opowiadaniem

Opowiadaniem is the instrumental singular of the Polish noun opowiadanie, which refers to a narrative created by recounting events or the act of telling a story. The base word opowiadanie comes from the verb opowiadać (to tell, narrate) with the suffix -anie forming a noun that denotes either the act of telling or a textual piece.

Opowiadanie has two main senses. First, as a literary form, it designates a short prose narrative, typically shorter than a novel. In Polish literature, opowiadanie is a common genre and many collections are titled Opowiadania. Second, the word can refer to the act of narrating or recounting something—the process or content of telling a story.

Usage and grammar. As a neuter noun, opowiadanie declines in the usual way. Singular: nom opowiadanie, gen opowiadania, dat opowiadaniu, acc opowiadanie, inst opowiadaniem, loc opowiadaniu. Plural: nom opowiadania, gen opowiadań, dat opowiadaniom, acc opowiadania, inst opowiadaniami, loc opowiadaniach. The instrumental singular opowiadaniem appears in phrases such as z opowiadaniem (with a narrative) or bez opowiadania (without narration).

Relation to other terms. Opowiadanie sits among prose forms such as powieść (novel), nowela (novella), and baśń (fairy tale). It typically denotes a shorter, self-contained story, though the same root also appears in phrases referring to the act of narrating.

Etymology. The noun derives from the verb opowiadać, with the nominalizing suffix -anie; its instrumental form opowiadaniem reflects standard Polish inflection.