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FRENCH VERB

valoir

to be worth

  • #104 most used
  • Irregular -ir verb
  • Past participle: valu
  • Present participle: valant

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

  1. je I am worth
  2. tu you are worth
  3. il, elle, on he/she is worth
  4. nous we are worth
  5. vous you are worth
  6. ils, elles they are worth

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

  1. je I was worth
  2. tu you were worth
  3. il, elle, on he/she was worth
  4. nous we were worth
  5. vous you were worth
  6. ils, elles they were worth

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

  1. je I used to be worth
  2. tu you used to be worth
  3. il, elle, on he/she used to be worth
  4. nous we used to be worth
  5. vous you used to be worth
  6. ils, elles they used to be worth

Future

Futur simple · plans; in speech, “je vais parler” is just as common

  1. je I will be worth
  2. tu you will be worth
  3. il, elle, on he/she will be worth
  4. nous we will be worth
  5. vous you will be worth
  6. ils, elles they will be worth

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

  1. je I would be worth
  2. tu you would be worth
  3. il, elle, on he/she would be worth
  4. nous we would be worth
  5. vous you would be worth
  6. ils, elles they would be worth

Present subjunctive

Subjonctif présent · wishes, doubts, “il faut que …”

  1. je (that) I be worth
  2. tu (that) you be worth
  3. il, elle, on (that) he/she be worth
  4. nous (that) we be worth
  5. vous (that) you be worth
  6. ils, elles (that) they be worth

How to use valoir

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    Ce sac vaut combien ? Il n'y a pas de prix.

    How much is this bag? There's no price on it.

  2. Past

    Le détour en a valu la peine, quelle vue !

    The detour was worth it, what a view!

  3. Imperfect

    Avant les travaux, l'appartement valait bien moins cher.

    Before the renovations, the flat was worth much less.

  4. Future

    Il vaudra mieux réserver, c'est un jour férié.

    It'll be better to book, it's a public holiday.

  5. Conditional

    Il vaudrait mieux prendre un parapluie, le ciel est gris.

    It'd be better to take an umbrella, the sky is grey.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Je ne suis pas sûre que ça vaille le coup.

    I'm not sure it's worth it.

Good to know

  • Il vaut mieux + infinitive is it's better to : il vaut mieux partir tôt.
  • Ça vaut le coup means it's worth it; ça ne vaut rien, it's worthless.

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: irregular -ir verb.