adjective
dead
A1
tot means “dead”. Primary meaning: no longer alive. It’s an adjective (attributive and predicative), not a past participle. It is not gradable (you don’t say “more dead”), has antonym “lebendig”. No special prepositions or reflexivity; use normal adjective declension in everyday German.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.EXAMPLES
Die Pflanze ist tot, wir müssen eine neue kaufen.
The plant is dead; we need to buy a new one.
Die Feuerwehr fand den Hund tot, als mehrere Anrufer Hilfe riefen.
The fire brigade found the dog dead when several callers cried for help.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.DETAILS_LABEL
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.MNEMONICS
Imagine a wilted plant that is completely lifeless — it's 'tot'.
Sounds like English 'tote' (similar beginning).
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.NOTES
Not typically used in comparative forms in everyday speech (it is a binary state).