valer

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:

     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

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, 2025.
• “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.

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’]

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: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• 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

Etymology

From French valeur.

Noun

valer

1. value, worth

References

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

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, page 533:

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

     An east wind with rain is not worth a limpet.

Verb

valer

1. to drop (to allow to fall)

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

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

• 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.

Etymology

From French valeur.

Noun

valer

1. value, worth

References

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

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!