Comparative law notes
In Brazil, the parties to a contract are often defined as "contratante" (literally, the one who hires) and "contratado" (literally, the one who is hired). In English, however, the parties to a contract are usually defined according to their roles (e.g., tenant/landlord, principal/agent, client/service provider, producer/distributor, company/supplier, buyer/seller) or by a shorthand name or acronym (e.g., Jones/ABC). Therefore, when translating "contratante" and "contratado" into English, one should first identify the type of contract and then choose a term that either relates to the party's role or is a shorthand name or acronym for the individual or entity. The term "contractor" is used especially when referring to one who arranges to supply materials or workers for building work (in Portuguese, "empreiteiro"). "Contracting parties" or "parties" can be used to refer to either of the parties indistinctively or to both sides of the agreement collectively.
