Wikimore

English

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈwʌns.əˈpɑn.əˈtaɪ̯m/Category:English terms with IPA pronunciation#ONCEUPONATIME
Audio (US): (file)
Category:English terms with audio pronunciation#ONCEUPONATIME

Adverb

once upon a time (not comparable)Category:English lemmas#ONCEUPONATIME Category:English adverbs#ONCEUPONATIME Category:English uncomparable adverbs#ONCEUPONATIME Category:English multiword terms#ONCEUPONATIME Category:English entries with incorrect language header#ONCEUPONATIME Category:Pages with entries#ONCE%20UPON%20A%20TIME Category:Pages with 1 entry#ONCE%20UPON%20A%20TIME

A long time ago; at some time in the past (a traditional beginning of children's stories, especially fairy tales).
Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there lived a beautiful princess.Category:English terms with usage examples#ONCEUPONATIME
- 1886, Peter Christen Asbj&oslash￵rnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 308:
  There was once upon a time a charcoal-burner who had a son, and he was also a charcoal-burner.
  Category:English terms with quotations#ONCEUPONATIME
- 2023, A. C. MacDonald, Twistwood Tales (comic), Andrews McMeel, →ISBN, page 138:
  Once upon a time, there was a Goblin Queen
  And she lived in a grand palace...
  Category:English terms with quotations#ONCEUPONATIME
Formerly.
- 2012, Christoper Zara, chapter 2, in Tortured Artists: From Picasso and Monroe to Warhol and Winehouse, the Twisted Secrets of the World's Most Creative Minds, page 51:
  Long before popular music evolved its many genres and subgenres, the industry was driven by a simple one-size-fits-all philosophy […] Songwriters, once upon a time, wrote songs for the masses.
  Category:English terms with quotations#ONCEUPONATIME

Usage notes

Not to be confused with upon a time, which has a different meaning.

Synonyms

(a long time ago): anciently, way back; see also Thesaurus:long ago

Translations

Note: Many of the translations are literally “There once was” or "One time". The translation of “Once upon a time, there was a princess” into Italian, for example, would therefore be “C’era una volta una principessa” (literally, “There was once a princess”).

traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales

Category:Entries with translation boxes#ONCE%20UPON%20A%20TIME

Abenaki: agwaCategory:Terms with Abenaki translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Albanian: na ishte njëherëCategory:Terms with Albanian translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Arabic: كَان يَامَا كَان (kān yāmā kān)Category:Terms with Arabic translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Algerian Arabic: جيتك ما جيتك (jaytek mā jaytek)Category:Terms with Algerian Arabic translations#ONCEUPONATIME

