At the A1 level, you are just beginning to learn how to identify objects and people. The word 'opisać' might be introduced as a command by your teacher. You should understand that it means 'to describe'. At this stage, you don't need to worry about complex grammar. Just remember that if a teacher says 'Opisz swoją rodzinę' (Describe your family), they want you to list names, ages, and basic traits. You might use simple adjectives like 'wysoki' (tall) or 'miły' (nice) to fulfill the request. The focus is on basic vocabulary building and responding to simple prompts.
By the A2 level, you should be able to use 'opisać' in the past tense to talk about things you have already seen or done. For example, 'Opisałem mój dom' (I described my house). You are starting to understand the difference between 'pisać' (to write) and 'opisać' (to describe). You can use this word to talk about your daily routine or a recent holiday. You might also encounter it in simple instructions, such as 'Opisz obrazek' (Describe the picture) in a workbook. You are learning to connect 'opisać' with the Accusative case, ensuring your endings are mostly correct.
At the B1 level, you are expected to use 'opisać' with more precision and in varied contexts. You understand the perfective aspect—that 'opisać' implies a finished, complete description. You can describe not just physical objects, but also feelings, plans, and abstract ideas. You should be able to conjugate it in the future tense ('opiszę') to promise a future account of something. This is the level where you start using adverbs like 'szczegółowo' (in detail) or 'krótko' (briefly) to modify how you describe things. You can handle more complex sentence structures involving this verb.
At the B2 level, you use 'opisać' fluently in professional and academic settings. You can distinguish it from synonyms like 'scharakteryzować' (to characterize) or 'zrelacjonować' (to report). You are aware of its use in passive constructions, such as 'Problem został opisany w literaturze' (The problem has been described in literature). You can use 'opisać' to handle more nuanced tasks, like describing a complex process or a subtle emotional state. Your use of the Accusative case is automatic, and you can comfortably use the word in both written and spoken Polish without hesitation.
At the C1 level, you have a deep understanding of the stylistic implications of 'opisać'. You know when to use it for maximum impact and when to substitute it with more sophisticated vocabulary. You can use it in metaphorical senses or in high-level literary analysis. You are comfortable with the noun form 'opis' and its various derivatives. You can participate in debates and 'opisać' complex socio-political situations with accuracy and rhetorical flair. You understand the historical and cultural weight of descriptive language in Polish culture and can emulate those styles in your own writing.
At the C2 level, your mastery of 'opisać' is indistinguishable from that of a highly educated native speaker. You can use the word to navigate the most subtle linguistic contexts, from legal contracts to avant-garde poetry. You are aware of the word's etymology and its relationship to other Slavic languages. You can 'opisać' anything from a quantum physics theory to a fleeting, subconscious thought with perfect grammatical and stylistic precision. You can also critique others' descriptions, identifying where they might be 'pobieżne' (superficial) or 'niedokładne' (inaccurate).

opisać 30초 만에

  • A perfective verb meaning 'to describe'.
  • Focuses on a completed, detailed account.
  • Used in literature, law, and daily life.
  • Requires the Accusative case for the object.
The Polish verb opisać is a perfective verb that translates primarily to 'to describe' or 'to give an account of' in English. In the landscape of Polish linguistics, the perfective aspect is crucial; it implies that the action of describing has been, or will be, completed successfully and in its entirety. When you use opisać, you are not just talking about the process of talking about something; you are referring to the finished act of conveying a full picture, whether through speech or writing. This word is foundational for anyone moving beyond basic survival Polish into the B1 level and beyond, as it allows for the transmission of complex information, personal experiences, and detailed observations.
Semantic Nuance
The word suggests a comprehensive coverage of a topic. Unlike 'wspomnieć' (to mention), 'opisać' requires detail and structure.

Świadek musiał dokładnie opisać wygląd sprawcy policji.

Beyond simple physical descriptions, opisać is used in scientific, academic, and legal contexts. In a laboratory setting, a scientist must 'opisać' the results of an experiment. In a courtroom, a victim might 'opisać' the sequence of events. The versatility of the word stems from its root, 'pisać' (to write), combined with the prefix 'o-', which in this context functions similarly to the English 'about' or 'around', suggesting a encircling of the subject with words.
Grammar Hint
This verb takes the Accusative case (Biernik) for the object being described: Opisać (kogo? co?).

Autor zdołał opisać piękno tatrzańskiej przyrody w zaledwie kilku zdaniach.

