niewielkie

Niewielkie is a Polish adjective describing something that is not large in size, amount, extent, or significance. It is used to indicate a modest scale without claiming something is negligible. The form is derived from the adjective wielki with the negation prefix nie- and is commonly found in both formal and everyday language.

Grammatically, niewielkie is declined like other Polish adjectives and agrees with the noun in gender and number. The masculine form is niewielki, the feminine form is niewielka, and the neuter and plural forms include niewielkie, with variations across cases. In practice, it is frequently used in phrases describing quantities or impacts, especially in neutral or cautious reporting.

Typical usage examples include niewielkie koszty (modest costs), niewielka liczba uczestników (a small number of participants), and niewielkie szkody (minor damages). The nuance of niewielkie emphasizes measurable smallness or modest scope rather than absolute insignificance, which distinguishes it from terms like nieznaczny (insignificant) or mały (small).

In comparison with related terms, niewielkie focuses on scale or amount, whereas nieznaczny often signals insignificance, and mały is a broader, more general descriptor of size. The word is common in journalism, academic writing, and administrative language, where careful quantification and a tempered tone are required. It can be used across genres to convey that something is notable for being small without overstating its importance.