Breakdown of Nie przekombinuj, tylko powiedz nam prawdę.
nie
no / not
my
we
tylko
only
powiedzieć
to say (perfective)
prawda
truth
przekombinować
to overcomplicate
Questions & Answers about Nie przekombinuj, tylko powiedz nam prawdę.
What exactly does the prefix prze- add to the verb kombinować in this sentence?
The base verb kombinować is a very common colloquial word meaning to scheme, figure something out, or contrive. The prefix prze- often indicates excess or doing something to the point of making an error. Therefore, przekombinować means to overcomplicate something, overthink it, or ruin it by trying to be too clever.
Why is nie przekombinuj in the perfective aspect? I thought negative commands usually use the imperfective.
You are remembering correctly! General negative commands use the imperfective. However, Polish uses the perfective aspect in negative commands when giving a warning against an undesirable result, losing control, or making an accidental mistake. Here, the speaker is warning you not to make the specific error of overcomplicating things.
Does tylko mean only or just here?
While tylko literally translates to only, in contrasting sentences like this one it functions exactly like the English word just. It bridges a negative command and a positive one, effectively meaning 'Don't do X, instead just do Y'.
Could I say mów instead of powiedz for the second verb?
It would be understood, but it wouldn't sound as natural. The perfective imperative powiedz focuses on a single, completed action: revealing the truth right now. Using the imperfective mów focuses on an ongoing process, sounding more like 'keep telling us the truth over time'.
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