Nous devons sélectionner un individu parmi ces gens.
We must select an individual among these people.
Breakdown of Nous devons sélectionner un individu parmi ces gens.
un
a / an (masculine)
nous
we / us (object pronoun)
les gens
the people
ce
this (before a noun)
devoir
to have to / must
parmi
among
l'individu
the individual (m)
sélectionner
to select (pick out)
Questions & Answers about Nous devons sélectionner un individu parmi ces gens.
Why is parmi used here instead of entre?
Parmi means "among" and is used when referring to a general, undefined group or a collective mass (like ces gens). You use entre ("between" or "among") when the individuals or items are explicitly distinguished or a specific number, such as entre Paul et Marie or entre les trois candidats. Since "these people" is a general crowd, parmi is the right choice.
Do I need to use de after parmi, like parmi de ces gens?
Could I say parmi ces personnes instead of parmi ces gens?
Does un individu sound as clinical in French as "an individual" does in English?
It can. Just like in English, un individu is often used in police reports or news to mean a "suspect" or an unidentified person (often with a slightly shady connotation). However, in contexts like this one—such as scientific selection, sociology, or statistics—it neutrally means a single unit or person out of a collective.
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