valió
/ba-LYO/
was worth
A gold coin represents the value or merit of something in the past.
valió(verb)
was worth
?past value or merit
,cost
?past price
yielded
?resulted in a benefit
📝 In Action
El coche valió diez mil dólares el año pasado.
A2The car cost ten thousand dollars last year.
Ese esfuerzo valió la pena.
B1That effort was worth the trouble.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'valió' for specific past events
Use this form when you are talking about a specific moment in the past when something was bought or when a situation proved its worth.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Valió vs Valía
Mistake: "Using 'valió' to describe a constant price in the past."
Correction: Use 'valía' for descriptions ('it used to be worth') and 'valió' for a specific finished action ('it cost X at that sale').
⭐ Usage Tips
The most common phrase
You will hear 'valió la pena' (it was worth the effort/pain) more than almost any other use of this word.
A dropped ice cream cone illustrates when something has failed or is over.
valió(verb)
it's over
?meaning something failed completely
,it's ruined
?broken beyond repair
📝 In Action
Cuando vi el humo, supe que el motor ya valió.
C1When I saw the smoke, I knew the engine was toast.
💡 Grammar Points
Slang shortcuts
In slang, 'valió' is often a shortened way of saying a longer phrase about something being useless or broken.
⭐ Usage Tips
Be careful with context
Only use this meaning with close friends, as it can sound quite harsh or vulgar depending on the region.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: valió
Question 1 of 1
How do you say 'It was worth the effort'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'valió' always a verb?
Yes, 'valió' is a specific form of the verb 'valer'. It specifically refers to an action that happened in the past involving one person or thing (he, she, or it).