तेज दौड़ना

You need to conjugate the verb दौड़ना. For a guy, it’s दौड़ता है. For a girl, it’s दौड़ती है. If you are telling someone to do it, say तेज दौड़ो. It acts like a standard verb phrase. You can add words like बहुत (very) to say बहुत तेज दौड़ना. It fits perfectly into almost any sentence structure. Just remember to match the gender and number of the runner.

Use this when talking about sports or exercise. If your friend is about to miss their bus, shout तेज दौड़ो!. Use it when describing a fast animal like a cheetah. It’s perfect for casual storytelling about your morning jog. You can also use it in a professional context. For example, talking about a delivery person arriving quickly. It’s a very versatile and safe phrase.

Don't use this for non-physical speed. If you want to say someone "thinks fast," this isn't the phrase. For a "fast car," you just say तेज कार. Don't use it for "working fast" either. In those cases, use जल्दी (quickly). Also, avoid it if you mean "running away" in fear. In that case, भागना (to run away) is more common. It’s strictly about the physical speed of running.

In India, running fast is often linked to the "hustle." Think of the iconic scenes of people chasing Mumbai local trains. It represents ambition and the fast-paced life of big cities. In Bollywood, the hero often has to तेज दौड़ना to catch the heroine at the airport. It’s a symbol of effort and determination. Every Indian school kid has heard their PT teacher scream this during sports day.

You might hear तेजी से दौड़ना. This is just a slightly more formal version. Some people also use सरपट दौड़ना for a gallop or very fast sprint. In slang, people might just say खींच के ले when driving or running. But तेज दौड़ना remains the king of clarity. It’s the version you’ll see in newspapers and hear on the street.