Steuern

Steuern is a German word with multiple meanings, used as both a verb and a noun. As a verb, steuern means to steer, to direct, or to regulate. It is used for physically guiding a vehicle or vessel, for example, “the captain steers the ship,” and it is also used metaphorically to describe guiding a process or policy, as in “to steer the economy” or “to steer a project.”

As a noun, Steuer means tax. The plural Steuern refers to taxes in general. Taxes are collected by the state, and common phrases include Steuern zahlen (to pay taxes) and Steuern erheben (to levy taxes). In compounds, Steuer appears in many terms such as Umsatzsteuer (value-added tax or VAT), Mehrwertsteuer (another form of VAT), Einkommensteuer (income tax), Körperschaftsteuer (corporate tax), and Erbschaftsteuer (inheritance tax). Related terms include Steuersatz (tax rate), Steuerklasse (tax class), Steuererklärung (tax return), Steuerrecht (tax law), and Steuerpolitik (tax policy).

The singular Steuer can also denote steering or control in certain contexts, especially in nautical or automotive usage, where “das Steuer” refers to the steering mechanism or the helm, and idioms such as “das Steuer übernehmen” mean to take the wheel or take control.

Usage of steuern and Steuer reflects the two primary domains where the word appears: governance and finance (taxation) on the one hand, and navigation or control of objects and processes on the other. In everyday language, context usually clarifies whether the meaning is related to steering, directing, or taxation.