German Fitness & the Body Vocabulary
This set covers the words you need to talk about training, body shape, and health habits in German: das Gewicht for weight, abnehmen for losing weight, and der Stoffwechsel for metabolism. One trap here is verjüngen, which means to rejuvenate or make something look younger, not "to make young" in some literal transitive sense English speakers might expect from the prefix.
Learn these 22 words
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All 22 words
plural: die Gewichte
weight
Bei Gewicht schreibst du: 62 Kilo. — For weight you write: 62 kilos.
- dickA2
thick, fat
Ich bin zu dick. Ich muss weniger essen. — I'm too fat. I need to eat less.
- fit seinA2
be fit
war fit — He was fit and healthy.
- gesundA2
healthy
Ich hatte Grippe. Jetzt bin ich wieder gesund. — I had the flu. Now I'm healthy again.
athletic; sporty
Tom ist sehr sportlich. — Tom is very athletic.
- abnehmenB1
lose weight
Morgen können wir den Verband abnehmen. — I want to lose weight and do sports.
plural: die Bewegungen
movement, motion
Sie brauchen mehr Bewegung. Sie müssen regelmäßig spazieren gehen. — You need more movement. You have to take regular walks.
plural: die Diäten
diet
Ich möchte abnehmen. Deshalb mache ich eine Diät. — I want to lose weight. That's why I'm dieting.
plural: die Figuren
figure, body shape
Lars hat eine gute Figur. — Lars has a good figure.
health
Sie müssen mehr auf Ihre Gesundheit achten. — You need to pay more attention to your health.
strength
Für diese Arbeit braucht man viel Kraft. — This work requires a lot of strength.
- kräftigB1
strong
Der Mann ist kräftig. Er macht viel Sport und isst viel. — The man is strong. He exercises a lot and eats a lot.
plural: die Raucher
smoker
Gibt es hier ein Zimmer für Raucher? — Is there a room for smokers here?
agility / mobility / flexibility
Die Beweglichkeit nimmt mit dem Alter ab. — Agility decreases with age.
muscle-memory
Das Muskelgedächtnis hilft beim Trainieren. — Muscle memory helps with training.
plural: die Schrittzähler
pedometer
Ein Schrittzähler zählt deine täglichen Schritte. — A pedometer counts your daily steps.
metabolism
Ein schneller Stoffwechsel hilft beim Abnehmen. — A fast metabolism helps with weight loss.
to rejuvinate
Die Behandlung soll die Haut verjungen. — The treatment is supposed to rejuvenate the skin.
to rejuvinate / make look younger
Diese Creme verjüngt das Gesicht sichtbar. — This cream noticeably rejuvenates the face.
- adipösC1
overweight
Ein adipöser Mensch hat erhöhtes Gesundheitsrisiko. — An overweight person has increased health risk.
agility / nimbleness
Yoga verbessert die Gelenkigkeit des Körpers. — Yoga improves the agility of the body.
physical strength
Mit Alter verliert man Leibeskraft. — With age, one loses physical strength.
How to learn this set
Notice how many nouns here end in -heit or -keit: die Gesundheit, die Beweglichkeit, die Gelenkigkeit. These endings turn adjectives into abstract nouns and are always feminine, so once you spot the pattern you get the gender for free. The compound das Muskelgedächtnis is worth breaking apart into Muskel (muscle) plus Gedächtnis (memory) rather than memorizing it whole. For abnehmen, drill it with actual numbers or body parts (5 Kilo abnehmen) since the verb alone is abstract and easy to forget in context.
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Frequently asked questions
Is der Gewicht or das Gewicht correct?
It's das Gewicht. Most German words for measurements and units, like das Kilo and das Gramm, are neuter, and Gewicht follows the same pattern.
What is the difference between Kraft and Leibeskraft?
Die Kraft is the everyday word for strength or power, used for everything from muscle strength to the strength of an argument. Die Leibeskraft specifically means physical bodily strength and is a literary or old-fashioned word you'll rarely hear in casual speech.
Why does German have two words for agility, Beweglichkeit and Gelenkigkeit?
Die Beweglichkeit covers mobility and range of motion in general, including how freely you can move your body or a joint. Die Gelenkigkeit is more specifically about flexibility and suppleness, often used for gymnasts or dancers. In practice the two overlap and native speakers often use them interchangeably.
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