Portuguese Phrase
Podem ser cobradas taxas por atraso conforme o contrato.
Meaning
The sentence states that late fees may be charged as stipulated in the contract. It uses a formal passive construction typical of legal or business Portuguese.
When to use
Use this phrase when explaining contract terms, billing policies, or informing a client or partner about possible penalties for late payment.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Podemsercobradastaxasporatrasoconformeocontrato
Poder (Podem)
Third‑person plural present of the modal verb poder, used to express possibility or permission.
Passive Voice (ser + past participle)
The construction ser + past participle (cobradas) creates a passive voice, focusing on the action rather than the agent.
Agreement
The past participle must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies (taxas → cobradas).
Prepositional Phrase (por atraso)
‘por’ introduces the cause or reason; ‘atraso’ is a masculine singular noun meaning ‘delay’.
Conforme
A preposition meaning ‘according to’ or ‘as per’, frequently used in legal and formal texts.
Definite Article (o contrato)
The article ‘o’ specifies a particular contract that has been previously mentioned or is understood.
🗨In Conversation
Preciso saber se haverá alguma penalidade se eu atrasar o pagamento.
I need to know if there will be any penalty if I delay the payment.
Podem ser cobradas taxas por atraso conforme o contrato.
Late fees may be charged according to the contract.
✕Common Mistakes
Pode ser cobradas taxas por atraso conforme o contrato.
The verb must agree with the plural noun ‘taxas’; use ‘podem’ (plural) instead of ‘pode’ (singular).
Podem ser cobradas taxas por atrasos conforme o contrato.
The standard expression is ‘por atraso’ (singular) meaning ‘for delay’; ‘por atrasos’ sounds unnatural in this legal phrasing.
↔Alternatives
Taxas de atraso podem ser aplicadas conforme o contrato.
Late fees can be applied according to the contract.
Conforme o contrato, podem ser cobradas taxas por atraso.
According to the contract, late fees may be charged.
Cultural Tip
In Portuguese‑speaking business and legal contexts, the passive voice and the preposition ‘conforme’ are preferred for a formal tone. Avoid the more colloquial ‘de acordo com’ when drafting contracts, as it sounds less precise.