Wir zahlen die Steuer regelmäßig.

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Breakdown of Wir zahlen die Steuer regelmäßig.

• zahlen: to pay
• regelmäßig: regularly
• die Steuer: the tax

Questions & Answers about Wir zahlen die Steuer regelmäßig.

Why is Steuer preceded by die here?

In German, every noun has a gender. Steuer (tax) is a feminine noun, so in the singular accusative it takes the definite article die (same as nominative for feminine).

Why is die Steuer in the accusative case?

Because it’s the direct object of the transitive verb zahlen (to pay). The person or thing receiving the action goes into the accusative. Here, “the tax” is what we pay, so it’s accusative.

Why don’t we need a preposition like für or an before die Steuer?

The verb zahlen can take a direct object without a preposition. You simply pay something (accusative). If you added für (for), you’d shift meaning slightly: Wir zahlen für die Steuer could imply “we pay on behalf of the tax,” which is not standard. Stick with zahlen + accusative.

What is the difference between zahlen and bezahlen?

• zahlen means “to pay” in general and can take an amount or an object:
– Ich zahle 50 Euro.
– Ich zahle die Rechnung.
• bezahlen always takes a direct object and often stresses completion of the payment:
– Ich bezahle die Rechnung.
In your sentence you could also say Wir bezahlen die Steuer regelmäßig with virtually the same meaning.

Why is regelmäßig placed at the end of the sentence?

In German the position of adverbs (of frequency, manner, etc.) is quite flexible. A common neutral position for a frequency adverb like regelmäßig is after the object (final field). This puts the basic S-V-O structure up front and the adverb at the end.

Could we instead say Wir zahlen regelmäßig die Steuer?

Yes. Placing regelmäßig right after the verb (mid-field) is perfectly acceptable and maybe even a bit more common for adverbs of frequency. Both Wir zahlen die Steuer regelmäßig and Wir zahlen regelmäßig die Steuer are correct.

Can we start the sentence with Regelmäßig, e.g. Regelmäßig zahlen wir die Steuer?

Absolutely. That front-positions regelmäßig for emphasis. In that case German word order requires:

1. Fronted element: Regelmäßig
2. Verb in 2nd position: zahlen
3. Subject: wir
4. Rest: die Steuer
   Result: Regelmäßig zahlen wir die Steuer.

Why do we use singular Steuer rather than plural Steuern?

Using the singular die Steuer often refers to a specific kind or instance of tax (e.g. income tax this year). Steuern (the plural) would mean “taxes” in general. You could say Wir zahlen Steuern regelmäßig if you mean “we regularly pay taxes” in a broader sense.