opowiadanie

Opowiadanie is a short prose narrative, shorter than a novel, usually focusing on a single event, character, or situation. It relies on concise language, a clearly defined point of view, and a compact plot. The term opowiadanie derives from the verb opowiadać, meaning to tell or recount, and denotes both the act of storytelling and the finished text.

Typical features include a limited number of characters, a focused setting, and a structure that builds toward a turning point, revelation, or insight. The narrative often centers on a moment of change rather than an extended epic. Opowiadania can be realistic, psychological, satirical, or fantastical; they frequently aim to evoke a mood or provoke reflection rather than present an expansive world.

Historically, opowiadanie has been a staple form in Polish literature, gaining prominence in the 19th and 20th centuries as writers experimented with narrative compression and social observation. Notable Polish authors who produced opowiadania include Bolesław Prus and Henryk Sienkiewicz, among others, and later 20th-century writers continued to contribute to the form in magazines and collections. The form sits alongside related genres such as nowela (a longer short narrative or novella) and powieść (novel).

See also: nowela, powieść, narracja, literatura polska.