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A2 verb #3,000 más común 9 min de lectura

taxar

At the A1 level, you just need to know that 'taxar' is related to money and the government. Think of it as 'paying a fee'. If you buy something from another country, the government might 'taxar' (tax) that item. It is a regular verb, so it follows the same pattern as 'falar' or 'trabalhar'. Example: 'O governo vai taxar o café?' (Will the government tax coffee?). It's a simple action of adding a cost.
At A2, you start to see 'taxar' in news headlines. You should understand that it means the government is putting a tax on something specific, like 'taxar cigarros' (taxing cigarettes). You also begin to see it used for labeling people, though this is slightly more advanced. You should be able to use it in the present and simple past: 'Eles taxaram o vinho' (They taxed the wine).
By B1, you should understand the difference between 'taxar' (to tax) and 'taxa' (the fee itself). You will encounter it in discussions about the economy and social justice. You should also be comfortable with the construction 'taxar de', meaning to label someone. For example: 'Muitos o taxam de preguiçoso' (Many label him as lazy). You start to see the passive voice: 'O produto foi taxado'.
At B2, you can use 'taxar' in more complex arguments. You might discuss 'taxar as grandes fortunas' (taxing large fortunes) or 'taxar o carbono'. You understand the nuance between 'taxar' and 'tachar', even if you occasionally mix them up in speech. You can use the verb in the subjunctive to express opinions: 'Eu duvido que eles taxem a internet' (I doubt they will tax the internet).
At C1, you use 'taxar' with precision in professional and academic contexts. You understand its legal implications, such as 'taxar custas judiciais'. You are aware of the historical and etymological weight of the word. You can use it metaphorically and in complex passive constructions. You also recognize when it's being used as a synonym for 'limitar' or 'fixar' in formal documents.
At the C2 level, you have a complete mastery of 'taxar'. You can distinguish between its fiscal, social, and archaic meanings. You can use it in high-level political or economic analysis, discussing the 'capacidade de taxar' (capacity to tax) as a function of state power. You can also navigate the subtle orthographic debate between 'taxar' and 'tachar' with the authority of a native grammarian.
Practícalo Ejemplos Notas y consejos

taxar en 30 segundos

  • Taxar is primarily used for the government act of imposing taxes on goods, services, or income.
  • It is a regular -ar verb, making it easy to conjugate in all Portuguese tenses.
  • A secondary, very common meaning is to label or characterize someone, often with a negative trait.
  • It is a homophone of 'tachar', which traditionally meant labeling, but 'taxar' is now common for both.

The Portuguese verb taxar is a multifaceted term primarily rooted in the world of finance, law, and social judgment. At its core, it refers to the act of imposing a 'taxa' (tax or fee). When a government decides to taxar a product, it is exercising its sovereign power to generate revenue or regulate consumption. This is a fundamental concept in any economy, and understanding it is crucial for navigating daily life in a Lusophone country, from reading the news to understanding your paycheck.

Fiscal Context
The most common use: to levy a tax on goods, services, or income. For example, 'taxar as importações' (to tax imports).
Economic Context
To fix or regulate prices or values. This is often seen in historical contexts or specific regulated markets.
Social Context
To label, brand, or characterize someone, often with a specific trait or reputation. Note: This overlaps with 'tachar', but 'taxar' is frequently used in this sense in modern Brazilian Portuguese.

O governo decidiu taxar os lucros excessivos das grandes empresas para financiar a educação pública.

— Exemplo de uso no contexto econômico e político.

Beyond the simple act of collecting money, taxar implies a systematic approach to valuation. When you tax something, you are essentially assigning it a cost or a value within a social framework. This is why the word is so powerful in political discourse; it represents the point where individual property meets collective responsibility. In the 600+ words of this analysis, we must also consider the etymological roots from the Latin taxare, which meant to touch, to value, or to handle. This 'touch' of the state or the 'touch' of judgment is what defines the verb today. Whether you are talking about 'taxar o carbono' (taxing carbon) to save the planet or 'taxar alguém de incompetente' (labeling someone as incompetent), you are placing a definitive mark on that subject.

Eles costumam taxar de 'radical' qualquer pessoa que peça mudanças profundas no sistema.

In the realm of international trade, the word takes on a strategic weight. Countries might taxar foreign goods to protect local industries, a process known as protectionism. Here, the verb isn't just about revenue; it's about defense. Similarly, in the digital age, there is ongoing debate about how to taxar digital services provided by multinational corporations that don't have a physical presence in the country. This evolution of the word shows its adaptability from the physical marketplace of ancient Rome to the invisible transactions of the 21st century.

