévos	valga	valgamos	valed	valgan
	negative		no valgas	no valga	no valgamos	no valgáis	no valgan

¹Mostly obsolete, now mainly used in legal language.
²Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tú form for the present subjunctive.

    Selected combined forms of valer (irregular)

These forms are generated automatically and may not actually be used. Pronoun usage varies by region.

		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
with infinitive valer	dative	valerme	valerte	valerle, valerse	valernos	valeros	valerles, valerse
	accusative	valerme	valerte	valerlo, valerla, valerse	valernos	valeros	valerlos, valerlas, valerse
with gerund valiendo	dative	valiéndome	valiéndote	valiéndole, valiéndose	valiéndonos	valiéndoos	valiéndoles, valiéndose
	accusative	valiéndome	valiéndote	valiéndolo, valiéndola, valiéndose	valiéndonos	valiéndoos	valiéndolos, valiéndolas, valiéndose
with informal second-person singular tú imperative vale	dative	váleme	válete	válele	válenos	not used	váleles
	accusative	váleme	válete	válelo, válela	válenos	not used	válelos, válelas
with informal second-person singular vos imperative valé	dative	valeme	valete	valele	valenos	not used	valeles
	accusative	valeme	valete	valelo, valela	valenos	not used	valelos, valelas
with formal second-person singular imperative valga	dative	válgame	not used	válgale, válgase	válganos	not used	válgales
	accusative	válgame	not used	válgalo, válgala, válgase	válganos	not used	válgalos, válgalas
with first-person plural imperative valgamos	dative	not used	valgámoste	valgámosle	valgámonos	valgámoos	valgámosles
	accusative	not used	valgámoste	valgámoslo, valgámosla	valgámonos	valgámoos	valgámoslos, valgámoslas
with informal second-person plural imperative valed	dative	valedme	not used	valedle	valednos	valeos	valedles
	accusative	valedme	not used	valedlo, valedla	valednos	valeos	valedlos, valedlas
with formal second-person plural imperative valgan	dative	válganme	not used	válganle	válgannos	not used	válganles, válganse
	accusative	válganme	not used	válganlo, válganla	válgannos	not used	válganlos, válganlas, válganse

Derived terms

• en la guerra y en el amor todo vale
• hacer valer
• más vale malo conocido que bueno por conocer
• más vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando
• más vale solo que mal acompañado
• más vale tarde que nunca
• me vale
• mi casa y mi hogar cien doblas val
• una imagen vale más que mil palabras
• valer la pena
• valer madre
• valer verga
• valérselas
• válgame Dios
• valimiento

 

Related terms

• vale
• valencia
• valentía
• valiente
• valor

 

Further reading

• “valer”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10