Today’s Danish word is one you are likely to hear frequently in the spring.
Tax means “tax”. It’s a word you will particularly see in springtime, as that’s when Denmark’s annual tax assessment notices are released.
In 2026, if you worked and earned money in Denmark last year, you should have been able to log in to the Danish Tax Agency (Skat) to view your tax return document from March 23rd. You can correct and update information until May 20th, when the tax statement is finalised.
Too much tax paid during the preceding year (without adjustment of the preliminary tax return, advance statement during the course of that year), can mean the tax payer is due a tax refund. This will show on the annual return on its release in March.
The reverse applies if less than the correct rate has been paid for that person’s individual circumstances, meaning money might be owed to the Danish tax system. Repayments must be made by July 1st.
The Danish word for tax return is annual statement (annual statement). If you want to talk about filing your taxes, you can say report tax (declare taxes), and a tax payment is a tax payment.
READ ALSO: How you can access (and edit) your Danish tax return in English
People who pay tax in Denmark can be referred to by the nouns taxpayers or taxpayers, literally “tax payers” or “tax citizens”.
A salary in Denmark will include the following deductions: Labor market tax (AM contribution 8%), State tax (basic tax 12%), municipality tax (council tax 25%), and state pension contribution (ATP contribution DKK 94.65).
High earners can be liable for the top tax bracket, top tax
READ ALSO: Does Denmark really have the highest tax in the world?
You may also be interested in the words excess tax (tax rebate, if you have paid too much tax and are owed money back) and tax deduction (tax deduction), but probably want to avoid paying residual tax (a tax deficit).
But tax is not only used to talk about taxes.
It also means treasure, both in the sense of an actual treasure (I have found a treasure chest – I have found a treasure chest) and figuratively to talk about a loved one (my beloved darling – my darling/beloved treasure, or she is a real treasure – she’s a real treasure).
Tax comes from the Old Norse term tax and the even older proto-Germanic word taxwhich had a variety of meanings including wealth, property, cattle, money, and goods.
It’s easy to see how the two meanings of modern Danish tax developed from here, and you’ll also find the word tax in Norwegian and Swedish. It used to exist in English as well before it was replaced by tax based on the French verb taxes.
Example sentences:
I’ve missed you, baby.
I’ve missed you, my love.
Did you get money back in taxes?
Did you get any tax money back?
