tot
dead
No longer alive; deceased.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem langen Winter waren leider viele Pflanzen tot.
After the long winter, many plants were unfortunately dead.
tot
dead
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Meanings
tot
dead
Colloquial for a place or event where nothing is happening; very boring or uneventful.
EXAMPLE
Montagabends ist in dieser Stadt tote Hose.
On Monday evenings, this town is totally dead.
tot
dead
No longer functioning or in use; out of service.
EXAMPLE
Der Akku meines Handys ist komplett tot.
My phone battery is completely dead.
sich tot lachen
to laugh oneself silly
To laugh extremely hard and for a long time.
EXAMPLE
Bei dem Witz habe ich mich fast totgelacht.
I almost laughed myself silly at that joke.
totes Kapital
dead capital
Capital or assets that are not invested and therefore do not generate profit or interest.
EXAMPLE
Das Geld unter der Matratze ist totes Kapital.
The money under the mattress is dead capital.
Usage tips
Word family
The adjective 'tot' (dead) is closely related to the noun 'der Tod' (death; the state of no longer being alive) and the verb 'töten' (to kill; to make someone dead). All three words have the same root.
EXAMPLE
Der plötzliche Tod des Autors schockierte die Leserschaft.
The sudden death of the author shocked the readership.
No comparison
'Tot' (dead) is an absolute adjective. That means it cannot be compared. Something cannot be 'toter' (deader) or 'am totesten' (the deadest).
EXAMPLE
Der Vogel lag tot im Garten.
The bird was lying dead in the garden.
Fixed expression
The colloquial expression 'tote Hose sein' means that nothing is happening at a place or event. It is often used to express boredom.
EXAMPLE
Auf der Party war gestern wirklich tote Hose.
The party yesterday was really dead.
Figurative meaning
In a figurative sense, 'tot' (dead) is used for technical devices that no longer work. This is heard especially often with batteries, rechargeable batteries, or phone connections.
EXAMPLE
Ich kann dich nicht anrufen, mein Akku ist tot.
I can't call you; my battery is dead.
Hyperbolic expression
The reflexive expression 'sich totlachen' (to laugh oneself silly) is a strong exaggeration (hyperbole) and means that someone has to laugh extremely hard. The structure 'sich tot-' can also be combined with other verbs, e.g. 'sich totärgern' (to be extremely annoyed).
EXAMPLE
Der Film war so komisch, ich habe mich totgelacht.
The film was so funny, I laughed myself silly.
Compare with
tot vs verschieden
different / various
Verschieden and tot can both express that someone is no longer alive. Tot says this plainly and directly. Verschieden, by contrast, is a formal, elevated euphemism and is more suitable for a restrained announcement of someone’s death.
tot
Als der Arzt eintraf, war der Mann bereits tot.
When the doctor arrived, the man was already dead.
verschieden
Unser langjähriger Vorsitzender ist gestern friedlich verschieden.
Our long-serving chairman passed away peacefully yesterday.
In real life
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