valer la pena

to be worth the effort

valer la pena(bah-lehr lah peh-nah)

intransitive verb phrase

1. (to be justifiable)

a. to be worth the effort

¿Lavamos el coche? - Parece que va a llover, así que no vale la pena.

Should we wash the car? - It looks like it's going to rain, so it's not worth the effort.

b. to be worth it

¿Realmente vale la pena pagar para tener lugares en frente del grupo?

Is it really worth it to pay more for seats in front of the band?

c. to be worth the trouble

Esa playa es pequeña y queda muy lejos. No vale la pena.

That beach is small and it's too far away. It's not worth the trouble.