La moitié des pommes est pourrie.

Sentence Discussions French
#1
English Translation

Half of the apples are rotten.

I think this should rather be “La moitié des pommes sont pourries.” It’s not the half but the apples that are rotten.

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#2
English Translation

Half of the apples are rotten.

According to this webpage, either can be correct, depending on what you want to emphasize. Here is a partial translation:

“When a fraction or percentage name is followed by a complement, the verb agrees:

  • with the name of fraction or percentage, if one wishes to insist on the precise proportion;
  • with the complement, in gender and number, if one wishes to insist on the expressed set.“

Thank you for this webpage, I’ve had this question for a long time and never tracked it down.

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