German Phrase
Es können laut Mietvertrag Verspätungsgebühren anfallen.
Meaning
The sentence states that, as stipulated in the rental contract, late fees may be charged. It uses a formal, written style typical for legal or business communication in German.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are explaining the terms of a lease, reminding a tenant about possible penalties, or reading a clause in a rental agreement that deals with payment deadlines.
✦Grammar Breakdown
EskönnenlautMietvertragVerspätungsgebührenanfallen.
Es (impersonal pronoun)
Used as a placeholder subject when the real subject is indefinite or not yet specified.
können (modal verb)
Third‑person plural form of 'können' indicating possibility; it is followed by an infinitive.
laut (preposition)
Means 'according to' and governs the dative case; it introduces the source of the information.
Mietvertrag (noun, dative)
Masculine noun meaning 'rental agreement'; after 'laut' it appears in the dative: 'dem Mietvertrag' → shortened to 'Mietvertrag'.
Verspätungsgebühren (noun, accusative)
Plural noun meaning 'late fees'; it is the object of the verb 'anfallen'.
anfallen (verb)
Intransitive verb that takes an accusative object; here it means 'to arise' or 'to be incurred'.
🗨In Conversation
Es können laut Mietvertrag Verspätungsgebühren anfallen, wenn die Miete nicht rechtzeitig überwiesen wird.
According to the rental agreement, late fees may be incurred if the rent is not transferred on time.
Verstehe, ich werde künftig darauf achten, die Zahlung pünktlich zu leisten.
I understand, I will make sure to pay on time from now on.
✕Common Mistakes
Es kann laut Mietvertrag Verspätungsgebühren anfallen.
The subject is plural (Verspätungsgebühren), so the modal verb must be 'können', not 'kann'.
Es können nach Mietvertrag Verspätungsgebühren anfallen.
Use 'laut' (according to) for citing a document; 'nach' would change the meaning to 'after'.
Es können laut der Mietvertrag Verspätungsgebühren anfallen.
After 'laut' the noun must be in dative; the full form is 'dem Mietvertrag'. Dropping the article is acceptable in formal writing, but beginners often forget the dative case.
Es können laut Mietvertrag Verspätungsgebühr anfallen.
The object of 'anfallen' is accusative; the plural form is correct, but some learners mistakenly use the singular 'Verspätungsgebühr'.
↔Alternatives
Im Mietvertrag steht, dass Verspätungsgebühren anfallen können.
The rental agreement states that late fees may be incurred.
Laut Mietvertrag können bei verspäteter Zahlung Gebühren entstehen.
According to the rental agreement, fees can arise with a late payment.
Verspätungsgebühren können laut Mietvertrag anfallen.
Late fees can be incurred according to the rental agreement.
Cultural Tip
German rental contracts (Mietverträge) often contain detailed clauses about payment deadlines and penalties. The word 'Verspätungsgebühren' is a standard legal term; using 'laut' signals a formal, source‑based statement. In spoken German, you might hear a more colloquial version like 'Wenn du zu spät zahlst, kann eine Gebühr anfallen.'