Merecer la pena
Example: Vale la pena estudiar para el examen mañana.
Definition
"Merecer la pena" means to be worth the effort, time, or trouble. It expresses that an action or situation justifies the investment because of its positive outcome or value, as in the phrase 'Vale la pena estudiar para el examen mañana,' meaning studying for the exam tomorrow is worthwhile.
Translations
-
to be worth it -
de moeite waard zijn -
valer la pena -
en valoir la peine -
sich lohnen
Etymology
The phrase "merecer la pena" literally translates to 'to deserve the pain' or 'to merit the effort.' It combines 'merecer,' meaning to deserve, and 'pena,' which can mean pain, trouble, or penalty. Over time, it evolved to express that something is worth the effort despite difficulties. Did you know? This phrase captures the idea that enduring some hardship can be justified by a rewarding result.
Learn to use this expression actively
"Merecer la pena" appears in the Vocaplus list "Spanish - General - Modismos y refranes - (A2) - parte 1", containing 106 commonly used expressions.
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