Breakdown of Une nuée d'abonnés va augmenter ce chiffre.
une
a / an (feminine)
ce
this (before a noun)
de
of / from / any (in negative sentences) / about (concerning)
aller
to go
augmenter
to increase
le chiffre
the figure / the number (digit, amount)
l'abonné
the subscriber (m)
la nuée
the swarm
Questions & Answers about Une nuée d'abonnés va augmenter ce chiffre.
Why is the verb singular (va) when it's talking about multiple subscribers (abonnés)?
The subject is a collective noun phrase, une nuée d'abonnés. In French, when a collective noun like une nuée, un groupe, or une foule is followed by de and a plural noun, the verb can often be either singular or plural. Here, using the singular va emphasizes the group as a single, overwhelming mass. If the speaker wanted to emphasize the individual subscribers acting, they could have used the plural vont.
Is nuée normally used for people? I thought it meant a storm cloud.
Why use chiffre here instead of nombre for the word figure?
Why is there no article before abonnés? Shouldn't it be des abonnés?
After expressions of quantity or collective nouns that use de (such as une nuée de, beaucoup de, or un groupe de), you drop the plural indefinite article des. It becomes just de, or d' before a vowel sound, followed directly by the noun.
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