Valere Conjugation in Italian
valere means “to be worth” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Italian learners meet — it sits at number 757 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Italian verbs. It is the verb for being worth something, and it is mostly used in the third person, as in asking what something is worth. Its present is irregular with a velar stem, so the io form is valgo, its future stem is varr-, so the future is varrò, and its participle is valso. It takes essere in the passato prossimo. This page gives you the complete conjugation of valere — every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle — with notes, examples, common mistakes and a quiz. Here is the verb in a natural sentence: “Io valgo molto ogni giorno.” — “I am worth a lot.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: valere
- English: to be worth
- Verb type: Irregular -ere verb
- Irregular in: present, passato-remoto, future, conditional, future-perfect, conditional-perfect, present-subjunctive, imperative-affirmative, imperative-negative, past-participle, present-perfect, pluperfect
- Gerund: valendo
- Present participle: valente
- Past participle: valso
- Auxiliary: essere (all perfect tenses are formed with essere + the past participle)
- Ending: -ere verbs; pattern ere in the verified tables
Pronunciation
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for valere, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Learn the spelling of the forms first, and listen to a native speaker for the sounds rather than trusting an invented transcription. The forms below are the ones that matter: once you can read valere in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about valere
- It is irregular in 12 tense(s): present, passato-remoto, future, conditional, future-perfect, conditional-perfect, present-subjunctive, imperative-affirmative, imperative-negative, past-participle, present-perfect, pluperfect. Learn those forms as a set instead of guessing them from the infinitive, because the stem changes in ways no rule predicts. Its present uses a velar stem, so the io form is valgo and the loro form is valgono, its future stem is varr-, so the future is varrò, and its participle is valso.
- The perfect tenses use essere: the passato prossimo is formed with essere in the present plus the past participle valso. The tables on this page give the participle in the masculine singular form, exactly as it appears in the verified dump; agreement with the subject is a separate step that depends on the sentence, not on the verb table.
- The participles are valente and valso: keep both in mind as you read the tables, because the present participle appears as an adjective and the past participle appears in every perfect tense. If you know those two forms and the present tense, you already know the skeleton of the whole conjugation.
A note on valere
A note on the construction: valere is mostly used in the third person, as in asking what something is worth, so the lui form vale is the form you will meet most often. Its present uses a velar stem — io valgo, loro valgono — its future stem is varr-, so the future is varrò, and its participle is valso. It takes essere in the passato prossimo — io sono valso.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from VerbFlow’s verified conjugation tables for valere. Learn the present tense first, then the passato prossimo and the imperfect, and add the remaining tenses one at a time.
Present indicative (presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | valgo |
| tu | vali |
| lui/lei | vale |
| noi | valiamo |
| voi | valete |
| loro | valgono |
The present indicative is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Io valgo molto ogni giorno.” — “I am worth a lot”
Passato remoto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | valsi |
| tu | valesti |
| lui/lei | valse |
| noi | valemmo |
| voi | valeste |
| loro | valsero |
The passato remoto is used for completed actions in the distant past, mostly in written and literary Italian and in the south of Italy. For example: “Io valsi molto ieri.” — “I was worth a lot”
Imperfect (imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | valevo |
| tu | valevi |
| lui/lei | valeva |
| noi | valevamo |
| voi | valevate |
| loro | valevano |
The imperfect is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Io valevo molto una volta.” — “I used to be worth a lot”
Future (futuro semplice)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | varrò |
| tu | varrai |
| lui/lei | varrà |
| noi | varremo |
| voi | varrete |
| loro | varranno |
The future is used for what will happen, for predictions and for probability. For example: “Io varrò molto domani.” — “I will be worth a lot”
Conditional (condizionale)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | varrei |
| tu | varresti |
| lui/lei | varrebbe |
| noi | varremmo |
| voi | varreste |
| loro | varrebbero |
The conditional is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Io varrei molto un giorno.” — “I would be worth a lot”
Present perfect (passato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | sono valso |
| tu | sei valso |
| lui/lei | è valso |
| noi | siamo valso |
| voi | siete valso |
| loro | sono valso |
The passato prossimo is used for completed actions in the past, especially in spoken Italian. For example: “Lui è valso molto questa settimana.” — “He has been worth a lot”
Pluperfect (trapassato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | ero valso |
| tu | eri valso |
| lui/lei | era valso |
| noi | eravamo valso |
| voi | eravate valso |
| loro | erano valso |
The pluperfect is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Io ero valso molto prima della festa.” — “I had been worth a lot”
Future perfect (futuro anteriore)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | sarò valso |
| tu | sarai valso |
| lui/lei | sarà valso |
| noi | saremo valso |
| voi | sarete valso |
| loro | saranno valso |
The future perfect is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Io sarò valso molto per domani.” — “I will have been worth a lot”
Conditional perfect (condizionale passato)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | sarei valso |
| tu | saresti valso |
| lui/lei | sarebbe valso |
| noi | saremmo valso |
| voi | sareste valso |
| loro | sarebbero valso |
The conditional perfect is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Io sarei valso molto ieri.” — “I would have been worth a lot”
Present subjunctive (congiuntivo presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | valga |
| tu | valga |
| lui/lei | valga |
| noi | valiamo |
| voi | valiate |
| loro | valgano |
The present subjunctive is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after che. For example: “È importante che io valga molto.” — “It is important that I be worth a lot”
Imperfect subjunctive (congiuntivo imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | valessi |
| tu | valessi |
| lui/lei | valesse |
| noi | valessimo |
| voi | valeste |
| loro | valessero |
The imperfect subjunctive is used in the past for wishes and hypotheticals after che, and in if-clauses. For example: “Era importante che io valessi molto.” — “It was important that I be worth a lot”
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | vali |
| lui/lei | valga |
| noi | valiamo |
| voi | valete |
| loro | valgano |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Vali molto!” — “Be worth a lot!”
