die  Maut

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/maʊt/

🛣️ What does "die Maut" mean?

Die Maut is the German word for a toll or road charge. It refers to a fee collected for using specific transportation routes such as highways (Autobahnen), bridges (Brücken), or tunnels (Tunnel).

Essentially, it's a payment for the right to travel on a particular section of road or infrastructure. These fees often finance the construction, maintenance, and operation of these routes. There are different types, like distance-based tolls (streckenbezogene Maut) or time-based tolls (like a Vignette).

⚠️ Important: Don't confuse die Maut with a general tax (Steuer). A Maut is specifically linked to the use of particular infrastructure.

📐 Grammar in Detail: Die Maut

The word "Maut" is a feminine noun. The article is die.

💡 Example Sentences

1. Für diese Autobahn muss man Maut zahlen. (You have to pay a toll for this highway.)
2. Die Höhe der Maut hängt von der Fahrzeugklasse ab. (The amount of the toll depends on the vehicle class.)
3. Wir haben an der Maut-Station angehalten. (We stopped at the toll station.)
4. Viele LKW umfahren die Autobahnen, um die Maut zu sparen. (Many trucks bypass the highways to save on the toll.)
5. Die Einnahmen aus den Mauten werden für den Straßenerhalt verwendet. (The revenue from the tolls is used for road maintenance.)

🚦 When to use "die Maut"?

"Die Maut" is specifically used in the context of transportation fees:

• Autobahnmaut: The fee for using highways (e.g., LKW-Maut for trucks in Germany, vignette requirement in Austria/Switzerland).
• Tunnel-/Brückenmaut: Fees for passing through specific structures like tunnels or bridges.
• City-Maut: A charge for driving into certain city center areas (e.g., London Congestion Charge is a type of City-Maut).

Difference from "Gebühr": While Maut is a specific type of fee in the transport sector, Gebühr is a more general term for a fee for a service or usage (e.g., Parkgebühr - parking fee, Verwaltungsgebühr - administrative fee, Rundfunkgebühr - broadcasting fee). A Maut is a specific kind of Gebühr.

Common phrases include "Maut zahlen" (to pay toll), "Maut erheben" (to collect/charge toll), "mautpflichtig sein" (to be subject to toll).

🧠 Mnemonics for "die Maut"

For the article: Think of paying a toll as a kind of *fee*. *Fee* starts with F, like *feminine*. So it's die Maut.

For the meaning: Imagine you *must* pay when you *route* your car through a certain road. *Must route* sounds a bit like *Maut*.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms for Maut

🚨 Similar, but different words:

• Zoll: (Customs duty) A tax on goods when crossing a border, not for road usage.
• Steuer: (Tax) A general levy paid to the government, not directly tied to a specific use (e.g., KFZ-Steuer - vehicle tax).

😄 A little Joke

Fragt der Fahrschüler den Lehrer: "Muss ich hier Maut zahlen?"
Sagt der Lehrer: "Nein, hier nicht. Aber wenn du so weiterfährst, zahlst du bald Schmerzensgeld!"

Translation:
The learner driver asks the instructor: "Do I have to pay a toll here?"
The instructor says: "No, not here. But if you keep driving like that, you'll soon be paying damages!"

📜 Poem about the Maut

Die Straße lang, das Ziel ist nah,
doch an der Schranke steht man da.
Ein kleiner Obolus muss her,
die Maut, sie bittet sehr.
Für glatten Asphalt, schnelle Fahrt,
wird diese Gebühr gespart?
Nein, gezahlt wird, ist doch klar,
für die Reise, wunderbar.

Translation:
The road is long, the goal is near,
but at the barrier, one stands here.
A small contribution is required,
the toll, it asks earnestly.
For smooth asphalt, a swift ride,
is this fee put aside?
No, it's paid, that much is clear,
for the journey, held so dear.

❓ Little Riddle

Ich bin kein Zoll, doch koste Geld,
wenn man auf bestimmten Straßen hält,
oder fährt von A nach B geschwind,
damit die Wege sauber sind.

Wer bin ich?

Lösung: die Maut

Translation:
I am not customs duty, yet I cost money,
when one stops on certain roads, it isn't funny,
or drives from A to B with speed,
so that the roads are clean indeed.

What am I?

Solution: the toll (die Maut)

ℹ️ More about Maut

• Etymology: The word "Maut" comes from the Old High German "mūta", which meant 'customs duty, levy, gift'. It's related to the Gothic word "mota" (customs).
• History: Road tolls have existed since antiquity and the Middle Ages to finance and control trade routes.
• Modern Systems: Today, there are complex electronic toll collection systems (e.g., via GPS or microwave transponders in vehicles), especially for trucks (LKW).
• Debates: The introduction or increase of tolls (Mautgebühren), especially for passenger cars (PKW), is often a subject of political and public debate in Germany and elsewhere.