How to Say “Taxes” in French

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impôts
In French, the word for taxes is impôts.
impôts is used to refer to the money paid by people and businesses to the government to fund public services. To say "to pay one's taxes", you use the phrase payer ses impôts. Other related terms include les taux d'imposition for tax rates, fraude fiscale for tax evasion and faire sa déclaration de revenus for filing a tax return. While déclaration de revenus is a tax return, it is also common to say la déclaration d'impôts.

Which one should you use?

In English, "tax" is often used as an uncountable noun, but in French, impôts is almost always used in the plural when discussing the taxes a person pays to the state. If you are referring to a specific fee or duty, you might use la taxe. For a broader term covering both income tax and social security, you can use prélèvements obligatoires. Additionally, while contributions might indicate taxes, it is primarily used when discussing social security or pension contributions.

Is it said differently in some regions?

The phrase les impôts en France is specifically used when discussing taxes in relation to the French government.

How does it change in a sentence?

The plural form is impôts, while the singular form is impôt.

What mistakes should you avoid?

Avoid using the French word taxes to mean general income or property taxes. In French, taxes usually refers to specific fees or duties, such as a tourist tax, whereas impôts is the correct term for general taxation.

Did you know?

  • The word impôt comes from the Latin imponere, meaning 'to place upon'. This reflects the historical view of taxes as a burden placed upon the citizen by a sovereign.
  • The French phrase le fisc is a common shorthand for the tax authorities, derived from the Latin word for a 'money basket' or 'treasury'.
  • In France, the taxe d'habitation was historically a residence tax that sparked significant political protest, leading to its gradual abolition for primary residences.

Examples in context

  • Je paie des impôts.
    I pay taxes.
    This sentence is useful for practicing the verb for paying taxes with impôts.
    Tatoeba #4681642 by sacredceltic, translation #2246038 by CK
  • Tom paie ses impôts.
    Tom pays his taxes.
    This sentence shows how to use a possessive adjective with impôts.
    Tatoeba #5762713 by Yemana, translation #5757517 by CM
  • J'ai payé mes impôts.
    I paid my taxes.
    This sentence demonstrates the past tense of the verb used with impôts.
    Tatoeba #6635290 by Micsmithel, translation #3727042 by CM
  • Il doit payer ses impôts chaque année.
    He has to pay his taxes every year.
  • Je dois payer mes impôts ce mois-ci.
    I have to pay my taxes this month.
  • 42 more sentences on Tatoeba

Example conversation

Gabriel and Emma are discussing their monthly budgets.

  1. Gabriel

    Est-ce que tu as payé tes impôts ?
    Did you pay your taxes?
  2. Emma

    Oui, je m'en suis occupée hier.
    Yes, I took care of them yesterday.
  3. Gabriel

    Les impôts sont vraiment très élevés cette année.
    The taxes are really very high this year.
  4. Emma

    C'est vrai, c'est assez frustrant.
    That's true, it's quite frustrating.

Sources

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Mike Edwin
Mike EdwinHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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