In everyday conversation, you might hear someone say 'Trudno to opisać' (It's hard to describe), which is a common way to express that an emotion or experience was so profound that words fail to capture it. This usage highlights the word's connection to the limits of language itself. Furthermore, in professional environments, you will encounter 'opisać projekt' (to describe a project) or 'opisać problem' (to describe a problem), where the expectation is a logical and sequential presentation of facts.
Register Variation
While 'opisać' is neutral, in very formal contexts you might use 'scharakteryzować' (to characterize) or 'zrelacjonować' (to report/recount).

Czy mógłby pan opisać swoje doświadczenie zawodowe?

Musimy opisać wszystkie parametry techniczne urządzenia.

In summary, 'opisać' is the go-to verb when the goal is to provide a complete verbal or written representation of a person, object, or event. It is more definitive than 'mówić o' (to talk about) and more structured than 'opowiadać' (to tell/narrate), focusing on the attributes and details that define the subject.
Using opisać correctly requires an understanding of its conjugation and its relationship with the direct object. As a perfective verb, it does not have a present tense form that describes an action happening right now. Instead, its 'present' forms actually function as the future tense. For example, 'opiszę' means 'I will describe'. To say 'I am describing', you must use the imperfective 'opisuję'. This distinction is the most frequent hurdle for English speakers.
Future Tense Conjugation
Ja opiszę, Ty opiszesz, On/Ona/Ono opisze, My opiszemy, Wy opiszecie, Oni/One opiszą.

Jutro opiszę ci całą moją podróż do Azji.

The past tense follows the standard pattern for verbs ending in '-ać'. It is used when the description is already finished.
Past Tense Examples
On opisał (He described), Ona opisała (She described), Oni opisali (They described - masculine personal).

Dziennikarz dokładnie opisał sytuację na froncie.

When you want to ask someone to describe something, the imperative 'opisz' (singular) or 'opiszcie' (plural) is used. In formal settings, you would say 'Proszę opisać...'.
Prepositional Usage
While 'opisać' usually takes a direct object, you can add detail using 'za pomocą' (with the help of) or 'w kilku słowach' (in a few words).

Czy możesz opisać to zjawisko w kilku prostych słowach?

Common collocations include 'opisać szczegółowo' (to describe in detail), 'opisać pobieżnie' (to describe briefly/superficially), and 'opisać barwnie' (to describe colorfully/vividly). These adverbs modify the quality of the completion. In technical writing, you might see 'opisać algorytm' (describe an algorithm) or 'opisać procedurę' (describe a procedure). In literature, 'opisać krajobraz' (to describe a landscape) is a staple phrase.

Przewodnik opisał nam historię tego zamku.

Lekarz opisał objawy choroby w karcie pacjenta.

Always remember the case: 'Opisać (co?) obraz' (Accusative). If the object is masculine animate (like a man), it looks like Genitive: 'Opisać (kogo?) świadka'. If it's feminine, it ends in '-ę': 'Opisać (co?) sytuację'. Proper case usage ensures that your descriptions are grammatically sound and clear to native speakers.
You will encounter opisać in a wide variety of social and professional spheres in Poland. One of the most common places is in the educational system. From primary school to university, students are constantly asked to 'opisać' characters in books, historical events, or chemical reactions. 'Opisz postać głównego bohatera' (Describe the main character) is a classic exam instruction.
News and Media
Journalists use 'opisać' when they have completed an investigative piece or a report on a recent event.

Gazeta opisała skandal w urzędzie miasta.

In the legal and police world, 'opisać' is a formal necessity. Police reports (protokoły) require officers to 'opisać' the scene of a crime or the appearance of a suspect. If you are ever involved in a fender bender in Poland, the insurance company will ask you to 'opisać przebieg zdarzenia' (describe the course of the event).
Science and Technology
Documentation for software or machinery often begins with the phrase 'Niniejszy dokument ma na celu opisać...' (This document aims to describe...).

Instrukcja dokładnie opisuje proces instalacji (Note: 'opisuje' is imperfective here, but the goal was to 'opisać').

In casual social settings, 'opisać' is used when sharing gossip or news. 'Nie uwierzysz, co się stało, muszę ci to opisać!' (You won't believe what happened, I have to describe it to you!). It signals that the speaker has a story with enough detail to warrant a full description. You will also hear it in the context of art and travel. A traveler might 'opisać' their trip in a blog post, or an art critic might 'opisać' the brushwork of a painting.

Trudno opisać emocje, które towarzyszyły nam podczas koncertu.