Moroccan Arabic: حاجيتك ما جيتك (ḥājītak mā jītak)Category:Terms with Moroccan Arabic translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Armenian: կար-չկար (kar-čʻkar)Category:Terms with Armenian translations#ONCEUPONATIME, լինում է, չի լինում (linum ē, čʻi linum)Category:Terms with Armenian translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Asturian: ello foi una vegadaCategory:Terms with Asturian translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Azerbaijani: biri var idi, biri yox idiCategory:Terms with Azerbaijani translations#ONCEUPONATIME, günlərin bir günündəCategory:Terms with Azerbaijani translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Bashkir: борон-борон заманда (boron-boron zamanda)Category:Terms with Bashkir translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Basque: bazen behin (eu)Category:Terms with Basque translations#ONCEUPONATIME, behin batean (eu)Category:Terms with Basque translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Breton: ur wech e oa (br)Category:Terms with Breton translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Bulgarian: и́мало едно́ вре́ме (ímalo ednó vréme)Category:Terms with Bulgarian translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Catalan: hi havia una vegadaCategory:Terms with Catalan translations#ONCEUPONATIME, això era una vegadaCategory:Terms with Catalan translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Cebuano: kaniadtong panahonaCategory:Terms with Cebuano translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Chinese:
Mandarin: 很久很久以前 (hěnjiǔ hěnjiǔ yǐqián)Category:Terms with Mandarin translations#ONCEUPONATIME, 從前 / 从前 (zh) (cóngqián)Category:Terms with Mandarin translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Czech: bylo nebyloCategory:Terms with Czech translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Danish: der var engangCategory:Terms with Danish translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Dutch: er was eensCategory:Terms with Dutch translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Esperanto: iam estisCategory:Terms with Esperanto translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Estonian: oli kordCategory:Terms with Estonian translations#ONCEUPONATIME, elas kordCategory:Terms with Estonian translations#ONCEUPONATIME, üks kord ennemuistsel ajalCategory:Terms with Estonian translations#ONCEUPONATIME, ükskord (et)Category:Terms with Estonian translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Faroese: einaferð var taðCategory:Terms with Faroese translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Finnish: olipa kerranCategory:Terms with Finnish translations#ONCEUPONATIME, olipa kerran kauan sittenCategory:Terms with Finnish translations#ONCEUPONATIME
French: il était une fois (fr)Category:Terms with French translations#ONCEUPONATIME, il y avait une fois (fr)Category:Terms with French translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Galician: había unha vezCategory:Terms with Galician translations#ONCEUPONATIME, cando os animais falaban (literally “when animals spoke”)Category:Terms with Galician translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Georgian: იყო და არა იყო რა (iq̇o da ara iq̇o ra)Category:Terms with Georgian translations#ONCEUPONATIME, იყო და არა იყო რა, ღვთის უკეთესი რა იქნებოდა (iq̇o da ara iq̇o ra, ɣvtis uḳetesi ra ikneboda)Category:Terms with Georgian translations#ONCEUPONATIME
German: es war einmal (de)Category:Terms with German translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Greek: μια φορά κι έναν καιρό (el) (mia forá ki énan kairó)Category:Terms with Greek translations#ONCEUPONATIME, μια φορά ήταν δεν ήταν (mia forá ítan den ítan)Category:Terms with Greek translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Ancient Greek: ἦν γάρ ποτε χρόνος (ên gár pote khrónos)Category:Terms with Ancient Greek translations#ONCEUPONATIME, οὕτω ποτ’ ἦν μῦς καὶ γαλῆ (hoútō pot’ ên mûs kaì galê)Category:Terms with Ancient Greek translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Hamer-Banna: ɛ́na waɗénkaCategory:Terms with Hamer-Banna translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Hebrew: הָיֹה הָיָה (he) m (hayó hayá)Category:Terms with Hebrew translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Hindi: किसी ज़माने में (kisī zamāne mẽ)Category:Terms with Hindi translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Hungarian: egyszer volt, hol nem volt (hu)Category:Terms with Hungarian translations#ONCEUPONATIME, hol volt, hol nem voltCategory:Terms with Hungarian translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Icelandic: einu sinni varCategory:Terms with Icelandic translations#ONCEUPONATIME, það var einu sinniCategory:Terms with Icelandic translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Ido: olim (io)Category:Terms with Ido translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Igbo: orue otu mgbeCategory:Terms with Igbo translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Indonesian: pada suatu hariCategory:Terms with Indonesian translations#ONCEUPONATIME, pada zaman dahuluCategory:Terms with Indonesian translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Interlingua: il era un viceCategory:Terms with Interlingua translations#ONCEUPONATIME, olimCategory:Terms with Interlingua translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Irish: feacht n-aonCategory:Terms with Irish translations#ONCEUPONATIME, fadó fadóCategory:Terms with Irish translations#ONCEUPONATIME, tráth dá raibhCategory:Terms with Irish translations#ONCEUPONATIME, lá den saolCategory:Terms with Irish translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Italian: c'era una voltaCategory:Terms with Italian translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Jamaican Creole: one timeCategory:Terms with Jamaican Creole translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Japanese: 昔昔 (ja) (むかしむかし, mukashi-mukashi)Category:Terms with Japanese translations#ONCEUPONATIME, 昔々 (ja) (むかしむかし, mukashi-mukashi)Category:Terms with Japanese translations#ONCEUPONATIME, 今は昔 (ima wa mukashi)Category:Terms with Japanese translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Khmer: កាលពីព្រេងនាយ (kaal pii preing niəy)Category:Terms with Khmer translations#ONCEUPONATIME, កាលដើមឡើយ (kaaldaəmlaəy)Category:Terms with Khmer translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Komi:
Komi-Zyrian: оліс-выліс (olis-vylis)Category:Terms with Komi-Zyrian translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Korean: 옛날 옛적에 (yennal yetjeog-e)Category:Terms with Korean translations#ONCEUPONATIME, 옛날 옛적 (yennal yetjeok)Category:Terms with Korean translations#ONCEUPONATIME, 호랑이 담배 피던 시절에 (horang'i dambae pideon sijeor-e, literally “in the days when tigers smoked a cigarette”)Category:Terms with Korean translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Kurdish:
Central Kurdish: ڕۆژێ لە ڕۆژان (rojê le rojan)Category:Terms with Central Kurdish translations#ONCEUPONATIME, ھەبوو نەبوو (hebû nebû)Category:Terms with Central Kurdish translations#ONCEUPONATIME

Northern Kurdish: hebû tune bûCategory:Terms with Northern Kurdish translations#ONCEUPONATIME, hebû nebûCategory:Terms with Northern Kurdish translations#ONCEUPONATIME, rojek ji rojan (ku)Category:Terms with Northern Kurdish translations#ONCEUPONATIME, carekê ji caran (ku)Category:Terms with Northern Kurdish translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Latin: ōlim (la)Category:Terms with Latin translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Latvian: reiz sensenos laikosCategory:Terms with Latvian translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Lithuanian: seniai, labai seniaiCategory:Terms with Lithuanian translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Malay: pada suatu masaCategory:Terms with Malay translations#ONCEUPONATIME, pada suatu hariCategory:Terms with Malay translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Malayalam: ഒരിക്കൽ (ml) (orikkal)Category:Terms with Malayalam translations#ONCEUPONATIME, പണ്ടൊരിക്കൽ (paṇṭorikkal)Category:Terms with Malayalam translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Māori: tērā tētahiCategory:Terms with Māori translations#ONCEUPONATIME (singular), tērā ētahiCategory:Terms with Māori translations#ONCEUPONATIME (plural)
Norwegian:
Bokmål: det var en gang (no)Category:Terms with Norwegian Bokmål translations#ONCEUPONATIME

