impuesto
“impuesto” means “tax” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
tax
Also: duty, levy
📝 In Action
Tengo que pagar el impuesto de la renta mañana.
A2I have to pay my income tax tomorrow.
El gobierno anunció un nuevo impuesto sobre el plástico.
B1The government announced a new tax on plastic.
Muchos ciudadanos se quejan de que los impuestos son demasiado altos.
B1Many citizens complain that taxes are too high.
imposed
Also: enforced
📝 In Action
No me gusta este horario impuesto por la empresa.
B2I don't like this schedule imposed by the company.
Fue una solución impuesta, no hubo negociación.
C1It was an imposed solution; there was no negotiation.
Los valores impuestos por la sociedad a veces son injustos.
C1The values imposed by society are sometimes unfair.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: impuesto
Question 1 of 3
How do you say 'to pay taxes' in Spanish?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin 'impositus', which is a combination of 'in-' (upon) and 'ponere' (to place). Literally, it means 'placed upon'.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'impuesto' and 'tasa' the same thing?
Not exactly. An 'impuesto' is a general tax that goes into a big pot for things like roads and schools. A 'tasa' is usually a specific fee you pay for a specific service, like getting a driver's license.
Why does 'impuesto' look like 'puesto'?
They both come from the Latin word for 'to put'. A 'puesto' is a place where something is 'put', and an 'impuesto' is a tax 'put' on you.
Is 'impuesto' always bad?
In conversation, it often has a negative tone when used as an adjective (forced), but as a noun, it is just a neutral financial term.