Finally, in the digital age, 'opisać' is used for metadata. 'Opisać zdjęcia' means to add descriptions or tags to photos. 'Opisać produkt' is what e-commerce managers do daily. It is a word that bridges the gap between old-world storytelling and modern data management.
The most frequent mistake learners make with opisać is confusing it with its imperfective partner, opisywać. Because English uses 'describe' for both completed and ongoing actions, learners often default to one or the other without considering Polish aspect. If you say 'Ja opiszę' thinking it means 'I am describing', a Pole will understand that you *will* describe it later.
Aspect Error
Incorrect: 'On teraz opisać obraz.' (Grammatically broken). Correct: 'On teraz opisuje obraz.' (Imperfective). Correct: 'On opisał obraz.' (Perfective past).

Błąd: 'Chcę opisywać to wczoraj.' (Incorrect aspect). Poprawnie: 'Chciałem to opisać wczoraj.'

Another common error involves the case of the object. Since 'opisać' is a transitive verb, it must take the Accusative. Learners often mistakenly use the Genitive, especially if they are influenced by phrases like 'opowieść o...' (a story about...). While you can say 'opisać coś' (Accusative), you should not say 'opisać o czymś' (which is more common for 'opowiadać').
Prefix Confusion
Opisać = To describe. Odpisać = To reply. Wypisać = To write out/list. Zapisać = To record/write down.

Nie odpisuj mi teraz, muszę najpierw opisać sytuację.

Pronunciation can also be tricky. The 'ó' in 'opis' (the noun 'description') changes to 'o' in the verb 'opisać'. Learners might try to carry the 'ó' sound over, but it is a short, open 'o'. Also, ensure the 'ś' is soft and distinct from 's'. Finally, avoid overusing 'opisać' when 'powiedzieć' (to say) or 'mówić' (to talk) would suffice. 'Opisać' implies a level of detail; using it for a two-word sentence sounds overly formal or dramatic.

Błąd wymowy: 'Opiszać' (incorrect 'sz' instead of 'ś'). Poprawnie: 'Opisać' (soft 'ś').

Pamiętaj: 'Opisać' to czynność jednorazowa i zakończona.

Lastly, be careful with the passive voice. 'Zostało opisane' (It was described) is correct, but 'Zostało opisać' is a common structural error made by beginners trying to translate 'It was to describe' literally.
Polish is rich with verbs that cover the semantic territory of 'describing'. Choosing the right one depends on the level of detail, the medium, and the formality of the situation.
Scharakteryzować
More formal than 'opisać'. It means to characterize, focusing on the essential traits or qualities of a person or phenomenon.

Recenzent trafnie scharakteryzował styl młodego reżysera.

Zrelacjonować
This means to report or recount. It is used when describing a sequence of events in chronological order, like a sports commentator or a journalist.

Reporter zrelacjonował przebieg manifestacji.

Nakreślić
Literally 'to sketch' or 'to outline'. It is used when the description is brief or serves as a preliminary overview.
Przedstawić
To present. This is a broad term that can include describing, showing, or introducing a topic.

Prezes przedstawił raport roczny zarządowi.

Wyłuszczyć
A more obscure, formal word meaning to explain or lay something out clearly, often used in legal or very logical arguments.

Pozwól, że wyłuszczę ci moje powody.

In summary, while 'opisać' is the most common and versatile choice, 'scharakteryzować' is better for personality, 'zrelacjonować' is better for events, and 'nakreślić' is better for quick summaries. Understanding these distinctions will make your Polish sound more natural and precise.

재미있는 사실

The root 'pisać' is related to the word for 'paint' in some other Slavic languages, showing the link between visual and written representation.

발음 가이드

UK /ɔˈpi.sat͡ɕ/
US /ɔˈpi.sɑt͡ʃ/
Second to last syllable (o-PI-sać).
라임이 맞는 단어
napisać podpisać przepisać wypisać zapisać nadpisać odpisać rozpisać
자주 하는 실수
  • Pronouncing 'ś' as 'sh'
  • Stressing the first syllable
  • Hardening the final 'ć'
  • Replacing 'o' with 'u'
  • Confusing with 'odpisać'

수준별 예문

1

Proszę opisać ten dom.

Please describe this house.

Imperative form 'proszę' + infinitive.

2

Czy możesz opisać mamę?

Can you describe your mom?

Accusative case for 'mamę'.

3

Opisz swojego psa.

Describe your dog.

Imperative 'opisz'.

4

On chce opisać pokój.

He wants to describe the room.

Infinitive after 'chce'.

5

Opisz to słowo.

Describe this word.

Simple command.

6

Muszę opisać mój dzień.

I must describe my day.

Modal 'muszę' + infinitive.

7

Ona może opisać kwiaty.

She can describe the flowers.

Plural Accusative 'kwiaty'.

8

Opisz miasto.

Describe the city.

Direct object 'miasto'.

1

Wczoraj opisałem mój ogród.

Yesterday I described my garden.

