valet
gb/vælˈeɪ/ us/vælˈeɪ/
B2
English
~ 7400
parkolóinas, parkolószolgálati alkalmazott, külső-belső autókozmetikát végez, személyi inas, inas, szobainas, öltönytartó állvány
NOUN
B2
1
Usage pattern:
[someone] works as a valet
The valet handed him a ticket and drove his car to the underground garage.
A parkolóinas átnyújtott neki egy átvételi jegyet, majd levitte az autóját a mélygarázsba.
We pulled up to the hotel entrance and a valet opened my door.
Megálltunk a szálloda bejáratánál, és egy parkolóinas kinyitotta nekem a kocsi ajtaját.
She tipped the valet generously for bringing the car around so quickly.
The restaurant doesn’t have its own lot, but they offer valet at the front door.
I waited by the valet stand while they searched for my keys.
Learner examples
A valet parked our car in front of the hotel.
A szálloda előtt egy parkolóinas leparkolta az autónkat.
The valet brought my car when I was ready to leave.
A parkolóinas előhozta az autómat, amikor indulni készültem.
He got a job as a valet at a busy restaurant.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse a valet with a taxi driver. A valet usually drives your car a short distance to park it and does not take you to another place like a taxi does.
Meaning
person who parks guests' cars
Collocations
parking valet
|hotel valet
|valet parking
|valet stand
|valet ticket
|call the valet
Synonyms
parking attendant (More general; can include staff who supervise a parking lot, not just those who park cars for guests.)
Antonyms
customer (The customer receives the valet’s service rather than providing it.)
Themes
jobs
|transport
|daily life
|transportation
|work
|business
Definition
A person who takes your car, parks it for you, and brings it back, usually at a hotel or restaurant.
A worker employed by a business or event venue to park and retrieve guests’ cars for them.
VERB
B2
2
Usage pattern:
to valet [a car]
I had the car valeted before we put it up for sale.
Autókozmetikáztattam az autót, mielőtt eladásra kínáltuk.
They offer to valet your car while you shop at the mall.
A bevásárlóközpontban azt is vállalják, hogy amíg vásárolsz, elvégzik az autódon a külső-belső autókozmetikát.
The dealership will valet the vehicle and return it to you tomorrow.
My company pays to have our pool cars valeted every month.
He runs a small business that valets luxury cars at people’s homes.
Learner examples
I want to get my car valeted before the trip.
Az út előtt szeretném autókozmetikáztatni az autómat.
They will valet your car for an extra fee.
Felár ellenében autókozmetikát végeznek az autódon.
The car looks new after it was valeted.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *“wash my car valeted”* or *“valet my car wash”*. Use either “wash my car” for basic cleaning or “have my car valeted” for a full clean and polish.
Meaning
to clean and polish a car
Collocations
valet a car
|have your car valeted
|professionally valeted
|full valet
|valet service
Synonyms
detail (Common in US English; often suggests an even more careful and sometimes more technical cleaning than ‘valet’.)
Antonyms
dirty (As a verb, to dirty something means to make it unclean, the opposite of cleaning and polishing it.)
Themes
daily life
|services
|transport
|transportation
|daily_life
|business
Definition
To clean a car very well, inside and outside, often as a service for money.
To clean, vacuum, and polish a car thoroughly, often as a paid service.
NOUN
C1
FORMAL
3
inas
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone] employs a valet
The duke’s valet laid out his suit for the evening banquet.
A herceg inasa kikészítette az öltönyét az esti bankettre.
In the drama, the valet is the only one who knows his employer’s secrets.
A drámában az inas az egyetlen, aki ismeri az ura titkait.
He was so wealthy that he traveled with his own chef and valet.
The old-fashioned hotel still offers a personal valet for its most expensive suites.
Her grandfather had worked as a valet to a famous actor in the 1950s.
Learner examples
The rich man had a valet to help him dress.
A gazdag férfinak volt egy inasa, aki segített neki felöltözni.
In the story, the valet wakes his boss every morning.
A történetben az inas minden reggel felébreszti az urát.
The movie shows a king and his loyal valet.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this is the normal word today for any helper at home. In modern English, this sense is mostly used in historical or very formal contexts; ‘assistant’, ‘helper’, or ‘housekeeper’ are more common for everyday use.
Meaning
male personal servant
Collocations
personal valet
|gentleman’s valet
|employ a valet
|his loyal valet
|valet de chambre
Synonyms
manservant (A more general word for a male servant; it does not specifically focus on clothes and personal care like ‘valet’ does.)
Antonyms
employer (The person who hires and is served by the valet, standing in a social and economic opposite position.)
Themes
jobs
|home
|history
|work
|relationships
Definition
A male servant who helps a man with his clothes and personal needs.
A male personal servant who attends to a man’s clothes, room, and personal appearance.
NOUN
C1
4
szobainas
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone] hangs clothes on a valet
He hung his jacket neatly on the valet beside the bed.
A zakóját szépen felakasztotta az ágy melletti szobainasra.
The hotel room included a small clothes valet in the corner.
A szállodai szobában volt egy kis szobainas is a sarokban.
She bought a wooden valet stand to keep her suits from wrinkling.
The vintage valet in his room once belonged to his grandfather.
A metal valet stood by the door holding his coat and tie.
Learner examples
He put his suit on the valet before going to bed.
Lefekvés előtt a szobainasra tette az öltönyét.
There is a clothes valet next to the closet.
A ruhásszekrény mellett van egy szobainas.
She bought a valet stand to keep her shirts tidy.
Meaning
free-standing clothes stand
Collocations
clothes valet
|valet stand
|wooden valet
|bedroom valet
Synonyms
clothes stand (A more general term; it may refer to different designs, not only the specific suit-style stand often called a valet.)
Antonyms
wardrobe (Not a direct opposite, but contrasts an open stand for a few clothes with a closed piece of furniture that stores many clothes.)
Themes
home
|furniture
|clothing
|housing
|daily_life
Definition
A small stand in a room where you can hang clothes, like a suit or shirt.
A free-standing frame or stand used for hanging clothes, especially a suit, in a bedroom or dressing area.
Grammar
Dictionary form
valet
IPA
GB/vælˈeɪ/
US/vælˈeɪ/
Syllables & stress
valet (1 syllable)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: valet
- Plural: valets
Verb
- Base: valet
- 3rd Person Singular: valets
- Present Participle: valeting
- Past: valeted
Word family
Forms
valets
noun
valeting
verb
valeted
verb
Expressions
valet parking
1/vælˈeɪ pˈɑɹkɪŋ/
fixed phrase
service where staff park cars
A service at a hotel, restaurant, or event where workers take your car, park it for you, and then bring it back when you leave.
Examples
- The restaurant offers free valet parking on Friday nights.
- We used valet parking because there were no spaces near the hotel entrance.
- Valet parking is available for guests who don’t want to look for a spot.
valet service
1/vælˈeɪ sˈɚvɪs/
fixed phrase
paid valet-related service
A paid service, usually at a hotel or shop, where workers park or clean your car for you.
Examples
- The hotel’s valet service will bring your car to the front door.
- They offer a valet service that can wash and vacuum your car while you shop.
- Guests can book valet service in advance through the app.