Aunque el almuerzo es caro, a veces lo vale.

to be

Breakdown of Aunque el almuerzo es caro, a veces lo vale.

• a veces: sometimes
• el almuerzo: the lunch
• caro: expensive
• lo: it
• aunque: although
• valer: to be worth

Questions & Answers about Aunque el almuerzo es caro, a veces lo vale.

Why is aunque used at the beginning of the sentence?

Aunque is a conjunction that means “although” or “even though.” It introduces a contrast or concession—here it signals that even though lunch is expensive, there is still a counterpoint (sometimes it’s worth it).

What does lo in lo vale refer to?

The lo here is a neuter pronoun that stands for the idea “the expense” or “the cost.” Spanish uses lo in constructions like vale la pena (it’s worth it). In this case, lo vale means “it’s worth it” or “it is worth the cost.”

Is there a difference between a veces and a menudo?

Yes. A veces means “sometimes,” indicating something occurs occasionally but not frequently. A menudo means “often” or “frequently.” In this sentence, a veces tells us that only occasionally, but not all the time, the expensive lunch is worth the price.

Why do we say es caro instead of está caro?

Es caro uses the verb ser, which indicates a characteristic or inherent quality—something that’s generally expensive by nature. Está caro with estar can imply a temporary condition or something out of the ordinary. In everyday usage, Spanish speakers typically use ser to describe prices when it’s the normal or usual cost.