Spanish Phrase
¿Esto está libre de impuestos?
Meaning
The question asks whether the item, service, or amount being discussed is exempt from any taxes. It can be used in a shop, at a customs desk, or when reviewing a contract.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need to confirm tax status—e.g., before buying a product, when filling out paperwork, or when traveling and checking if a purchase is tax‑free.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Estoestálibredeimpuestos
Esto (demonstrative pronoun)
Used to point to a specific object or idea that is near the speaker; it functions as the subject of the sentence.
está (verb estar)
Third‑person singular present of estar, used for temporary states or conditions, such as being tax‑free.
libre (adjective)
Means ‘free’ or ‘exempt’; when used with de, it indicates exemption from something.
de (preposition)
Introduces the complement that follows; here it links libre with the noun impuestos.
impuestos (noun, plural)
Means ‘taxes’; the plural form is used because most tax systems involve several types of taxes.
🗨In Conversation
¿Esto está libre de impuestos?
Is this tax‑free?
Sí, es libre de impuestos para turistas.
Yes, it’s tax‑free for tourists.
✕Common Mistakes
¿Esto es libre de impuestos?
Use está (temporary state) instead of es (permanent characteristic) when talking about tax status.
¿Esto está sin impuestos?
Sin can be used, but libre de sounds more natural in a question about tax exemption.
¿Esto está libre de impuesto?
Impuestos is usually plural unless you refer to a specific tax.
↔Alternatives
¿Esto está exento de impuestos?
Is this exempt from taxes?
¿Esto no tiene impuestos?
Does this have no taxes?
¿Este producto está sin impuestos?
Is this product without taxes?
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries, tax‑free status is often limited to tourists or specific zones (e.g., duty‑free shops at airports). Be aware that the word exento is more formal and appears in legal documents, while libre is common in everyday conversation. Also, remember that in some regions the word impuesto can be singular when referring to a single tax, but the plural is the default in most contexts.