Meaning 1neutral · 85%
customs authority or tax on goods crossing borders.
Natural examples
Beim Zoll mussten wir unsere Pässe zeigen.
We had to show our passports at customs.
Der Zoll hat das Gepäck an der Grenze kontrolliert.
Customs checked the luggage at the border.
Muss ich für dieses Paket Zoll bezahlen?
Do I have to pay customs duty on this parcel?
Usage note
At A1 Zoll here means customs or customs duty; the same German word also means an inch in measurement.
Useful combinations
durch den Zoll gehen — common combination with the meaning “customs”Zoll bezahlen — common combination with the meaning “customs”
Common mistake
das Zoll
der Zoll
Use “der” in place of “das”; this corrects the form or sentence pattern used with Zoll.
Mini-lesson: Zoll: customs authority or tax on goods crossing borders
Notice the combination “durch den Zoll gehen”. In a sentence: “We had to show our passports at customs.” The central meaning is customs authority or tax on goods crossing borders.
Check your learning
Choose one answer.In the context “Beim Zoll mussten wir unsere Pässe zeigen.”, what does “Zoll” mean?