zu schnell fahren

You use this phrase just like any other verb-based expression. The verb fahren is the part that changes based on who is doing the driving. For example, if you are talking about yourself, you say Ich fahre zu schnell. If you are talking about a friend, it is Du fährst zu schnell. Because it uses the verb fahren, it can be used for cars, motorcycles, buses, or even trains. If you want to use it in the past tense, you use the auxiliary verb sein. You would say, Ich bin zu schnell gefahren. It’s simple, direct, and gets the point across immediately.

Use this phrase whenever a speed limit is involved. It is perfect for telling a story about why you got a ticket. You can also use it as a warning to a friend who has a heavy foot on the gas pedal. If you are sitting in a taxi and feel like you're in a Formula 1 race, this is the phrase to use. It is also the correct term to use when talking to the police, though hopefully, you won't need it for that! It fits perfectly in casual chats, news reports, or formal driving school lessons.

Do not use this phrase if someone is running or walking too fast. For that, you would use zu schnell laufen or zu schnell rennen. Fahren is strictly for things with wheels or modes of transport. Also, avoid using it if you simply mean someone is being 'fast' in a general sense, like finishing a task quickly. In those cases, just use schnell. Using zu schnell fahren for a person finishing a test would sound like they were driving their desk down the hallway.

Germany is world-famous for the Autobahn, where some sections have no speed limit. Because of this, Germans have a very specific relationship with speed. On the highway, schnell fahren is a point of pride. However, in cities and residential areas, speeding is seen as very disrespectful and dangerous. Germany is covered in Blitzer (speed cameras). Getting 'flashed' by a camera is a common experience that every German driver has a story about. The phrase is often followed by a discussion about how many 'points' one might get in Flensburg, where the national traffic violations are recorded.

If you want to sound a bit more intense, you can use the verb rasen. A Raser is someone who speeds recklessly. If you want to be more informal, you might say someone is mit Vollgas unterwegs (traveling with full gas). Another common variation is die Geschwindigkeit überschreiten, which is the formal, 'police-speak' version meaning 'to exceed the speed limit.' But for everyday life, zu schnell fahren remains the undisputed king of speed-related complaints.