vale

[poli]

In Spain "vale" means "OK", "de acuerdo" and "de nada". I seems modern, fast and informal,and it doesn't break the rhythm of the language the way OK does. Dispite this advantage, I never hear it in Latin American Spanish. A friend of mine tells me that "vale" is used in Venezuela much the same way it is used in Spain, but I have never heard it. Has anyone currently using this forum heard the term "vale" used to mean OK or your welcome outside of Spanish speakers from Spain?

[Alfonso]

Good point, Poli,

I, as a Spaniard, use vale very often, but never in one of the ways you mention. I don't use it for de nada/your wellcome, and I don't think it's used in such a way here in Spain (but never say never).

I have some Colombian, Argentinian and Venezuelan friends here in Spain. Although they all speak pretty different to me, they use vale quite often, although not so much often as I do. Colombian people also use listo with the same meaning that I use for vale (at least those from Bogotá).

And, well, it seems to be modern, but it's not. Vale is the common way to finish a writing in the Siglo de Oro and in the Middel Ages in Spain, like saying until this point everything is valid (or ok). So, although contexts on which it’s been used have changed a little, vale has been used since centuries ago.

Please, feel free to correct my English.

[Rusty]

I never heard vale used that way in Central America. I heard bien, está bien, bueno, sí and OK. Obviously, the last one is borrowed from English.

[poli]

That's right Rusty. I hear "bueno" a lot in place of OK. Argentinians use it
almost pathologically. In overhearing conversations in Buenos Aires, it's almost comical to hear how often bueno is used among certain speakers, and the meaning of the word changes with the tone in which it is spoken.

[poli]

Good point, Poli,

I, as a Spaniard, use vale very often, but never with one of the senses you say. I don't use it for de nada/your wellcome, and I don't think it's used in such a way here in Spain (but never say never).

I have some Colombian, Argentinian and Venezuelan friends here in Spain. Although they all speak pretty different to me, they use vale quite often, although not so much often as I do. Colombian people also use listo with the same meaning that I use for vale (at least those from Bogotá).

And, well, it seems to be modern, but it's not. Vale is the common way to finish a writing in the Siglo de Oro and in the Middel Ages in Spain, like saying until this point everything is valid (or ok). So, although contexts on which it’s been used have changed a little, vale has been used since centuries ago.

Please, feel free to correct my English.


Que información mas interesante. Todo que escribió es correcto sino una
cosa "but never in one of the senses you say." Usa "ways" (igual a modos en español) en puesto de "senses" y "you mention" en lugar de "you say".
"You say" es correcto pero suene incorrecto. Tal vez "you said" suene mejor pero "mention" o "mentioned" es ideal. Y tambien, "Middel" está deletreado "middle".

Favor de correjirme. Seguro que hay errores.

P.S. Maybe I'm wrong, but I believe I have heard "vale" used as a terse your welcome. When the "gracias" is used for politeness rather than resonse to a favor as a means of acknowledging a common politeness in everyday conversation. Please let me know if you have heard something similar to the following:
¿Oye, que hora es?
Son las tres.
Gracias.
Vale.
Once again, all corrections are appreciated.

[Alfonso]

Thanks a lot for your corrections, Poli. I will edit muy post to make sure that I learn all you say.

Some corrections for you:

Todo lo que escribió es correcto, salvo/excepto una cosa... (En este caso no utilizamos sino en el lugar en que usted diría but).
En vez de en puesto de "senses", debe decir: en lugar de "senses", o en vez de "senses". Más adelante lo utiliza bien. Quizá lo evitó por no repetir.
El primer suene debe ser indicativo, es decir suena. La segunda vez que usa suene está bien elegido el modo: subjuntivo.
Corregirme, con g en lugar de j.

Por otra parte, no entiendo la corrección de Middle, a no ser que se refiera a que debe escribirse con minúscula.

And, answering to your question. The dialog you wrote is not very natural for me. Maybe for others Spanish speakers will be ok, but I feel something strange.

If I say gracias to somebody and I'́m answered vale, I will think that the person I talking to is not very happy with me. If I’m told vale I understand that that person’s got something I shoulded appreciate, but I didn’t, and he or she wants to make it clear that I have the duty to say thank you. As you say, it’s rather a terse your wellcome. Actually, too terse for me.

Nada, de nada, no es nada, no hay de qué, or even, no te preocupes are common and polite answers for gracias or muchas gracias. But, pay attention to cultural misunderstandings if you answer vale when someone tells you gracias.

Other funny answers to gracias I’ve heard from Southamerican people are las que tú tienes or las que a usted le adornan.

[poli]

Gracias por tomarse el tiempo de corregirme.

Me contestó muy bien pero hay un error que necesita estar corregido. Vd escribió, "If I am said 'vale', I understand that...": La mayoria de la gente no van a entenderle porque "said" significa "stated". La palabra correcta es "told" del verbo transitivo "to tell". No puede "say me to do something". Sin embargo puede "tell me to do something."

Saludos,
Poli desde aqui nueba yol

[sosia]

Hi Poli
In Spain, is like Alfonso says.
I can heard this
A- ¿Oye, que hora es?
B-Son las tres.
A-Vale, gracias.
with vale as "transmission OK, info received"
but if I heard
A-¿Oye, que hora es?
B-Son las tres.
A-Gracias.
B-Vale
this "vale" sound me as "I want to stop speaking" more as "de nada".
greetings :D

[Alfonso]

Thank you, Poli, for your correction. I will edit edit my answer according to what I've been told.
Thanks again.

[Elaina]

He escuchado el uso de la palabra "Vale" como para referirse a una persona.

¿Vale, que hora es?
Son las tres de la tarde.
Gracias.

¿Vale, como estas? ¡Tanto tiempo sin verte!

Elaina:p

[Alfonso]

Poli, corrijo en su propia cita:
Gracias por tomarse el tiempo de corregirme.

Me contestó muy bien pero es necesario corregir un error. Vd escribió, "If I am said 'vale', I understand that...": La mayoria de la gente no va a entenderle porque "said" significa "stated". La palabra correcta es "told" del verbo transitivo "to tell". No se puede decir "say me to do something". Sin embargo se puede decir "tell me to do something."

Saludos,
Poli desde aqui nueba yol

Poli, en español no se usa la pasiva tanto como en inglés. De todos modos, la frase un error necesita estar corregido, es incorrecta porque se debe utilizar ser, en lugar de estar. No corrijo este error porque he sustituido la pasiva por una impersonal.

[poli]

He escuchado el uso de la palabra "Vale" como para referirse a una persona.

¿Vale, que hora es?
Son las tres de la tarde.
Gracias.

¿Vale, como estas? ¡Tanto tiempo sin verte!

Elaina:p

Estimada Elaina,

This gives new meaning to the words vale vale or vale Vale, Vale vale
Vale Vale

Saludos,
poli

[Tomisimo]

I just thought I'd add that Vale is used in Central Mexico (Mexico City area) and it means OK, sounds good, está bien etc. Sale is also used commonly with the same meaning. Some people even put both words together and say Sale vale.