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Ich möchte ein Pfund Kaffee.

Ich möchte ein Pfund Kaffee.
I would like a pound of coffee.
From Lesson 256:Clothes and what you carry·German

Questions & Answers about Ich möchte ein Pfund Kaffee.

Why is there no word for 'of' between Pfund and Kaffee?
In German, units of measurement, weight, and quantity are followed directly by the noun they quantify, without using a preposition like 'of' (such as von). You simply place the two nouns next to each other: ein Pfund Kaffee (a pound of coffee), ein Glas Wasser (a glass of water).
Should Kaffee be in a specific case here?
When a noun directly follows a unit of measurement, it usually takes the same case as the unit itself. Since ein Pfund is the direct object (accusative) of möchte, Kaffee is also in the accusative case.
How would I say 'two pounds of coffee'? Does Pfund become plural?
You would say zwei Pfund Kaffee. Masculine and neuter units of measurement (like das Pfund, das Glas, das Kilo) do not take a plural ending when they are used with a number to indicate a specific quantity.
Why is möchte used here without another verb like haben at the end?
While möchten is a modal verb that often pairs with an infinitive at the end of the sentence (like Ich möchte einen Kaffee haben), it is perfectly fine and very common to use it as a standalone main verb when you are requesting a noun.

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