Dobrymi chęciami piekło jest wybrukowane
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What it means
“The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Good intentions alone are not enough — without follow-through, they lead nowhere good, or even cause harm.
Vocabulary
- chęci — intentions, willingness (plural)
- piekło — hell
- wybrukowane — paved (past passive participle)
Grammar note
'Dobrymi chęciami' is instrumental plural — the instrument with which hell is paved. A passive construction: 'jest wybrukowane' (is paved).
Cultural context
A direct equivalent of the English proverb. Used to criticise well-meaning but ineffective or harmful actions.
Intermediate
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