Past tense masculine.

2

Czy opisałaś już tę książkę?

Have you already described this book?

Past tense feminine second person.

3

Oni opisali wypadek policji.

They described the accident to the police.

Past tense plural.

4

Musimy dokładnie opisać sytuację.

We must describe the situation exactly.

Adverb 'dokładnie' modifying the verb.

5

Opiszę ci to jutro.

I will describe it to you tomorrow.

Future tense (perfective).

6

Czy możecie opisać waszą szkołę?

Can you (plural) describe your school?

Plural possessive 'waszą'.

7

Ona opisała swój nowy samochód.

She described her new car.

Past tense feminine.

8

Chcę opisać moje hobby.

I want to describe my hobby.

Neuter noun 'hobby' in Accusative.

1

Trudno opisać słowami to, co czuję.

It's hard to describe with words what I feel.

Instrumental case 'słowami'.

2

Autor opisał życie w XIX wieku.

The author described life in the 19th century.

Historical context.

3

Czy mógłbyś opisać ten proces?

Could you describe this process?

Conditional mood 'mógłbyś'.

4

Świadek opisał wygląd złodzieja.

The witness described the thief's appearance.

Genitive 'złodzieja' after 'wygląd'.

5

Muszę opisać wszystkie zalety tego produktu.

I must describe all the advantages of this product.

Plural Accusative 'zalety'.

6

Opiszę to w moim raporcie.

I will describe it in my report.

Locative case 'w raporcie'.

7

Lekarz opisał objawy choroby.

The doctor described the symptoms of the illness.

Medical context.

8

Opisz krótko swoje doświadczenie.

Describe your experience briefly.

Adverb 'krótko'.

1

Artykuł trafnie opisał nastroje społeczne.

The article accurately described the social moods.

Adverb 'trafnie'.

2

Zdołał opisać problem w sposób zrozumiały.

He managed to describe the problem in an understandable way.

Phrase 'w sposób zrozumiały'.

3

Książka opisuje losy polskiej emigracji.

The book describes the fates of Polish emigration.

Note: Using 'opisuje' (imperfective) for general content.

4

Należy opisać wszystkie ryzyka projektu.

All project risks should be described.

Impersonal 'należy'.

5

Opisała go jako człowieka ambitnego.

She described him as an ambitious man.

Construction 'jako' + Accusative.

6

Czy potrafisz opisać różnice między nimi?

Are you able to describe the differences between them?

Plural Accusative 'różnice'.

7

Instrukcja powinna opisać każdy krok.

The manual should describe every step.

Modal 'powinna'.

8

Opiszę przebieg eksperymentu w aneksie.

I will describe the course of the experiment in the appendix.

Future tense.

1

Poeta po mistrzowsku opisał ból istnienia.

The poet masterfully described the pain of existence.

Abstract concept 'ból istnienia'.

2

Trudno opisać ogrom tej tragedii.

It is hard to describe the scale of this tragedy.

Noun 'ogrom'.

3

Krytyk opisał wystawę w samych superlatywach.

The critic described the exhibition in glowing terms.

Idiomatic 'w samych superlatywach'.

4

Warto opisać te wydarzenia dla potomności.

It is worth describing these events for posterity.

Dative 'potomności'.

5

Opisał tę sytuację z dużą dozą ironii.

He described this situation with a large dose of irony.

Phrase 'z dużą dozą ironii'.

6

Ustawodawca musi precyzyjnie opisać procedurę.

The legislator must precisely describe the procedure.

Formal noun 'ustawodawca'.

7

Próbował opisać niewyrażalne emocje.

He tried to describe inexpressible emotions.

Adjective 'niewyrażalne'.

8

Opiszę ten fenomen w mojej rozprawie.

I will describe this phenomenon in my dissertation.

Academic context.

1

Autorowi udało się opisać efemeryczność chwili.

The author succeeded in describing the ephemerality of the moment.

Sophisticated noun 'efemeryczność'.

2

Traktat ten ma na celu opisać strukturę bytu.

This treatise aims to describe the structure of being.

Ontological context.

3

Nie sposób opisać bogactwa tej kultury.

It is impossible to describe the richness of this culture.

Phrase 'nie sposób'.

4

Opisał on mechanizmy władzy w sposób bezlitosny.

He described the mechanisms of power in a ruthless way.

Adverb 'bezlitosny'.

5

Opiszę teraz genezę tego konfliktu.

I will now describe the genesis of this conflict.

Formal noun 'geneza'.

6

Czy można opisać rzeczywistość bez subiektywizmu?

Can reality be described without subjectivism?

Philosophical question.

7

Opisał swe wizje w sposób niezwykle sugestywny.

