Learn Hardcore Italian: Secondo me vale la pena frequentare quel corso. - In my opinion it’s worth attending that course.

Often yes, but there’s a nuance. Secondo me frames a general opinion (“in my opinion”). Per me can mean “as far as I’m concerned/for my situation,” so it can sound more subjective or personal in impact. In most everyday contexts they’re interchangeable, but secondo me is the safer default for opinions about general value.

Do I need di after vale la pena?

Both are correct: vale la pena frequentare… and vale la pena di frequentare…. The version without di is more common and sounds a bit more natural in speech; adding di can feel slightly more formal or careful.

Who is the subject of vale in vale la pena?

The construction is effectively impersonal, but literally la pena is the grammatical subject. That’s why in the past you say è valsa la pena (agreement with feminine pena).

When do I use ne as in ne vale la pena?

Use ne when the thing that’s “worth it” is understood or has been mentioned earlier (it stands for di ciò/di questo). For example: Ne vale la pena? Sì, ne vale la pena. When you state the reason with an infinitive right after, you normally do not use ne: Vale la pena frequentare quel corso. Avoid mixing them directly: don’t say ne vale la pena di frequentare….

How do I say this in the past or future?

Past: È valsa la pena (frequentare quel corso). / Ne è valsa la pena.
Future: Varrà la pena frequentare quel corso. / Ne varrà la pena.

Does frequentare take a preposition?

No. Frequentare is transitive: frequentare il/quel corso is correct. Don’t say frequentare a or frequentare di.

What’s the difference between frequentare, seguire, fare, and partecipare a with courses?

frequentare un corso: to attend regularly (very common and neutral).
seguire un corso: to follow/attend as a student (also common).
fare un corso: to take a course (informal); for a teacher, to teach a course is better as tenere un corso.
partecipare a un corso: to take part/enroll in a course (focus on participation). All are fine depending on nuance; in your sentence, frequentare is perfect.

Can I change the position of secondo me?

Yes. All of these are fine:

Secondo me vale la pena frequentare quel corso.
Vale la pena, secondo me, frequentare quel corso.
Vale la pena frequentare, secondo me, quel corso. Commas are used when it’s parenthetical.

Can I use che + subjunctive instead of the infinitive?

Yes: Vale la pena che tu frequenti quel corso. This sounds a bit more formal/emphatic and highlights who should do it. The infinitive vale la pena frequentare is more compact and very common.

How do I include a direct object pronoun like “it”?

Attach it to the infinitive: Secondo me vale la pena frequentarlo (here lo refers to il corso). Don’t place it before vale in this structure.

Is quel the right form here? What are the other forms of quello?

Yes, quel corso is correct (masculine singular before a normal consonant). Key forms:

Masculine sing.: quel (libro), quell’ (amico), quello (zaino, studente).
Masculine pl.: quei (libri), quegli (zaini, studenti, amici).
Feminine: quella (casa), quelle (case), quell’ (amica). Remember you don’t add an article: not il quel corso.

Do I need a comma after Secondo me at the start?

Optional. You can write Secondo me vale la pena… or Secondo me, vale la pena…. Both are acceptable; many writers omit the comma.

Can I say Secondo mio or A secondo me?

No. The fixed expression is secondo me. Alternatives include a mio parere, a mio avviso, per me (with the nuance noted above).

How do I negate it, and what’s the difference between non vale la pena and non ne vale la pena?

With an infinitive: Non vale la pena frequentare quel corso.
Referring back to something mentioned: Non ne vale la pena. Use ne only when the complement is implicit/understood.

Are there synonyms for vale la pena?

Yes. Common ones include conviene (it’s advisable/it pays), merita (it’s worth/it deserves), ne vale la pena (it’s worth it). Example: Secondo me conviene/merita frequentare quel corso.

Any quick pronunciation tips?

Secondo me: se-CON-do ME (stress on CON, then ME).
vale la pena: VA-le la PE-na (stress on VA and PE).
frequentare: fre-quen-TA-re (stress on TA).
quel corso: QUEL COR-so (stress on QUEL and COR).