How do you say “Fit as a fiddle” in German?
The closest natural German equivalent is kerngesund, which literally means “healthy to the core”. English speakers use fit as a fiddle to mean in very good health and physical condition. A direct German word for very good health. It says less about athletic fitness than the English sometimes does. Register: neutral. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural German
kerngesund
/ˈkɛʁnɡəˌzʊnt/
- Literal meaning
- “healthy to the core”
- Register
- neutral
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
92 out of 100
What a native German speaker would actually say
German can express the whole idea with one adjective. It works when someone is healthy, including after recovering from an ordinary illness.
It does not mean that the person is trained for strenuous sport. For that, describe their fitness or training more specifically.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning4 out of 5
- Tone4 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
Grandad is fit as a fiddle and walks to the market every day.
German
Opa ist kerngesund und geht jeden Tag zu Fuß zum Markt.
English
After a week of rest, I feel fit as a fiddle again.
German
Nach einer Woche Ruhe fühle ich mich wieder kerngesund.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-10-01