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | valere |
| lui/lei | valga |
| noi | valiamo |
| voi | valiate |
| loro | valgano |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Non valere molto.” — “Do not be worth a lot.”
Gerund
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Gerund | valendo |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with stare for the progressive. For example: “Valendo molto, imparo molto.” — “While being worth a lot, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Present participle | valente |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle valente is used to describe something that is happening at the same time as the main action, much like an English -ing adjective.
Past participle
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Past participle | valso |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Io sono valso molto questa settimana.” — “I have been worth a lot.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with valere, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Italian and try to produce it from the English.
- “Io valgo molto ogni giorno.” — “I am worth a lot”
- “Tu valesti molto ieri.” — “You was worth a lot”
- “Lui valeva molto una volta.” — “He used to be worth a lot”
- “Io varrò molto domani.” — “I will be worth a lot”
- “Tu varresti molto un giorno.” — “You would be worth a lot”
- “Lui è valso molto questa settimana.” — “He has been worth a lot”
- “Io ero valso molto prima della festa.” — “I had been worth a lot”
- “Tu sarai valso molto per domani.” — “You will have been worth a lot”
- “È importante che io valga molto.” — “It is important that I be worth a lot”
- “Vali molto!” — “Be worth a lot!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Io valere molto.”
✓ Right: “Io valgo molto ogni giorno.”
The infinitive valere never takes a subject. After io you need the conjugated present form valgo.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Io vali molto.”
✓ Right: “Io valgo molto ogni giorno.”
vali is the tu form, not the io form. Match the verb to the subject every time: io goes with valgo.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Io valgo molto ieri.”
✓ Right: “Io sono valso molto questa settimana.”
Yesterday points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the passato prossimo sono valso for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the passato prossimo
✗ Wrong: “Io ho valso molto.”
✓ Right: “Io sono valso molto questa settimana.”
The passato prossimo of valere is formed with essere plus the past participle valso: the io form is sono valso. Check the auxiliary in the table above before you build a perfect tense.
5. Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger
✗ Wrong: “È importante che io valgo molto.”
✓ Right: “È importante che io valga molto.”
After è importante che Italian needs the subjunctive, so use valga here, not the indicative valgo.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Io sono valendo molto.”
✓ Right: “Io sono valso molto questa settimana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle valso, not the gerund valendo. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on valere. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the io form of valere in the Present indicative?
- A) vali
- B) valgo
- C) vale
- D) valiamo
What is the lui/lei form of valere in the Passato remoto?
- A) valsi
- B) valesti
- C) valse
- D) valemmo
What is the noi form of valere in the Imperfect?
- A) valevo
- B) valevi
- C) valeva
- D) valevamo
What is the tu form of valere in the Future?
- A) varrai
- B) varrò
- C) varrà
- D) varremo
What is the io form of valere in the Conditional?
- A) varresti
- B) varrei
- C) varrebbe
- D) varremmo
What is the lui/lei form of valere in the Present perfect (passato prossimo)?
- A) sono valso
- B) sei valso
- C) è valso
- D) siamo valso
What is the lui/lei form of valere in the Present subjunctive?
- A) valiamo
- B) valiate
- C) valgano
- D) valga
What is the io form of valere in the Imperfect subjunctive?
- A) valessi
- B) valesse
- C) valessimo
- D) valeste
What is the gerund of valere?
- A) valso
- B) valendo
- C) valere
- D) valgo
What does valere mean in English?
- A) to explain
- B) to answer
- C) to be worth
- D) to ask
Answer key
- B) valgo — the correct form is valgo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) valse — the correct form is valse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) valevamo — the correct form is valevamo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) varrai — the correct form is varrai. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) varrei — the correct form is varrei. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) è valso — the correct form is è valso. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) valga — the correct form is valga. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) valessi — the correct form is valessi. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) valendo — the correct form is valendo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to be worth — the correct form is to be worth. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does valere mean in English?
valere means “to be worth”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is valere regular or irregular?
valere is irregular: it is irregular in present, passato-remoto, future, conditional, future-perfect, conditional-perfect, present-subjunctive, imperative-affirmative, imperative-negative, past-participle, present-perfect, pluperfect. The gerund is valendo and the past participle is valso.
What are the gerund and past participle of valere?
The gerund is valendo — use it with stare for the progressive. The past participle is valso — use it with essere for the perfect tenses, as in sono valso.
Which auxiliary does valere take in the passato prossimo?
valere takes essere in the passato prossimo: the io form is sono valso. All four perfect tenses on this page are built with essere plus the past participle valso.
How do I say “it is worth a lot” in Italian?
Say “Lui vale molto ogni giorno.” — “He is worth a lot” The lui form of the present is vale, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of valere — every tense of valere in one place.
- Valere in the passato prossimo tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Valere examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice questions for this verb.
- Italian passato prossimo tense guide — the full guide to the passato prossimo tense in Italian.
- Italian irregular verbs — every common irregular Italian verb, grouped by pattern.
- Rispondere conjugation — another everyday Italian verb.
- Discutere conjugation — another everyday Italian verb.
- Italian verbs — the full hub of Italian conjugation pages.
- VerbFlow home — all languages, tools and verb lists.
- Verb Conjugator — practise valere with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise valere with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise valere with the interactive tool.