Administrative Use
To set a limit or a ceiling on something, such as interest rates or prices.
Philosophical Use
The act of 'taxing' can be seen as a social contract—the price we pay for a civilized society, as Oliver Wendell Holmes famously said.

Using taxar correctly requires understanding its transitivity and the prepositions that often accompany it. It is a regular verb of the first conjugation (-ar), making it relatively straightforward to conjugate in all tenses. However, the nuance lies in the object of the verb.

1. Direct Object (Fiscal)

When you are talking about imposing a tax on a thing, you use it as a direct transitive verb: Taxar + [thing].

  • O governo vai taxar as bebidas açucaradas. (The government will tax sugary drinks.)
  • É necessário taxar as grandes fortunas. (It is necessary to tax large fortunes.)

2. Taxar de (Labeling)

When you are labeling or characterizing someone, you use the preposition de: Taxar + [someone] + de + [characteristic].

  • A imprensa o taxou de mentiroso. (The press labeled him a liar.)
  • Não me taxe de pessimista, sou apenas realista. (Don't label me a pessimist; I'm just a realist.)

3. Passive Voice

In formal and journalistic contexts, the passive voice is very common. 'Ser taxado' is the standard construction.

  • Os produtos importados serão taxados na alfândega. (Imported products will be taxed at customs.)
  • Ele foi taxado como o culpado pela derrota. (He was branded as the one to blame for the defeat.)

When discussing the 'how' of taxing, you might encounter adverbs like pesadamente (heavily) or proporcionalmente (proportionally). For example: 'O álcool é taxado pesadamente em muitos países.' This adds a layer of intensity to the action. Furthermore, in legal Portuguese, taxar can be used to mean 'to limit' or 'to fix' a value, often in the context of 'taxar honorários' (fixing fees) or 'taxar custas judiciais' (fixing court costs). This specific usage is more common in legal documents than in everyday speech.

The verb taxar is ubiquitous in several specific environments. Recognizing these contexts will help you anticipate its meaning even before the full sentence is spoken.

1. The News and Politics

This is the most frequent home for the word. Whenever a new budget is proposed or a trade war begins, taxar is the star of the headline. You will hear phrases like 'Reforma tributária pretende taxar dividendos' (Tax reform intends to tax dividends) or 'Novas regras para taxar compras internacionais' (New rules to tax international purchases).

2. Business and Finance

In corporate meetings, accountants and financial officers discuss how new regulations will taxar the company's operations. It's often used in the context of 'planejamento tributário' (tax planning) to find ways to be taxado less within the bounds of the law.

3. Social and Political Debates

In the 'labeling' sense, you'll hear it in debates or social media. People often complain about being taxados (labeled) by society. 'A sociedade gosta de taxar as pessoas por sua aparência' (Society likes to label people by their appearance). This usage is very common in talk shows, podcasts, and opinion pieces.

4. Customs and Airports (Alfândega)

If you are traveling to a Portuguese-speaking country, you might hear this at the airport. An officer might say: 'Este item precisa ser taxado' (This item needs to be taxed/subject to duty). It’s a word that can literally cost you money in this context!

In academic settings, specifically in Economics or Law faculties, taxar is discussed as a tool for social engineering. Professors might discuss 'taxar externalidades' (taxing externalities), such as pollution, to discourage harmful behavior. This conceptual use of the word elevates it from a mere financial transaction to a philosophical tool for shaping society. Whether it's the 'taxa de lixo' (trash fee) or 'taxar o sol' (a controversial term used in Brazil regarding solar energy credits), the word is always at the center of public interest and controversy.

Even native speakers sometimes stumble when it comes to taxar, primarily due to its homophone: tachar.

1. Taxar vs. Tachar

This is the 'classic' mistake. Both words sound exactly the same in most Portuguese dialects (pronounced /ta.'ʃaɾ/).

  • Taxar (with X): Related to 'taxa' (tax/rate). Use it for money, prices, and increasingly for labeling.
  • Tachar (with CH): Related to 'tacha' (a small nail or a defect). Traditionally, this is the correct verb for labeling someone negatively or noting a defect ('tachar de ignorante'). It also means to cross out text.