He described his visions in an extremely suggestive way.

Adjective 'sugestywny'.

8

Musimy opisać korelacje między tymi zmiennymi.

We must describe the correlations between these variables.

Scientific terminology.

동의어

scharakteryzować zrelacjonować nakreślić przedstawić odmalować wyłuszczyć ukazać zobrazować

반의어

zamilczeć pominąć zataić uprościć

자주 쓰는 조합

opisać szczegółowo
opisać krótko
opisać sytuację
opisać wygląd
opisać problem
opisać wrażenia
opisać procedurę
opisać barwnie
trudno opisać
opisać w raporcie

자주 쓰는 구문

Trudno to opisać.

— It's hard to describe. Used when words fail to capture an experience.

To było tak piękne, że trudno to opisać.

Opisz to w kilku słowach.

— Describe it in a few words. A request for a summary.

Możesz mi to opisać w kilku słowach?

Jak byś to opisał?

— How would you describe it? Asking for someone's perspective.

Jak byś opisał ich relację?

Zostało to już opisane.

— It has already been described. Often used in academic contexts.

To zjawisko zostało już opisane w literaturze.

Opisać coś ze szczegółami.

— To describe something with details.

Opisał wypadek ze wszystkimi szczegółami.

Opisać coś własnymi słowami.

— To describe something in one's own words.

Proszę opisać to własnymi słowami.

Opisać kogoś jako...

— To describe someone as...

Opisali go jako bohatera.

Opisać coś od podstaw.

— To describe something from scratch.

Musimy opisać ten proces od podstaw.

Daj mi to opisać.

— Let me describe it. Asking for a chance to explain.

Czekaj, daj mi to opisać!

Opisać coś pobieżnie.

— To describe something superficially.

Tylko pobieżnie opisał swoje plany.

관용어 및 표현

"Opisać coś w samych superlatywach"

— To describe something using only the highest praise.

Krytyk opisał film w samych superlatywach.

neutral
"Opisać coś czarnymi barwami"

— To describe something in a very pessimistic or negative way.

Polityk opisał przyszłość kraju czarnymi barwami.

informal/journalistic
"Nie da się tego opisać"

— It is impossible to describe (usually due to intensity).

Jego radości nie da się opisać.

neutral
"Opisać coś krok po kroku"

— To describe something step by step.

Opiszę ci to krok po kroku.

neutral
"Opisać coś z lotu ptaka"

— To describe something from a bird's eye view (broadly).

Opiszę ten problem z lotu ptaka.

informal
"Opisać coś na gorąco"

— To describe something while it's still fresh (immediately).

Reporter opisał wydarzenia na gorąco.

journalistic
"Opisać coś ze swadą"

— To describe something with eloquence and ease.

Opisał swoją przygodę z wielką swadą.

literary
"Opisać coś w krzywym zwierciadle"

— To describe something in a distorted or satirical way.

Satyryk opisał społeczeństwo w krzywym zwierciadle.

literary/journalistic
"Opisać coś do spodu"

— To describe something thoroughly/to the core.

Musimy opisać ten mechanizm do spodu.

informal
"Opisać coś jednym zdaniem"

— To describe something in one sentence.

Czy potrafisz opisać to jednym zdaniem?

neutral

어휘 가족

명사

opis (description)
opisywacz (describer - rare)
opisowość (descriptiveness)

동사

opisywać (imperfective)
pisać (root - to write)
przepisać (to rewrite)
zapisać (to record)

형용사

opisowy (descriptive)
opisany (described)

관련

pisarz (writer)
pismo (writing/magazine)
pisownia (orthography)
opowieść (tale)
opisówka (descriptive part of an exam)

암기하기

기억법

Think of 'O-PIS-AĆ' as 'O' (around) + 'PIS' (writing/piece) + 'AĆ' (verb ending). You write *around* an object to describe it.

시각적 연상

Imagine drawing a circle (the 'O') around an object and filling it with words.

Word Web

szczegóły obraz słowa wygląd sytuacja autor raport książka

챌린지

Try to opisać the person sitting across from you using only five adjectives.

어원

From Old Polish 'pisać' (to write) with the prefix 'o-' (around/about).

원래 의미: To write around something, to encompass it in writing.

Slavic (Proto-Slavic *pisati).

문화적 맥락

In Poland, the 'opis przyrody' (description of nature) is a famous literary trope, particularly associated with the Romantic era. Famous authors like Adam Mickiewicz used pages of text just to describe a single forest or a sunrise. Polish students often have mixed feelings about these long descriptions in their required reading, but it highlights the cultural value placed on the act of 'opisać'.

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