Breakdown of Ein Euro für einen Schluck Wasser ist absurd.
sein
to be
ein
a, an (eine)
das Wasser
the water
für
for
der Euro
the euro
absurd
absurd
der Schluck
the sip
Questions & Answers about Ein Euro für einen Schluck Wasser ist absurd.
Why isn't there a word for 'of' in einen Schluck Wasser?
In German, when you talk about quantities, containers, or measurements followed by a noun, you simply put the two nouns next to each other. You do not need a preposition for 'of'. It is structured as 'a sip water' (ein Schluck Wasser) just like 'a glass of milk' becomes ein Glas Milch.
Why is it einen Schluck rather than ein Schluck?
It comes right after the preposition für (for). The preposition für always takes the accusative case. Since Schluck (sip) is a masculine noun (der Schluck), its article changes to the accusative form einen.
Why is Ein Euro in the nominative case if money is being exchanged?
Because the entire phrase Ein Euro für einen Schluck Wasser is the subject of the sentence, acting with the verb ist (is). The core structure is simply '[Subject] is absurd.' The money isn't the direct object of an action verb like 'to pay' here, so it stays in the nominative case.
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