Nynorsk: det var ein gongCategory:Terms with Norwegian Nynorsk translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Old English: ǣrCategory:Terms with Old English translations#ONCEUPONATIME, ġēaraCategory:Terms with Old English translations#ONCEUPONATIME, ġēardagumCategory:Terms with Old English translations#ONCEUPONATIME, fyrnCategory:Terms with Old English translations#ONCEUPONATIME, ġefyrnCategory:Terms with Old English translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Persian:
Iranian Persian: یِکی بود یِکی نَبود (yeki bud yeki nabud)Category:Terms with Iranian Persian translations#ONCEUPONATIME Category:Terms with Persian translations#ONCEUPONATIME, روزی روزِگاری (ruzi ruzegâri)Category:Terms with Iranian Persian translations#ONCEUPONATIME Category:Terms with Persian translations#ONCEUPONATIME, روزی اَز روزْها (ruzi az ruzhâ)Category:Terms with Iranian Persian translations#ONCEUPONATIME Category:Terms with Persian translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Plautdietsch: donnemolCategory:Terms with Plautdietsch translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Polish: pewnego razuCategory:Terms with Polish translations#ONCEUPONATIME; dawno, dawno temu (pl)Category:Terms with Polish translations#ONCEUPONATIME; za górami, za lasami (pl)Category:Terms with Polish translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Portuguese: era uma vez (pt)Category:Terms with Portuguese translations#ONCEUPONATIME, havia uma vezCategory:Terms with Portuguese translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Romanian: a fost odatăCategory:Terms with Romanian translations#ONCEUPONATIME, a fost odată ca niciodatăCategory:Terms with Romanian translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Russian: жи́ли-бы́ли (ru) pl (žíli-býli)Category:Terms with Russian translations#ONCEUPONATIME (changes by gender and number), давны́м-давно́ (ru) (davným-davnó)Category:Terms with Russian translations#ONCEUPONATIME, в тридевя́том ца́рстве, в тридеся́том госуда́рстве (v tridevjátom cárstve, v tridesjátom gosudárstve)Category:Terms with Russian translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Sanskrit: पुराकाले (purākāle)Category:Terms with Sanskrit translations#ONCEUPONATIME, कदाचित् (sa) (kadācit)Category:Terms with Sanskrit translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Sardinian: B'aiat una bortaCategory:Terms with Sardinian translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Scottish Gaelic: bha siud ann uaireiginCategory:Terms with Scottish Gaelic translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Spanish: érase una vez (es)Category:Terms with Spanish translations#ONCEUPONATIME, había una vez (es)Category:Terms with Spanish translations#ONCEUPONATIME, era una vezCategory:Terms with Spanish translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Sranan Tongo: er tin tinCategory:Terms with Sranan Tongo translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Swahili: hapo zamani za kaleCategory:Terms with Swahili translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Swedish: det var en gång (sv)Category:Terms with Swedish translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Tagalog: noong unang panahonCategory:Terms with Tagalog translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Tamil: முன்னொரு காலத்தில் (muṉṉoru kālattil)Category:Terms with Tamil translations#ONCEUPONATIME (literary), முன்னொரு காலத்துல (muṉṉoru kālattula)Category:Terms with Tamil translations#ONCEUPONATIME (colloquial)
Telugu: ఒకానొకప్పుడు (okānokappuḍu)Category:Terms with Telugu translations#ONCEUPONATIME, అనగనగా (anaganagā)Category:Terms with Telugu translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Thai: กาลครั้งหนึ่ง (gaa-lá-kráng-nʉ̀ng)Category:Terms with Thai translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Tok Pisin: bipo truCategory:Terms with Tok Pisin translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Turkish: bir varmış, bir yokmuşCategory:Terms with Turkish translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Ukrainian: жи́ли-були́ (žýly-bulý)Category:Terms with Ukrainian translations#ONCEUPONATIME, давни́м-давно́ (davným-davnó)Category:Terms with Ukrainian translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Unami: kwëtënCategory:Terms with Unami translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Urdu: کِسی زَمانے میں (kisī zamāne mẽ)Category:Terms with Urdu translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Vietnamese: ngày xửa ngày xưa (vi)Category:Terms with Vietnamese translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Welsh: unwaith (cy)Category:Terms with Welsh translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Wolof: amone nafiCategory:Terms with Wolof translations#ONCEUPONATIME
Yiddish: אַ מאָל (a mol)Category:Terms with Yiddish translations#ONCEUPONATIME

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked