How do you say “Paint the town red” in German?
The closest natural German equivalent is die Sau rauslassen, which literally means “to let the sow out”. English speakers use paint the town red to mean to go out and celebrate noisily or enthusiastically. An informal, somewhat coarse expression for letting loose. It can suggest wilder behaviour than the English. Register: informal, coarse. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural German
die Sau rauslassen
/diː zaʊ ˈʁaʊslasn̩/
- Literal meaning
- “to let the sow out”
- Register
- informal, coarse
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Close equivalent
87 out of 100
What a native German speaker would actually say
German lets an animal loose instead of painting a town. In a party context, it means dropping your usual restraint and celebrating freely.
The phrase is broader than going out and can describe other uncontrolled behaviour. Avoid it when you want an elegant or restrained invitation.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning4 out of 5
- Tone3 out of 5
- Context4 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
After our final exam, we went out to paint the town red.
German
Nach unserer letzten Prüfung gingen wir aus und ließen die Sau raus.
English
She wants to paint the town red for her thirtieth birthday.
German
Sie will an ihrem dreißigsten Geburtstag die Sau rauslassen.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-10-01