vale
/ˈbale/
The Spanish phrase vale means okay or alright.
Vale is a common way to express agreement or acknowledgment, particularly in Spain.
Which one should you use?
While vale is the standard way to say okay in Spain, speakers in many Latin American countries would use está bien or de acuerdo instead.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Vale is used informally to mean okay or alright. For a formal alternative, you can use De acuerdo.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Vale is extremely common in Spain as a filler word or to express agreement, whereas it is much less common in Latin American Spanish. In some Latin American countries, particularly the Caribbean, dale is used informally as an equivalent of vale to mean go ahead or okay. In some regions, particularly Central America, bueno is used as an informal equivalent of vale.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbale/
Did you know?
- The phrase vale is actually a verb conjugation from the verb valer, which means 'to be worth'.
- Depending on the intonation, vale can be used sarcastically to express disbelief, similar to saying 'yeah, right' in English.
- While vale is ubiquitous in Spain, using it in certain parts of Latin America can immediately mark you as a tourist or someone from the Iberian Peninsula.
Examples in context
- Vale, nos vemos a las ocho.Okay, see you at eight.
- ¿Quieres ir al cine? Vale.Do you want to go to the cinema? Okay.
- Vale, yo me encargo de la comida.Okay, I will take care of the food.
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel are planning their afternoon.
- Elena¿Me puedes ayudar con esto, Daniel?Can you help me with this, Daniel?
- DanielVale, dime qué necesitas.Okay, tell me what you need.
- ElenaGracias, eres muy amable.Thanks, you are very kind.
- DanielNo hay de qué, Elena.You're welcome, Elena.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry vale, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries vale, CC BY-SA 4.0.
