valoir

Valoir is a French verb meaning “to be worth” or “to cost,” depending on the context. It describes the value or usefulness of something, or its monetary price. In the price sense, valoir is often nearly interchangeable with coûter, but valoir emphasizes intrinsic worth or merit, while coûter emphasizes actual expenditure.

Conjugation and forms: Valoir is irregular and belongs to the -oir group. In the present indicative the forms are je vaux, tu vaux, il vaut, nous valons, vous valez, ils valent. The imperfect is je valais, tu valais, il valait, nous valions, vous valiez, ils valaient. The passé composé is valu with the auxiliary avoir (avoir valu). The future is vaudrai, vaudras, vaudra, vaudrons, vaudrez, vaudront; the conditional is vaudrais, vaudrais, vaudrait, vaudrions, vaudriez, vaudraient. The present subjunctive is que je vaille, que tu vaille, qu’il vaille, que nous valions, que vous valiez, qu’ils vaillent. The present participle is valant and the past participle valu.

Usage and expressions: Common phrases include il vaudrait mieux (it would be better), cela vaut le détour (that is worth a trip/detour), ce livre vaut 20 euros (this book costs/is worth 20 euros), and cela ne vaut pas la peine (that is not worth the trouble). Valoir also appears in valoir la peine (to be worth the effort) and valeur as a noun meaning value or worth.

Etymology and related terms: Valoir derives from Latin valere “to be strong, be worth.” Related noun: valeur (value, worth).