What does valoir in French mean?

What is the meaning of the word valoir in French? The article explains the full meaning, pronunciation along with bilingual examples and instructions on how to use valoir in French.

The word valoir in French means cost, be worth, be worth, go, be worth , be as good as, cause , bring, be the same, be equal, can be considered , should be considered, advance, be worthwhile, worth the effort, worth trying, exercise, assert, enforce, show off, assert your rights, assert your point of view, foil, contrast, farming, not be worth a thing, for all legal intents and purposes, be worth a bomb, with all rights and privileges thereto pertaining, be worthwhile, be worth doing , be worthwhile doing, be worth seeing, be worth doing, be worth a shot, be worth a try, be worth a go, be worth doing , be worthwhile doing, be worth a look, be worth the journey, be worth the detour, be worth more, be worth better, would be best to do, be worth its weight in gold, be pretty good. To learn more, please see the details below.

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Meaning of the word valoir

cost

verbe intransitif (coûter)

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")
La baguette vaut maintenant un euro. Cette robe vaut cher alors fais-y attention.
This dress is worth a lot, so be careful with it.

be worth

verbe intransitif (familier (représenter une somme d'argent)

Cette entreprise vaut un million d'euros.
This company is worth one million euros.

be worth

verbe intransitif (mériter)

Je ne sais pas pourquoi Christine retourne avec son ivrogne d'ex : elle vaut mieux que ça.
I don't know why Christine is going back to her drunk ex: she is worth more than that.

go

verbe intransitif (être valable) (colloquial)

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")
Cette remarque vaut aussi pour vos camarades !
That remark goes for your friends too!

be worth , be as good as

verbe transitif (équivaloir)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Ce rugbyman en vaut deux autres !
That rugby player is worth two!

cause , bring

(être responsable de [qch])

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Cette erreur m'a valu bien des désagréments.
This mistake caused me a lot of trouble.

be the same, be equal

verbe pronominal (être équivalent)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Ces deux joueurs se valent ; il va donc être difficile de les départager.
These two players are equal; it is therefore going to be difficult to choose between them.

can be considered , should be considered

verbe transitif (Droit : signifier)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
L'absence de réponse vaut son rejet.
The absence of a response can be considered a rejection.

advance

nom masculin invariable (avance sur un important paiement)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Les écrivains reçoivent souvent un à-valoir sur leurs futurs gains.

be worthwhile

locution verbale (être intéressant)

Le voyage en vaut la peine.

worth the effort, worth trying

locution verbale (être intéressant et opportun)

exercise, assert, enforce

locution verbale (exercer : un droit)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Les actionnaires font valoir leur rôle dans le plan stratégique.
The shareholders exercise their role in the unit plan.

show off

verbe pronominal (souvent péjoratif (vanter ses qualités)

(phrasal verb, intransitive: Verb with adverb(s) or preposition(s), having special meaning and not taking direct object--for example, "make up" [=reconcile]: "After they fought, they made up.")
Frédéric se fait valoir dès que le directeur est présent.
Frederic shows off the second the boss is around.

assert your rights

locution verbale (réclamer son dû)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

assert your point of view

locution verbale (défendre son opinion)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Nous avons besoin d'un député qui n'hésite pas à faire valoir son point de vue.

foil, contrast

nom masculin invariable ([qqn] qui sert à valoriser [qqn] d'autre)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
J'aime sortir avec ma cousine Gertrude parce qu'elle est moche et me sert ainsi de faire-valoir.
I like going out with my cousin Gertrude because she's ugly and so she makes me look good.

farming

nom masculin invariable (mode d'exploitation d'une terre)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Le métayage est une forme de faire-valoir.
Sharecropping is a form of farming.

not be worth a thing

locution verbale (familier (être sans valeur)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

for all legal intents and purposes

locution verbale (littéraire (attester un droit) (law)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Le présent certificat est établi pour faire valoir ce que de droit.

be worth a bomb

locution verbale (avoir une valeur importante) (figurative, informal)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

with all rights and privileges thereto pertaining

locution verbale (littéraire (attester et user d'un droit) (formal)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Voici le certificat, en foi duquel je fais valoir et servir ce que de droit.
Here is the certificate, in witness whereof I assert all rights and privileges thereto pertaining.

be worthwhile

locution verbale (être intéressant)

be worth doing , be worthwhile doing

locution verbale (être intéressant de faire [qch])

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

be worth seeing

locution verbale (être intéressant à voir)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Cette pièce vaut la peine d’être vue.

be worth doing

locution verbale (être intéressant de faire [qch])

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Cela vaut la peine d'essayer.

be worth a shot, be worth a try, be worth a go

locution verbale (être intéressant) (informal)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Oui, le mandarin, c’est difficile, mais ça ouvre plein de portes alors je pense que tu devrais l'apprendre, ça vaut le coup ! Avec cette carte de fidélité, tu économises 50 % sur tes achats : ça vaut le coup !

be worth doing , be worthwhile doing

locution verbale (être intéressant de faire [qch])

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Ce n'est pas sûr que ton grand-père te prête de l'argent mais ça vaut le coup de lui demander.

be worth a look

locution verbale (familier (être intéressant à voir) (informal)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Ce spectacle vaut le coup d’œil.

be worth the journey, be worth the detour

locution verbale (être intéressant à voir)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

be worth more, be worth better

locution verbale (mériter mieux)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Tu vaux mieux que ce poste subalterne.

would be best to do

(être plus intéressant de faire [qch])

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Il vaut mieux se coucher maintenant.
We'd better go to bed now.

be worth its weight in gold

locution verbale (avoir une grande importance)

Cette information vaut son pesant d'or !

be pretty good

locution verbale (familier (être très intéressant)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

Let's learn French

So now that you know more about the meaning of valoir in French, you can learn how to use them through selected examples and how to read them. And remember to learn the related words that we suggest. Our website is constantly updating with new words and new examples so you can look up the meanings of other words you don't know in French.

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