Breakdown of Ich würde für so einen winzigen Schluck nicht bezahlen.
ich
I
nicht
not
bezahlen
to pay
für
for
würde
would (conditional auxiliary)
so ein
such a (so ein, so eine, so einen)
winzig
tiny
der Schluck
the sip
Questions & Answers about Ich würde für so einen winzigen Schluck nicht bezahlen.
Why is it "so einen" instead of "einen solchen" for "such a"?
Both are grammatically correct and mean "such a", but using so followed by the indefinite article (ein, eine, etc.) is much more common and natural in everyday German. You simply decline ein normally for the case you need—here, the accusative einen—and put an unchangeable so right in front of it.
Why does the adjective "winzigen" end in "-en"?
This is because of the mixed adjective declension rules. The phrase follows the preposition für, which always forces the accusative case. Because the noun Schluck is masculine (der Schluck), the article becomes einen. After an article ending in -en, the following adjective must also take the -en ending, resulting in winzigen.
What grammar structure is "würde ... bezahlen"?
This is the Konjunktiv II (Subjunctive II), which expresses hypothetical situations, or what you "would" do. For most verbs, it is built exactly like it is here: you conjugate the helper verb werden in its Konjunktiv II form (würde) in the second position of the sentence, and push the main verb (bezahlen) to the very end as an infinitive.
Why is "nicht" placed right before "bezahlen"?
In German, when you negate the entire action of a sentence (here, the act of paying), nicht is placed as close to the end of the clause as possible. Since the grammar rule for würde forces the main verb bezahlen to occupy the very last spot, nicht slots in right before it.
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