You speak too quickly

[Bucko]

I can't figure out how to modify a verb with an adverb that uses "too". E.g. he speaks too fast, you drive too slowly, you're running to fast, he arrived too late etc.

I'm thinking that you'd probably use 過ぎる in there somewhere. How about:

彼は速過ぎて話す
あなたは遅過ぎて運転する
あなたは速過ぎて走っている
彼は遅過ぎて着いた

Are those sentences wrong? Are there other ways to phrase this particular pattern?

[Elizabeth]

I can't figure out how to modify a verb with an adverb that uses "too". E.g. he speaks too fast, you drive too slowly, you're running to fast, he arrived too late etc.
I'm thinking that you'd probably use 過ぎる in there somewhere. How about:
彼は速過ぎて話す
あなたは遅過ぎて運転する
あなたは速過ぎて走っている
彼は遅過ぎて着いた
Are those sentences wrong? Are there other ways to phrase this particular pattern?
I would say leave 速く as the modifier for quickly where that applies and then conjugate the verb with 過ぎる but I don't have time to change these now.

There's a million other possibilities wouldn't you know, too...:-)

[Mike Cash]

This has been one of the Japanese constructions that has proved almost impossible to wrap my mind around.

Typically you end up with adj+ku v+sugiru. Which leaves me wanting to say "It is the adj that is too adj, not the v that's too v"

[Bucko]

This has been one of the Japanese constructions that has proved almost impossible to wrap my mind around.

Typically you end up with adj+ku v+sugiru. Which leaves me wanting to say "It is the adj that is too adj, not the v that's too v"

Actually that's what I remember being taught, but it seemed so strange to me that I was convinced that I hadn't learnt it properly. Hence this question.

彼は速くしゃべりすぎる is then "he talks too fast"
Would "he's walking too slowly" be 彼は遅く歩きすぎている??

[FrustratedDave]

I can't figure out how to modify a verb with an adverb that uses "too". E.g. he speaks too fast, you drive too slowly, you're running to fast, he arrived too late etc.
I'm thinking that you'd probably use 過ぎる in there somewhere. How about:
彼は速過ぎて話す
あなたは遅過ぎて運転する
あなたは速過ぎて走っている
彼は遅過ぎて着いた
Are those sentences wrong? Are there other ways to phrase this particular pattern?
This is how I would say all those,

彼の話すのは速すぎだ
あなたの運転は遅すぎだ
あなたは走るのが速すぎだ
彼は着くのが早すぎだ

Also you have to use the correct kanji for speed. BTW, the kanji ”過ぎ”　is not used very often at all in practical applications, hense the reason why I am useing hiragana.

[Elizabeth]

This is how I would say all those,
彼の話すのは速すぎだ
あなたの運転は遅すぎだ
あなたは走るのが速すぎだ
彼は着くのが早すぎだ
Also you have to use the correct kanji for speed. BTW, the kanji ”過ぎ”　is not used very often at all in practical applications, hense the reason why I am useing hiragana.
Can't you also add あまり（にも） + the adv./verb 速くしゃべりすぎる ?

[FrustratedDave]

Can't you also add あまり（にも） + the adv./verb 速くしゃべりすぎる ?
Sure, that sounds right to me eg,

彼の話すのはあまりにも速すぎだ
あなたの運転はあまりにも遅すぎだ
あなたは走るのがあまりにも速すぎだ
彼は着くのがあまりにも早すぎだ

[Elizabeth]

Sure, that sounds right to me eg,
彼の話すのはあまりにも速すぎだ
OK, thanks ! I thought so, all but 彼の話すの, anyway, which looks strange....:blush:

[FrustratedDave]

OK, thanks ! I thought so, all but 彼の話すの, anyway, which looks strange....:blush:
You could use either "彼の話すのは" or "彼は話すのは". Both are fine to use.

[undrentide]

It is also possible to end the sentence with 過ぎる.

彼の話すのは速すぎる
あなたの運転は遅すぎる
あなたは走るのが速すぎる
彼は着くのが早すぎる

[Mikawa Ossan]

How about something like
彼は速すぎて話す
etc.?

[FrustratedDave]

It is also possible to end the sentence with 過ぎる.

彼の話すのは速すぎる
あなたの運転は遅すぎる
あなたは走るのが速すぎる
彼は着くのが早すぎる
I put the "だ" in for no reason at all, but like you say you can end the sentence with "すぎる"　,what I was trying to put across was that in real life situations the kanji "過ぎる"　is rarely used.

How about something like
彼は速すぎて話す
etc.?
Mikawa, that sentence just isn't right. It would be like saying "he too fast speaks" .

[undrentide]

How about something like
彼は速すぎて話す
etc.?

I'm afraid you cannot say that...
When 過ぎる is added to adverb, you can use it only a predicate.

[Mikawa Ossan]

I'm afraid you cannot say that...
When 過ぎる is added to adverb, you can use it only a predicate.
Thank you, I've always wondered about that....

EDIT: (Thank you, too, FrustratedDave! I hadn't noticed your post before writing this.)

[undrentide]

You're welcome.
でも、自分の説明（２行目）を読み直したら、全然質問 の答えになってないと気がつきました。
ごめんなさ〜い！(X_X)

[FrustratedDave]

Thank you, I've always wondered about that....

