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  What it means

  Literally “hell is paved with good intentions.” The Polish version of the classic proverb — good intentions alone are not enough; without follow-through, they lead nowhere good.

  Vocabulary

  • chęci — intentions / willingness (plural)
  • piekło — hell
  • wybrukować — to pave (perfective)

  Grammar note

  'Dobrymi chęciami' uses the instrumental plural — the material with which hell is paved. 'Wybrukowane' is a passive participle agreeing with 'piekło'.

  Cultural context

  A well-known proverb across many cultures. In Polish it often appears in political and social commentary.

  Intermediate

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