Breakdown of Elle a tort de partager son mot de passe.
elle
she
de
of
partager
to share
son
her
avoir tort
to be wrong
le mot de passe
the password
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching French grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Elle a tort de partager son mot de passe.
Why is it "a tort" and not "est tort"?
French uses the idiom avoir tort (“to be wrong”), not être tort. With a following verb, the pattern is avoir tort de + infinitif. You can say elle est en tort (“she’s in the wrong”) on its own, but not before an infinitive.
Why is it "a" without an accent, not "à"?
a (no accent) is the 3rd person singular of avoir (“has”). à (with accent) is the preposition “to/at.” In Elle a tort, you need the verb: “she has.”
What is the role of "de" before "partager"? Can I use "à" or "pour"?
The construction is fixed: avoir tort de + infinitif. Do not use à or pour here. Before a vowel or mute h, de becomes d’: e.g., Elle a tort d’essayer.
How do I say the opposite?
Use avoir raison de + infinitif: Elle a raison de…. Note that Elle n’a pas tort de… means “she’s not wrong to…,” which is weaker than “she’s right to…”.
Why is it "son" and not "sa" even though it’s about a woman?
French possessives agree with the noun possessed, not the possessor. Mot (de passe) is masculine singular, so it’s son mot de passe. To emphasize ownership: son propre mot de passe. Also, before a feminine noun starting with a vowel, you use son for euphony (e.g., son adresse).
Does "son" necessarily mean her own password? How do I say someone else’s?
No. Son can mean “her,” “his,” or “one’s”; context decides. To specify someone else’s: le mot de passe de Paul, le mot de passe de quelqu’un d’autre. For general rules French often uses generic son: Il ne faut pas partager son mot de passe (“one must not share one’s password”).
How do you pluralize "mot de passe"? Any hyphens?
Write it without hyphens: mot de passe. Plural: mots de passe (only mot takes the plural): des mots de passe.
How do you pronounce the sentence?
IPA: [ɛl a tɔʁ də paʁtaʒe sɔ̃ mo də pas]
- tort: [tɔʁ], final t silent
- mot: [mo], final t silent
- son: [sɔ̃], nasal vowel
- partager: [paʁtaʒe], g = [ʒ]
- No liaison in tort de (next word starts with a consonant)
If I replace "son mot de passe" with a pronoun, where does it go?
Use le and place it before the infinitive: Elle a tort de le partager. With negation around the infinitive, the meaning flips: Elle a tort de ne pas le partager = “She is wrong not to share it.”
How do I turn this into a yes/no question?
- Intonation (informal): Elle a tort de partager son mot de passe ?
- Est-ce que: Est-ce qu’elle a tort de partager son mot de passe ?
- Inversion (more formal): A-t-elle tort de partager son mot de passe ?
How do I refer to a past action: “She was wrong to share…”?
- Completed past judgment: Elle a eu tort de partager son mot de passe.
- Emphasizing the completed action: Elle a eu tort d’avoir partagé son mot de passe.
- Ongoing past viewpoint: Elle avait tort de partager son mot de passe.
How do I specify who she shares it with?
Use avec: Elle a tort de partager son mot de passe avec ses collègues. Don’t use à here.
Are there better verbs than "partager" in a security context?
Yes:
- Neutral/common: partager, donner
- More formal/precise: divulguer, communiquer, révéler Example: Elle a tort de divulguer son mot de passe.
What’s the difference between "avoir tort," "se tromper," and "donner tort à"?
- Avoir tort (de + infinitif): to be wrong (to do something). Example: Elle a tort de partager…
- Se tromper (de + noun): to make a mistake, often “choose/use the wrong X.” Example: Elle se trompe de mot de passe.
- Donner tort à quelqu’un: to prove/show someone is wrong. Example: La politique de sécurité lui donne tort.
Where can I put adverbs like “really”?
To modify the judgment, place it before tort: Elle a vraiment/absolument tort de partager… Placing it before partager (Elle a tort de vraiment partager…) shifts the meaning to the manner of sharing and is usually not intended.