In 15 Seconds
- Ensuring an effort or opportunity is not wasted.
- Commonly used as 'fazer valer a pena' (make it worth it).
- Works for money, time, rights, and emotional moments.
Meaning
It means taking full advantage of an opportunity or making sure an effort wasn't wasted. You use it when you want to ensure a situation, a price, or a moment is truly worth the trouble.
Key Examples
3 of 6At an all-you-can-eat buffet
Eu não almocei hoje para fazer valer o rodízio!
I didn't eat lunch today to make the buffet count!
Encouraging a friend before a big game
Essa é a sua chance, faça valer!
This is your chance, make it count!
In a professional performance review
Quero fazer valer a confiança que a empresa depositou em mim.
I want to make the trust the company placed in me count.
Cultural Background
In Brazil, 'fazer valer' is often associated with the 'Direito do Consumidor' (Consumer Rights). There is a strong culture of 'making the company respect the law' when a product is broken. In Portugal, the phrase can be slightly more formal. It is often used in political discourse regarding the sovereignty of the nation or the enforcement of European Union directives. In African Lusophone countries, 'fazer valer' is frequently used in the context of post-colonial identity—making the local culture and language 'count' in a globalized world. In the Lusophone business world, 'fazer valer o investimento' is a standard way to talk about ROI (Return on Investment).
The 'A Pena' Shortcut
If you are unsure how to use it, just add 'a pena' at the end. It turns the phrase into 'to be worth it', which is useful in 90% of casual situations.
Don't over-conjugate
Only change the word 'fazer'. If you change 'valer' to 'valeu' or 'vale', the idiom breaks.
In 15 Seconds
- Ensuring an effort or opportunity is not wasted.
- Commonly used as 'fazer valer a pena' (make it worth it).
- Works for money, time, rights, and emotional moments.
What It Means
Fazer valer is about maximizing value. It is that feeling of getting your money's worth. It is about making a moment count. Think of it as 'cashing in' on an opportunity. You are ensuring that something has its intended impact. If you pay for an expensive dinner, you want to fazer valer every cent. If you have one day in Lisbon, you faz valer every hour.
How To Use It
This phrase is incredibly versatile. You can use it as a standalone goal. You can also follow it with a noun. For example, fazer valer a pena means 'to make it worth the pain/effort'. It works in almost any tense. You might say 'I will make it count' (Vou fazer valer). It often appears when talking about rights, investments, or time. It is a proactive, strong expression. It shows you are in control of the outcome.
When To Use It
Use it when you are motivated. Use it when you are at a buffet and intend to eat your weight in shrimp. Use it in a job interview to show you'll be a great hire. It is perfect for pep talks. 'This is our chance, let's make it count!' translates perfectly to Vamos fazer valer!. It is also great for serious moments. Use it when demanding your rights as a citizen or customer.
When NOT To Use It
Don't use it for passive situations. If you are just relaxing and doing nothing, it doesn't fit. It implies an active effort to extract value. Avoid it in very tragic contexts where 'value' feels insensitive. Also, don't confuse it with just 'valer' (to be worth). Fazer valer requires an agent—someone making the action happen. If you just want to say 'it's worth it', stick to vale a pena.
Cultural Background
Brazilians and Portuguese people value the 'jeitinho' or finding ways to succeed. Fazer valer taps into this resourceful spirit. It reflects a culture that enjoys life intensely. When life gives you lemons, you don't just make lemonade. You faz valer every single drop of that juice. It’s a phrase of empowerment. It’s common in sports, politics, and daily commerce.
Common Variations
The most famous variation is fazer valer a pena. This is the gold standard for saying something was worth the effort. You might also hear fazer valer o investimento (make the investment count). In legal or formal settings, people say fazer valer os seus direitos. This means to enforce or uphold your rights. No matter the variation, the core idea is the same: don't let the opportunity slip away.
Usage Notes
The phrase is highly adaptable across all social registers. The only 'gotcha' is ensuring you use the correct preposition 'a' when followed by 'pena'.
The 'A Pena' Shortcut
If you are unsure how to use it, just add 'a pena' at the end. It turns the phrase into 'to be worth it', which is useful in 90% of casual situations.
Don't over-conjugate
Only change the word 'fazer'. If you change 'valer' to 'valeu' or 'vale', the idiom breaks.
Assertiveness
Using 'fazer valer' makes you sound more confident and assertive than just saying 'aproveitar' (to enjoy).
Examples
6Eu não almocei hoje para fazer valer o rodízio!
I didn't eat lunch today to make the buffet count!
A very common humorous way to justify overeating.
Essa é a sua chance, faça valer!
This is your chance, make it count!
Short, punchy imperative for motivation.
Quero fazer valer a confiança que a empresa depositou em mim.
I want to make the trust the company placed in me count.
Shows commitment and professional responsibility.
O show foi caro, mas vamos fazer valer cada centavo!
The concert was expensive, but we're going to make every cent count!
Focuses on getting value for money spent.
Vou ao Procon para fazer valer os meus direitos de consumidor.
I'm going to the consumer protection agency to enforce my rights.
Used here in a more serious, legalistic sense.
Nossa última hora juntos vai fazer valer a saudade.
Our last hour together will make the longing worth it.
Used to give meaning to a difficult emotional situation.
Test Yourself
Complete the sentence with the correct form of 'fazer valer'.
Nós precisamos __________ os nossos direitos na próxima reunião.
After 'precisamos', we use the infinitive form.
Which sentence uses 'fazer valer' correctly in a motivational context?
Choose the best option:
While the others are grammatically okay, this is the most natural use of 'fazer valer' + [Object] in a motivational sense.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Situation: You are at a very expensive gym and you go every day.
You are ensuring the 'monthly fee' (mensalidade) is utilized to its full potential.
Fill in the missing part of the dialogue.
A: 'O ingresso foi 200 reais!' B: 'Então é melhor a gente __________ cada música!'
B is suggesting they make the most of the music because of the high price.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Fazer Valer vs. Valer a Pena
Practice Bank
4 exercisesNós precisamos __________ os nossos direitos na próxima reunião.
After 'precisamos', we use the infinitive form.
Choose the best option:
While the others are grammatically okay, this is the most natural use of 'fazer valer' + [Object] in a motivational sense.
Situation: You are at a very expensive gym and you go every day.
You are ensuring the 'monthly fee' (mensalidade) is utilized to its full potential.
A: 'O ingresso foi 200 reais!' B: 'Então é melhor a gente __________ cada música!'
B is suggesting they make the most of the music because of the high price.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes, in most contexts, especially motivational ones, they are perfect equivalents.
Not directly. You don't 'fazer valer uma pessoa', but you can 'fazer valer a presença de alguém' (make someone's presence count).
'Fazer valer' needs an object (make the money count). 'Fazer valer a pena' is a fixed expression meaning 'to be worth the effort'.
It's neutral. It works in a business meeting and at a bar with friends.
The most natural way is 'fazer valer a lei'.
Yes: 'Eu fiz valer o meu investimento'.
No, 'fazer' and 'valer' are verbs. They don't have gender. Only the object (like 'o tempo' or 'a vida') has gender.
In Brazil, people might say 'fazer render' or 'botar pra quebrar' depending on the exact context.
Yes, if you are at an 'all you can eat' buffet, you can say 'vou fazer valer o preço'.
Yes, it is used throughout the Lusophone world with the same meaning.
Related Phrases
valer a pena
similarto be worth it
fazer render
similarto make something last or produce more
impor-se
specialized formto assert oneself
dar valor
contrastto appreciate/value something
