If you’ve ever been to a party that had nothing going on, you might want to call it tote Hose.
The German word tote Hose is a slang term that originated in the 1980s. Literally translated, tote Hose means “dead trousers”, but it has nothing to do with your pants. The phrase tote Hose is used to describe something that is boring, uneventful or dull – like a bad party or event.
Although it sounds like it should be used as a noun, tote Hose is mostly used in place of an adjective. You might tell your friend, “Gosh, last night’s party was so tote Hose – I only lasted an hour before I ditched my friends to go somewhere else.”
There is no English equivalent for tote Hose; you must simply imagine a phrase that describes an extremely boring or uneventful situation. The phrase remains highly popular among youth in Germany today. There is even a German rock band that named themselves Die Toten Hosen.
So next time you’re bored at a party, feel free to describe it as tote Hose to impress your German friends with your cool new slang. Just don’t tell the host that – or you may never get another invite!
Silly me. I always (since about 1957) thought that “tote Hose” referred to a male unable to have an erection. “Boring” does work as a definition, but lacks the pizzazz of what I always imagined.
how about “geil”? It translates to “horny” but is mostly used as “sharp”, like a sharp dresser or appearance.