Question 4
Why do you have to write down on your tax return in Germany whether you belong to a church or not? Because …
German original: Warum muss man in Deutschland bei der Steuererklärung aufschreiben, ob man zu einer Kirche gehört oder nicht? Weil …. In the test, all questions are asked in German.
Answer options
- there is a church tax that is linked to income tax and wage tax. — Correct answer
- that is important for statistics in Germany.
- you have to pay more taxes if you do not belong to a church.
- the church is responsible for the tax return.
Explanation
Members of a church or religious community in Germany pay a church tax (8–9 % of their income or wage tax). This tax is collected by the state and then passed on to the religious communities.
Key terms in this question
- Germany — Germany is a country in central Europe with a parliamentary democracy. It is a member of the European Union and its capital is Berlin.
- or — 'Or' is a conjunction used to connect words, phrases, or clauses to express a choice between two or more alternatives. It indicates that only one of the given options applies.
- one / someone — 'Einer' is a German pronoun or article referring to a single, unspecified male person or thing, equivalent to 'one' or 'someone'.
- must / has to — A modal auxiliary verb that expresses obligation or necessity. It indicates that something is required or mandatory.
- because — 'Weil' is a conjunction used to express a reason or cause. It connects two clauses, introducing the explanation for the main action (e.g., 'I study because I want to pass the test').
- Federal state — A federal state is one of the 16 regions that together form Germany. Each state has its own government, parliament, and areas of responsibility.
- German — German is the official language of Germany, Austria, and part of Switzerland. It is the native language of approximately 100 million people.
- church — A church is a Christian place of worship where believers pray and attend religious services. The word also refers to the Christian community or organization as a whole, such as the Catholic or Protestant Church.