povestea

Povestea is the definite form of the Romanian noun poveste, meaning the story or tale. It refers to a narrative, whether fictional, factual, or folkloric, and is used to denote the specific narrative under discussion in speech or writing. The term is common in literature, journalism, cinema, and everyday language.

The word poveste originates from the verb a povesti, to tell, and is linked to the idea of narrating. The definite article is formed by adding the suffix -a to feminine nouns, yielding povestea from poveste. This construction is typical in Romanian and signals a particular story that both speaker and listener recognize.

In usage, povestea can appear in a wide range of contexts. It can describe personal narratives (povestea mea), public accounts (povestea adevărului), or more general narratives (povestea unei vieți). Expressions such as poveste de adormit copiii refer to a bedtime story. The term also features prominently in discussions of folklore and literature, where it denotes traditional tales as opposed to fictional works, and in media where a story is a central element.

Culturally, povestea occupies a central role in Romanian folklore, where tales are passed down through generations and studied as part of national literary heritage. The word remains a common, neutral descriptor for any narrative presented as a story, whether in oral, written, or visual forms.

See also: poveste, a povesti, povestire.