Breakdown of Der Experte kauft ein Gefäß Gift.
ein
a, an (eine)
kaufen
to buy
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
der Experte
the expert
Questions & Answers about Der Experte kauft ein Gefäß Gift.
Why is there no word for "of" between ein Gefäß and Gift?
In English, we say "a vessel OF poison", but German usually expresses quantities and containers using a partitive apposition. This means the container (ein Gefäß) and the material inside (Gift) are simply placed next to each other without a preposition or a change in case.
Could we use the genitive case here and say ein Gefäß Giftes?
No, you shouldn't use the partitive genitive here. When a material is a single, unmodified noun without an article or adjective (like Gift), German requires the apposition. Using the genitive Giftes here would sound archaic or grammatically incorrect.
What if we add an adjective, like "deadly poison"? Does that change the rule?
Yes! If you add an adjective, you can choose between two correct options. You can keep the apposition and make the case match the container (accusative): ein Gefäß tödliches Gift. Alternatively, because the material is now modified, you can use the partitive genitive: ein Gefäß tödlichen Giftes. The apposition is more common in spoken German.
Experte is an N-declension (weak) noun. Why doesn't it have an -n ending in this sentence?