valer
Para la frase valer la pena, ver la otra entrada.
transitive verb
1 (costar) to cost
solo el vuelo ya vale 8.000 euros the flight alone costs 8,000 euros; este libro vale cinco dólares this book costs five dollars
¿cuánto vale? ¿qué vale? how much is it?; how much does it cost?
esas valen (a) dos euros el kilo those are two euros a kilo
2 (tener un valor de) to be worth
el terreno vale más que la casa the land is worth more than the house
no vale un higo o un pimiento (España) it's not worth a brass farthing
vale lo que pesa (en oro) it's worth its weight in gold
3 (ser causa de) [+premio] to win; [+críticas, amenazas] to earn
la final histórica que le valió a Brasil la copa del mundo the famous final in which Brazil won the world cup; son las cualidades que le valieron el premio these are the qualities which won him the prize; esa tontería le valió un rapapolvo that piece of stupidity got o earned him a telling-off; su ausencia le valió la pérdida del contrato his absence lost o cost him the contract
intransitive verb
1 (costar)
este coche vale muy caro this car is very expensive o costs a lot of money; ¿vale mucho? is it very expensive?
2 (tener valía)
vale mucho como intérprete he's an excellent o first-rate interpreter
Juan vale más que su hermano Juan is a better person than his brother; su última película no vale gran cosa his latest film is not up to much o is not much good; este coche no vale nada this car is useless
hacer valer
hizo valer su derecho al veto he exercised his veto; hizo valer sus derechos he asserted his rights; hizo valer sus argumentos en la reunión she got her arguments across during the meeting
hacerse valer to assert o.s.
valer por (equivaler a) to be worth
cada cupón vale por un paquete de azúcar each coupon is worth o can be exchanged for one bag of sugar; cuatro fichas azules valen por una negra four blue counters equal o are worth one black one
3 (servir) [+herramienta, objeto] to be useful
todavía puede valer it might still be useful; este mismo valdrá this one will do
eso no vale that's no good o use
hay que tirar todo lo que no vale we must throw out everything that is no use; ya no me vale it's no good o use to me now; este destornillador no me vale porque es pequeño this screwdriver is no good to me, it's too small
valer para algo
[+ropa] es viejo, pero vale para la lluvia it's old, but it'll do for when it rains; este trozo no me vale para hacer la cortina this piece won't do to make the curtain; este cuchillo no vale para nada this knife is useless
este sombrero me vale aún I can still wear o use this hat; me vale la ropa de mi hermana my sister's clothes do for (familiar) o fit me as well; a mi hijo no le vale la ropa del año pasado the clothes my son wore last year are too small for him now
[+situación] no le vale ser hijo del ministro being the minister's son is no use to him; su situación privilegiada no le valió his privileged position was no help o use to him; no le valdrán excusas excuses won't help him o do him any good
[+persona] yo no valdría para enfermera I'd be no good as a nurse
el chico no vale para el trabajo the boy is no good o not right for the job
no vales para nada you're hopeless o useless; you're a dead loss (familiar)
4 (ser válido) [+documento] to be valid; [+moneda, billete] to be legal tender
este tipo de pasaporte no vale desde hace un mes they stopped using this type of passport a month ago; estos billetes ya no valen these banknotes are no longer legal tender; es una teoría que no vale ya it is a theory which no longer holds
valga la expresión for want of a better way of putting it
está un poco chiflado, valga la expresión he's a bit cracked, for want of a better way of putting it
¡no hay ... que valga!
—¡pero querido! —¡no hay querido que valga! "but darling!" — "don't darling me!" (familiar)
5
más vale
más vale así it's better this way; más vale no hacerlo it would be better not to do it; más vale mantener esto en secreto it would be best to keep this quiet; —mañana te devuelvo el dinero —más te vale "I'll give you the money back tomorrow" — "you'd better!"; más vale que me vaya I'd o I had better go; más vale que te lleves el abrigo you'd o you had better take your coat; más vale que vayas tú it would be better if you went
más vale tarde que nunca better late than never
6 (España) (ser suficiente) to be enough
dos terrones valen para endulzarlo two lumps are enough to sweeten it; vale ya, que habéis estado gritando toda la tarde that's enough! you've been shouting all afternoon; ¡vale, vale!, no me eches más azúcar OK! that's enough! don't put any more sugar in; —¿subo más la persiana? —no, así ya vale "shall I put the blind up a bit more?" — "no, it's OK like that"
7 (estar permitido) to be allowed
—¿puedo darle con la mano? —no, eso no vale "can I hit it with my hand?" — "no, that's not allowed"; no vale intentarlo dos veces you're not allowed to have two goes; no vale empujar no pushing!; pushing's not allowed; —le han dado el trabajo al hijo del jefe —¡pues, eso no vale! "they've given the job to the boss's son" — "that's not on!" (familiar) o "they can't do that!"
8
vale (España) (de acuerdo) all right; OK (familiar)
—¿vamos a tomar algo? —¡vale! "shall we go for a drink?" — "OK!" o "all right!"; pásate por mi casa esta tarde, ¿vale? drop by my house this afternoon, OK?; vale que discutan, pero que se peguen es imperdonable having an argument is one thing but hitting each other is another matter entirely o is inexcusable
pronominal verb
valerse1
valerse de (utilizar) [+herramienta, objeto] to use; make use of; (aprovecharse de) [+amistad, influencia] to use
se valió de un bastón para cruzar el río he used a cane to get across the river; se valió del derecho al veto para frenar el acuerdo he made use of o exercised his veto to put a stop to the agreement; se valió de su cargo para conseguir la información she used her position to obtain the information
