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So ein Wahnsinn, die Hafermilch kostet fünf Euro!

So ein Wahnsinn, die Hafermilch kostet fünf Euro!
Such madness, the oat milk costs five euros!
From Lesson 262:Colloquial demonstratives (so ein-)·German

Questions & Answers about So ein Wahnsinn, die Hafermilch kostet fünf Euro!

Why does the sentence use So ein Wahnsinn instead of Solch ein Wahnsinn for "Such madness"?
While solch (such) is grammatically correct, so ein (literally "so a") is much more common in everyday spoken German to express surprise or emphasis. You will hear phrases like So ein Quatsch! (Such nonsense!) or So ein Pech! (Such bad luck!) all the time.
Why isn't the currency pluralized to Euros since there are five of them?
In German, masculine and neuter units of measurement, including currencies, do not take a plural ending when they come directly after a number. So it is always fünf Euro, just like it is drei Kilo (three kilos) or zwei Glas (two glasses).
How do I know the gender of a word like Hafermilch?
Hafermilch is a compound noun made of der Hafer (oats) and die Milch (milk). In German, the final word in a compound noun always dictates the gender of the entire word, which is why it takes the feminine article die.
Can I use Wahnsinn as an exclamation on its own?
Yes! Wahnsinn literally means "madness" or "insanity," but Germans use it constantly as a standalone exclamation meaning "Crazy!", "Wow!", or even "Awesome!" depending on the context. In this sentence, it is used to express shock at the high price.

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