Use "Vale" in the Spanish World
On SpanishDict, it says the word "vale" is used in Spain, but my Spanish teacher (from Chile) is uses it. Where is the word "vale" used? Would any Hispanic use it/ know what it means?
4 Answers
"Vale" really belongs to Spain. If you hear it anywhere else you probably heard it from a Spaniard or someone who was taught by a Spaniard.
There is nothing as popular in the Spanish speaking world as the gringo "OK." Everybody gets it. Much of American English has had a great impact on Spanish, much like Mexican Spanish has had a great impact on the English of the Southwest U.S.
I agree that "vale" is used a lot in Spain to mean "OK" but in Mexico we use it too, but in a slightly different way, ie: You say "We will see each other tomorrow, OK?" And the other person says "Yes, OK."
Nos vemos mañana ¿sale?
¡Sale vale!
My teachers (who learned Spanish in Spain) told us that it meant "okay" - so similar to "está bien." Maybe your teacher works around people who use "vale" frequently - who are therefore from Spain? That seems to be basically the only way that your teacher would use the word.
I used to have a teacher from Valencia in Spain. He used vale all the time. It is the equivalent of OK. Some years later, my current teacher from Spain often uses the word OK [okay] even when speaking Spanish - he did work in Minnesota [USA] for 2 years. I haven;t heard him use vale.
I am just adding to Daniela's excellent answer.