Rule of thumb: If it involves money or a government fee, it's ALWAYS 'Taxar'. If you are calling someone names, 'Tachar' is technically correct, but 'Taxar' is widely used and accepted in Brazil.

2. Confusing 'Taxar' with 'Tributar'

While they are synonyms, they aren't always interchangeable. Tributar is a broader, more formal term for the whole system of taxation. Taxar is more specific to the act of applying a particular rate or fee. You 'tributa' an income, but you 'taxa' a specific transaction.

3. Preposition Errors

When labeling someone, don't forget the 'de'. Saying 'Eles o taxaram herói' is incorrect; it should be 'Eles o taxaram de herói'. Without the 'de', the sentence feels incomplete to a native ear.

4. Misunderstanding the Scope

Some learners think taxar only applies to sales tax. In reality, it applies to any government-imposed fee, including import duties, environmental levies, and even professional licensing fees.

To truly master taxar, you should understand its 'neighbors' in the Portuguese vocabulary. These words share semantic space but carry different weights and nuances.

Tributar
The most formal synonym. It refers to the general act of levying taxes (tributos). Used in legal and economic texts. 'O Estado tem o poder de tributar.'
Gravar
In a fiscal context, this means to impose a burden or a tax on something. 'Gravar o consumo com novos impostos.' (Note: 'Gravar' also means to record or to engrave).
Avaliar
To evaluate or assess. Before you can taxar something, you often need to avaliar its value.
Estipular / Fixar
To stipulate or fix. Used when taxar means setting a price or a limit. 'O juiz fixou (taxou) o valor da multa.'
Rotular
A perfect synonym for the social sense of taxar. It means 'to label'. 'Não gosto de rotular as pessoas.'
Censurar
When taxar is used to point out a defect, censurar or criticar are related actions.

Understanding these synonyms allows you to vary your speech. Instead of always using taxar, you can use tributar for a more professional tone, or rotular when talking about social stereotypes. This variety is what separates a basic speaker from an advanced one. Furthermore, words like isentar (to exempt) and desonerar (to relieve of tax) are the crucial antonyms you need to know to discuss the full spectrum of fiscal policy.

How Formal Is It?

Formal

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Informal

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Nivel de dificultad

Gramática que debes saber

Ejemplos por nivel

1

O governo vai taxar o açúcar.

The government is going to tax sugar.

Simple future with 'ir' + infinitive.

2

Eles taxam as roupas importadas.

They tax imported clothes.

Present tense, 3rd person plural.

3

Eu não quero taxar o seu trabalho.

I don't want to tax your work.

Negative construction with 'querer'.

4

Você taxa os seus produtos?

Do you tax your products?

Direct question in the present tense.

5

O estado taxa a gasolina.

The state taxes gasoline.

Subject-Verb-Object structure.

6

Nós taxamos o serviço.

We tax the service.

1st person plural 'nós'.

7

Eles vão taxar a minha encomenda?

Are they going to tax my package?

Interrogative with 'ir' + infinitive.

8

A prefeitura taxa o lixo.

The city hall taxes the trash.

Third person singular.

1

O prefeito decidiu taxar os carros antigos.

The mayor decided to tax old cars.

Preterite of 'decidir' + infinitive.

2

Muitas pessoas taxam ele de chato.

Many people label him as annoying.

Usage of 'taxar de' for labeling.

3

O governo não deve taxar os livros.

The government should not tax books.

Modal verb 'dever' + infinitive.

4

Eles taxaram a minha mala no aeroporto.

They taxed my suitcase at the airport.

Simple past (Pretérito Perfeito).

5

É justo taxar o consumo de plástico?

Is it fair to tax plastic consumption?

Impersonal expression 'É justo'.

6

O país taxa muito as empresas.

The country taxes companies a lot.

Adverb 'muito' modifying the verb.

7

Ela foi taxada de mentirosa pelas amigas.

She was labeled a liar by her friends.

Passive voice with 'ser' + past participle.

8

Vamos taxar as novas tecnologias.

Let's tax new technologies.

1st person plural future.

1

Se o governo taxar a internet, os preços vão subir.

If the government taxes the internet, prices will rise.

Future Subjunctive in a conditional 'if' clause.

2

Ele sempre foi taxado de conservador.

He has always been labeled as a conservative.

Present Perfect Passive.

3

O objetivo é taxar as emissões de CO2.

The goal is to tax CO2 emissions.

Infinitive as a complement.

