valer

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)
• IPA^(key): (Balearic)
• IPA^(key): (Valencian)

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

Conjugation

Derived terms

Related terms

• 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, present active infinitive of valeō (“I am worth”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):

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 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. (transitive with de) (takes a reflexive pronoun) to make use of

Conjugation

Derived terms

• valedeiro
• valedor
• válido

References

• “valer” in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval, SLI - ILGA 2006–2022.
• “valer” in Xavier Varela Barreiro & Xavier Gómez Guinovart: Corpus Xelmírez - Corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval. SLI / Grupo TALG / ILG, 2006–2018.
• “valer” in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega, SLI - ILGA 2006–2013.
• “valer” in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega. Santiago: ILG.
• “valer” in Álvarez, Rosario (coord.): Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués, Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega.

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

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.

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

• 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. (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

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/
• 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

Derived terms

Related terms

Further reading

• “valer”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014