EDIT: (Thank you, too, FrustratedDave! I hadn't noticed your post before writing this.)
Thanks Mikawa. :-)......

[undrentide]

I put the "だ" in for no reason at all, but like you say you can end the sentence with "すぎる"　,what I was trying to put across was that in real life situations the kanji "過ぎる"　is rarely used.

Yes, in speech one often adds ね or よ, etc.
e.g.
早すぎるね
早すぎるわ
早すぎるなあ
早すぎるじゃない
早すぎるよ～
早すぎるぅ
早すぎっ！
for example. :)

～早すぎる is perhaps used mainly in writing.

[Elizabeth]

Yes, in speech one often adds ね or よ, etc.
e.g.
早すぎるね
早すぎるわ
早すぎるなあ
早すぎるじゃない
早すぎるよ～
早すぎるぅ
早すぎっ！
for example. :)

～早すぎる is perhaps used mainly in writing.
Thanks again, undrentide ! :thankyou: I've seen it mostly with すぎるよ。


Although I don't think the kanji 過ぎる is that rare in writing either.
Maybe showing up 20-30% of the time, or slightly more. :?

[undrentide]

Thanks again, undrentide ! :thankyou: I've seen it mostly with すぎるよ。


Although I don't think the kanji 過ぎる is that rare in writing either.
Maybe showing up 20-30% of the time, or slightly more. :?

I also wonder... I know it is not so much reliable but checked with Google on 過ぎる and すぎる.
過ぎる got approx. 15,000,000 hits while すぎる 40,000,000 so it is something around 30%+ ?
Maybe could be less with handwriting... I use more kanji when writing something with computer...:p

[FrustratedDave]

Yes, in speech one often adds ね or よ, etc.
e.g.
早すぎるね
早すぎるわ
早すぎるなあ
早すぎるじゃない
早すぎるよ～
早すぎるぅ
早すぎっ！
for example. :)

～早すぎる is perhaps used mainly in writing.
You forgot these ones,

早すぎやで！
早すぎねん！
はや！
どえらい早すぎ！

Sorry just some kansai ben for you all.:blush:

I also wonder... I know it is not so much reliable but checked with Google on 過ぎる and すぎる.
過ぎる got approx. 15,000,000 hits while すぎる 40,000,000 so it is something around 30%+ ?
Maybe could be less with handwriting... I use more kanji when writing something with computer...:p
”すぎる”　is definately used more than with the kanji. I only had this conversation a while back with my staff. The general consensus is that the hiragana is used most of thye time.

[Elizabeth]

Actually that's what I remember being taught, but it seemed so strange to me that I was convinced that I hadn't learnt it properly. Hence this question.
彼は速くしゃべりすぎる is then "he talks too fast"
Would "he's walking too slowly" be 彼は遅く歩きすぎている??
Just as an FYI, normally ゆっくり seems better than 遅い　with an intentional act such as walking. I'm not sure, though, how much in the negative ゆっくりすぎるwould make sense....

ゆっくり歩きすぎる

あるくのがゆっくりすぎる　(By the way, Isn't this construction of のが・は　+ adv., sugiru besides being more logical, also somewhat more formal ?)

[misa.j]

あるくのがゆっくりすぎる　(By the way, Isn't this construction of のが・は　+ adv., sugiru besides being more logical, also somewhat more formal ?)
Yes. A verb のが+ adverb すぎる sounds natural to me, and I would say those sentences this way.

He speaks too fast. -彼は、話すのが速すぎる。
You drive too slowly. -あなたは、運転するのが遅すぎる。
You're running too fast. -あなたは、走るのが速すぎる。
Ｈe arrived too late. -彼は、着くのが遅すぎた。

Although, I'm not really happy with the third one; it seems like the point of the sentence changes when translated that way.

I almost want to say あなたは、とても速く走っている。

[JimmySeal]

I don't think this construction would work for most verbs, but I think

あなたのしゃべりがはやいよ。
Would be a natural, but not literal, way to tell somebody that they're talking too fast.

[Elizabeth]

I don't think this construction would work for most verbs, but I think

あなたのしゃべりがはやいよ。
Would be a natural, but not literal, way to tell somebody that they're talking too fast.
（喋り方・話し方）は）速いすぎるよ　が一番自然だと思いますね。

With this example in particular, talking fast can often be mistaken as a compliment to the person's intelligence...If they need to slow down because their speech is causing a lot of problems, use すぎる。:relief:


You're running too fast. -あなたは、走るのが速すぎる。
Although, I'm not really happy with the third one; it seems like the point of the sentence changes when translated that way.
I almost want to say あなたは、とても速く走っている。

だから、もうすこしゆっくり走ってほしい。（というような意味が言葉の後ろにある） その切り立った崖には近づかないで。:D

[FrustratedDave]

I don't think this construction would work for most verbs, but I think

あなたのしゃべりがはやいよ。
Would be a natural, but not literal, way to tell somebody that they're talking too fast.
Jimmy, しゃべり relates more to talk/conversation more than speech, so I think you will find that to be quite unnatural. Eg,　彼女はおしゃべりがすきみたい。　"She seems to like to talk." If you were to say this "彼女はしゃべりすぎる"　　She talks too much.

You would not use that to describe how fast someone talks. Thanks