4

A alfândega costuma taxar eletrônicos caros.

Customs usually taxes expensive electronics.

Verb 'costumar' + infinitive.

5

Não podemos taxar a população sem oferecer serviços.

We cannot tax the population without offering services.

Gerund/Infinitive after preposition 'sem'.

6

Eles me taxaram de louco quando contei a ideia.

They labeled me crazy when I told the idea.

Preterite with 'de' for labeling.

7

A lei permite taxar heranças acima de um valor.

The law allows taxing inheritances above a certain value.

Direct object 'heranças'.

8

Por que taxar o sol é tão polêmico?

Why is taxing the sun so controversial?

Interrogative sentence with infinitive subject.

1

A proposta visa taxar transações financeiras digitais.

The proposal aims to tax digital financial transactions.

Verb 'visar' + infinitive.

2

A crítica o taxou de pretensioso em sua última obra.

The critics labeled him pretentious in his last work.

Specific context of artistic criticism.

3

É necessário taxar as externalidades negativas da indústria.

It is necessary to tax the negative externalities of industry.

Economic terminology.

4

Caso o senado taxe os dividendos, o mercado reagirá.

Should the senate tax dividends, the market will react.

Present Subjunctive after 'caso'.

5

Muitos países optam por taxar o consumo em vez da renda.

Many countries choose to tax consumption instead of income.

Prepositional phrase 'em vez de'.

6

Ele se sentiu taxado injustamente pela sociedade.

He felt unfairly labeled by society.

Reflexive 'sentir-se' + past participle.

7

O tratado impede que os países taxem duas vezes o mesmo lucro.

The treaty prevents countries from taxing the same profit twice.

Subjunctive after 'impedir que'.

8

A prefeitura quer taxar os aplicativos de transporte.

The city hall wants to tax transport apps.

Modern economic context.

1

A medida busca taxar o capital especulativo para evitar crises.

The measure seeks to tax speculative capital to avoid crises.

Sophisticated vocabulary (especulativo).

2

Taxar de 'populista' tornou-se um recurso retórico comum.

Labeling [someone] as 'populist' has become a common rhetorical device.

Infinitive as a noun phrase.

3

O juiz decidiu taxar os honorários advocatícios em 10%.

The judge decided to fix the attorney's fees at 10%.

Legal sense of 'fixing a value'.

4

Embora o governo taxe o luxo, a arrecadação continua baixa.

Although the government taxes luxury, revenue remains low.

Concessive clause with 'Embora' + Subjunctive.

5

A dificuldade reside em como taxar a economia intangível.

The difficulty lies in how to tax the intangible economy.

Abstract concept 'economia intangível'.

6

Ele foi taxado de traidor por divergir da maioria.

He was branded a traitor for differing from the majority.

Passive voice with a cause clause (por + infinitive).

7

Não se deve taxar o mérito, mas sim a renda improdutiva.

One should not tax merit, but rather unproductive income.

Philosophical/Economic contrast.

8

A OCDE recomenda taxar as multinacionais onde o valor é gerado.

The OECD recommends taxing multinationals where the value is generated.

Subjunctive after 'recomendar'.

1

A sanha de taxar todo e qualquer incremento patrimonial asfixia o empreendedor.

The urge to tax any and all capital gains stifles the entrepreneur.

Highly formal and literary style.

2

O filósofo foi taxado de herético pelas autoridades eclesiásticas.

The philosopher was branded a heretic by ecclesiastical authorities.

Historical/Formal context.

3

Urge taxar as externalidades para alinhar o interesse privado ao social.

It is urgent to tax externalities to align private interest with social interest.

Use of the formal verb 'Urge'.

4

A legislação arcaica ainda permite taxar certos serviços de forma arbitrária.

Archaic legislation still allows for the arbitrary taxing of certain services.

Complex sentence structure.

5

Taxar a circulação de informações é um retrocesso democrático.

Taxing the flow of information is a democratic setback.

Political/Philosophical assertion.

6

O autor recusa-se a ser taxado como um mero escritor de ficção.

The author refuses to be labeled as a mere fiction writer.

Reflexive 'recusar-se' + passive infinitive.

7

A proposta de taxar o patrimônio líquido gera debates acalorados.

The proposal to tax net worth generates heated debates.

Technical term 'patrimônio líquido'.

8

Pode-se taxar a conduta, mas nunca o pensamento.

One can tax conduct, but never thought.

Impersonal 'se' with modal 'poder'.

