alter Hut
German
Etymology
Literally, “old hat”. Possibly related to English old hat (adjective).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /altɐ ˈhuːt/
Audio (ein alter Hut sein) (file)
Noun
alter Hut m (strong, definite nominative der alte Hut, genitive (des) alten Hutes or (des) alten Huts, plural alte Hüte, definite plural die alten Hüte)
- (idiomatic) Something familiar and hackneyed; something that is old hat.
- Synonym: kalter Kaffee
- 2017 July 10, Thomas Heuzeroth, “Italienische Momente”, in Die Welt, archived from the original on 2022 July 5:
- Car-Sharing […] ist für viele Städter bereits ein alter Hut. Doch kaum zeigt sich die Sonne, kommt schon der nächste Trend: Elektro-Roller.
- Carsharing has become old hat for many city-dwellers now. But just as the sun appears on their morning commutes, a new trend is showing itself: e-scooters.
Declension
Declension of alter Hut [masculine, strong]
| singular | plural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| masculine gender | strong declension | |||
| nominative | alter Hut | alte Hüte | ||
| genitive | alten Hutes, alten Huts | alter Hüte | ||
| dative | altem Hut, altem Hute1 | alten Hüten | ||
| accusative | alten Hut | alte Hüte | ||
| weak declension | ||||
| nominative | der | alte Hut | die | alten Hüte |
| genitive | des | alten Hutes, alten Huts | der | alten Hüte |
| dative | dem | alten Hut, alten Hute1 | den | alten Hüten |
| accusative | den | alten Hut | die | alten Hüte |
| mixed declension | ||||
| nominative | ein | alter Hut | (keine) | alten Hüte |
| genitive | eines | alten Hutes, alten Huts | (keiner) | alten Hüte |
| dative | einem | alten Hut, alten Hute1 | (keinen) | alten Hüten |
| accusative | einen | alten Hut | (keine) | alten Hüte |
1Now uncommon, see notes.
Further reading
- “alter Hut” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache