What does “vale” mean in Spanish?
Quick answer
“Vale” is how people in Spain say “OK”: to agree, to confirm a plan, or to end a conversation (“Vale, hasta mañana”). It is used all day in Spain, but sounds very Spanish in Latin America, where people say “está bien” or “dale”.
Vale and friends
| Spanish | English | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| ¡Vale! Hasta mañana. | OK! See you tomorrow. | agreeing to a plan |
| ¿Vale? | OK? / All right? | checking the other person agrees |
| ¡Sí, claro! | Yes, of course! | |
| ¡Venga! | Come on! / Go on then! / Right, bye! | depends on the tone |
| ¡Hombre! | Hey! / Well, of course! | surprise or emphasis, said to anyone |
| ¡Qué rico! | Delicious! | |
| Vale la pena. | It’s worth it. | a different vale: from valer, to be worth |
Answering “¿Algo más?”
Shop staff will ask “¿Algo más?” (anything else?) after every order. Have the no-answer ready, so you don’t say “sí” by reflex.
| Spanish | English | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| ¿Algo más? | Anything else? | |
| No, gracias. | No, thanks. | |
| Nada más, ¡gracias! | Nothing else, thanks! | |
| Sí, tres plátanos, por favor. | Yes, three bananas, please. | if you do want more |
Watch the Short
Questions people ask
What does “vale” mean in Spain?
OK, fine, agreed. “¿Quedamos a las diez? — ¡Vale!” (Shall we meet at ten? — OK!).
Is “vale” used in Latin America?
People understand it, but it sounds Spanish. Mexico says “está bien” or “sale”, Argentina says “dale”.
What does “venga” mean?
Literally “come”, but in Spain it means “come on”, “go on then” or “right, bye”, depending on the tone.