Colocaciones comunes

taxar lucros
taxar consumo
taxar importações
taxar pesadamente
taxar de injusto
taxar dividendos
ser taxado na alfândega
taxar grandes fortunas
taxar serviços
taxar heranças

Frases Comunes

Taxar de louco

Taxar de mentiroso

Taxar o sol

Taxar o carbono

Taxar a saída

Taxar na fonte

Taxar por alto

Taxar o pecado (sin tax)

Taxar a riqueza

Taxar o valor agregado

Se confunde a menudo con

taxar vs tachar

taxar vs taxa

taxar vs tachar

Modismos y expresiones

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Fácil de confundir

taxar vs

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taxar vs

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Patrones de oraciones

Cómo usarlo

modern usage

In Brazil, 'taxar' has largely replaced 'tachar' in common usage for both meanings.

preposition nuance

The 'de' is mandatory for the labeling sense: 'Taxar de' + noun/adj.

Errores comunes
  • Writing 'tachar' when referring to government taxes.
  • Forgetting the 'de' in 'taxar de [label]'.
  • Pronouncing the 'x' as 'ks' instead of 'sh'.
  • Confusing the noun 'taxa' with the verb 'taxar' in sentences.
  • Using 'taxar' for 'to charge' in a general sense (like charging a phone - use 'carregar').

Consejos

Regularity

Taxar is a regular -ar verb. If you know how to conjugate 'falar', you know how to conjugate 'taxar'.

Homophones

Remember: X for Taxes (like in English). CH for CHaracterizing (traditionally).

Pronunciation

The 'x' sounds like 'sh'. Don't pronounce it like the 'x' in 'taxi' (ks).

Preposition

Always use 'de' when labeling: 'taxar de herói', 'taxar de vilão'.

News

Look for this word in the 'Economia' section of Portuguese newspapers.

Synonyms

Use 'rotular' if you want to avoid the taxar/tachar confusion when talking about people.

Legal Use

In law, it can mean to fix a value, like 'taxar honorários'.

Judgment

Being 'taxado' often implies an unfair judgment by others.

Latin Root

It comes from 'taxare', meaning to value. This helps remember it's about assigning a value/cost.

Tax-ar

It's literally 'Tax' + the Portuguese verb ending '-ar'.

Memorízalo

Origen de la palabra

Latin

Contexto cultural

Often used in the context of 'Custo Brasil' (the high cost of doing business in Brazil due to taxes).

Labeling someone ('taxar de') is a common way to dismiss an opponent's argument in political debates.

Commonly heard in discussions about the 'IVA' (VAT) and 'IRS' (Income Tax).

Practica en la vida real

Contextos reales

Inicios de conversación

"Você acha que o governo deveria taxar as grandes fortunas?"

"Por que as pessoas gostam de taxar os outros sem conhecê-los?"

"Você já foi taxado ao comprar algo pela internet?"

"Qual é o produto mais taxado no seu país?"

"Como você reagiria se te taxassem de algo que você não é?"

Temas para diario

Escreva sobre um imposto que você considera injusto.

Descreva uma situação em que alguém te taxou de algo incorretamente.

Como seria um mundo onde nada fosse taxado?

Explique a importância de taxar produtos que fazem mal à saúde.

Reflita sobre o poder das palavras ao taxar uma pessoa.

Preguntas frecuentes

10 preguntas

Taxar refere-se a impostos e preços. Tachar refere-se a colocar um defeito ou rotular alguém. Na fala, são iguais.

Sim, no sentido de rotular ou caracterizar alguém, geralmente seguido da preposição 'de'.

É regular: eu taxei, tu taxaste, ele taxou, nós taxamos, vós taxastes, eles taxaram.

Significa chamar alguém de louco ou rotular a pessoa com essa característica.

Sim, é extremamente comum em notícias de economia e política, além de conversas sobre julgamento social.

É redundante, mas comum. Melhor dizer 'taxar produtos' ou 'cobrar impostos'.

O sinônimo mais formal no contexto fiscal é 'tributar'.

A tradução direta é 'taxar' ou 'tributar'.

Não necessariamente. Pode ser visto como uma forma de financiar serviços públicos ou regular comportamentos nocivos.

É uma expressão popular no Brasil para se referir à cobrança de taxas sobre a energia solar produzida por indivíduos.

Ponte a prueba 180 preguntas

/ 180 correct

Perfect score!

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