Password vs. Passphrase

Password vs. Passphrase Distinction

Onetime Secret uses two distinct authentication concepts that must be clearly differentiated in translations.

The Distinction

Password

• Purpose: Account login credentials
• Context: User authentication, sign-in, account management
• Scope: Global to the user’s account

Passphrase

• Purpose: Protection for individual secrets
• Context: Secret creation and viewing
• Scope: Specific to each secret

Why This Matters

Users need to understand the difference between:

1. The credentials they use to access their account
2. The optional protection they add to individual secrets

Mixing these terms creates confusion about which credential is needed when.

Language Examples

German

• Password: “Passwort” (account login)
• Passphrase: “Passphrase” (secret protection)

The German team kept “Passphrase” as a technical loan word to maintain the distinction.

Spanish

• Password: “contraseña” (account login)
• Passphrase: “frase de contraseña” (secret protection)

Spanish created a compound term to clarify the phrase-based nature.

Bulgarian

• Password: “парола” (account login)
• Passphrase: “ключова фраза” (key phrase for secrets)

Bulgarian developed “ключова фраза” specifically to distinguish from account “парола”.

Japanese

• Password: “パスワード” (account login)
• Passphrase: “パスフレーズ” (secret protection)

Japanese used loan words but kept them distinct.

Korean

• Password: “비밀번호” (account login)
• Passphrase: “접근 문구” (access phrase for secrets)

Korean created “접근 문구” (access phrase) to emphasize the access-granting function.

French

• Password: “mot de passe” (account login)
• Passphrase: “phrase secrète” (secret protection)

French distinguished with “phrase secrète” for secret-specific protection.

Translation Strategies

Option 1: Loan Word Approach

Keep “passphrase” as a technical term (like German, Japanese):

• Clear distinction from password
• Recognized in technical contexts
• May feel foreign to some users

Option 2: Descriptive Compound

Create a phrase that describes the function (like Spanish, Bulgarian):

• More natural in the target language
• Clearly indicates purpose
• May be longer for UI elements

Option 3: Functional Description

Use terms that emphasize the access-granting function (like Korean):

• Natural language flow
• Clear purpose
• May require explanation

Guidelines

1. Maintain absolute consistency

   • Never mix the terms within your language
   • Document your choice clearly

2. Test in context

   • How do the terms read in form labels?
   • Are they clear in error messages?
   • Do they fit in UI buttons?

3. Consider your audience

   • Technical users may accept loan words
   • General users may prefer descriptive terms

4. Avoid confusion

   • Don’t use variations that could be confused
   • Make the distinction obvious

Testing Your Translation

Create these test phrases and see if the distinction is clear:

• “Enter your [password] to sign in”
• “Enter the [passphrase] to view this secret”
• “Incorrect [password]” (login context)
• “Incorrect [passphrase]” (secret viewing context)
• “Change your account [password]”
• “This secret is protected with a [passphrase]”

If these sentences create confusion about which credential is needed, revise your translation approach.