"once upon a time" meaning in English

See once upon a time in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adverb

IPA: /ˈwʌns.əˈpɑn.əˈtaɪ̯m/ Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Persent101-once upon a time.wav [US]
Head templates: {{en-adv|-}} once upon a time (not comparable)
  1. A long time ago; at some time in the past (a traditional beginning of children's stories, especially fairy tales). Tags: not-comparable Categories (topical): Fairy tale, Fiction, Narratology, Past, Plot devices Synonyms: way back, long ago Synonyms (a long time ago): anciently Translations (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales): agwa (Abenaki), na ishte njëherë (Albanian), جيتك ما جيتك (jaytek mā jaytek) (Algerian Arabic), ἦν γάρ ποτε χρόνος (ên gár pote khrónos) (Ancient Greek), οὕτω ποτ' ἦν μῦς καὶ γαλῆ (hoútō pot' ên mûs kaì galê) (Ancient Greek), كَان يَامَا كَان (kān yāmā kān) (Arabic), حاجيتك ما جيتك (ḥājītak mā jītak) [Moroccan-Arabic] (Arabic), կար-չկար (kar-čʿkar) (Armenian), լինում է, չի լինում (linum ē, čʿi linum) (Armenian), ello foi una vegada (Asturian), biri var idi, biri yox idi (Azerbaijani), günlərin bir günündə (Azerbaijani), борон-борон заманда (boron-boron zamanda) (Bashkir), bazen behin (Basque), behin batean (Basque), ur wech e oa (Breton), имало едно време (imalo edno vreme) (Bulgarian), hi havia una vegada (Catalan), això era una vegada (Catalan), kaniadtong panahona (Cebuano), ڕۆژێ لە ڕۆژان (rojê le rojan) (Central Kurdish), ھەبوو نەبوو (hebû nebû) (Central Kurdish), 很久很久以前 (hěnjiǔ hěnjiǔ yǐqián) (Chinese Mandarin), 從前 (Chinese Mandarin), 从前 (cóngqián) (Chinese Mandarin), bylo nebylo (Czech), der var engang (Danish), er was eens (Dutch), iam estis (Esperanto), oli kord (Estonian), elas kord (Estonian), üks kord ennemuistsel ajal (Estonian), ükskord (Estonian), einaferð var tað (Faroese), olipa kerran (Finnish), olipa kerran kauan sitten (Finnish), il était une fois (French), il y avait une fois (French), había unha vez (Galician), cando os animais falaban (Galician), იყო და არა იყო რა (iq̇o da ara iq̇o ra) (Georgian), იყო და არა იყო რა, ღვთის უკეთესი რა იქნებოდა (iq̇o da ara iq̇o ra, ɣvtis uḳetesi ra ikneboda) (Georgian), es war einmal (German), μια φορά κι έναν καιρό (mia forá ki énan kairó) (Greek), μια φορά ήταν δεν ήταν (mia forá ítan den ítan) (Greek), הָיֹה הָיָה (hayó hayá) [masculine] (Hebrew), किसी ज़माने में (kisī zamāne mẽ) (Hindi), egyszer volt, hol nem volt (Hungarian), hol volt, hol nem volt (Hungarian), einu sinni var (Icelandic), það var einu sinni (Icelandic), olim (Ido), orue otu mgbe (Igbo), pada suatu hari (Indonesian), il era un vice (Interlingua), olim (Interlingua), feacht n-aon (Irish), fadó fadó (Irish), tráth dá raibh (Irish), lá den saol (Irish), c'era una volta (Italian), one time (Jamaican Creole), 昔昔 (alt: or 昔々, むかしむかし, mukashi-mukashi) (Japanese), 今は昔 (ima wa mukashi) (Japanese), កាលពីព្រេងនាយ (kaal pii preing niəy) (Khmer), កាលដើមឡើយ (kaaldaəmlaəy) (Khmer), оліс-выліс (olis-vylis) (Komi-Zyrian), 옛날 옛적에 (yennal yetjeoge) (Korean), 옛날 옛적 (yennal yetjeok) (Korean), ōlim (Latin), reiz sensenos laikos (Latvian), seniai, labai seniai (Lithuanian), pada suatu masa (Malay), pada suatu hari (Malay), ഒരിക്കൽ (orikkal) (Malayalam), പണ്ടൊരിക്കൽ (paṇṭorikkal) (Malayalam), tērā tētahi [singular] (Maori), tērā ētahi [plural] (Maori), hebû tune bû (Northern Kurdish), hebû nebû (Northern Kurdish), rojek ji rojan (Northern Kurdish), carekê ji caran (Northern Kurdish), det var en gang (Norwegian Bokmål), det var ein gong (Norwegian Nynorsk), ǣr (Old English), ġēara (Old English), ġēardagum (Old English), fyrn (Old English), ġefyrn (Old English), روزی روزگاری (ruzi ruzegâri) (Persian), یکی بود یکی نبود (yeki bud yeki nabud) (Persian), روزی از روزها (ruzi az ruz-hâ) (Persian), donnemol (Plautdietsch), pewnego razu (Polish), dawno, dawno temu (Polish), za górami, za lasami (Polish), era uma vez (Portuguese), havia uma vez (Portuguese), a fost odată (Romanian), a fost odată ca niciodată (Romanian), पुराकाले (purākāle) (Sanskrit), कदाचित् (kadācit) (Sanskrit), B'aiat una borta (Sardinian), bha siud ann uaireigin (Scottish Gaelic), érase una vez (Spanish), había una vez (Spanish), era una vez (Spanish), er tin tin (Sranan Tongo), hapo zamani za kale (Swahili), det var en gång (Swedish), noóng unang panahón (Tagalog), முன்பு ஒது தாள் (muṉpu otu tāḷ) (Tamil), முன்பு ஒது காலம் (muṉpu otu kālam) (Tamil), ఒకానొకప్పుడు (okānokappuḍu) (Telugu), กาลครั้งหนึ่ง (gaa-lá-kráng-nʉ̀ng) (Thai), bipo tru (Tok Pisin), bir varmış, bir yokmuş (Turkish), жили-були (žyly-buly) (Ukrainian), давним давно (davnym davno) (Ukrainian), کسی زمانے میں (kisī zamāne mẽ) (Urdu), ngày xửa ngày xưa (Vietnamese), unwaith (Welsh), amone nafi (Wolof), אַ מאָל (a mol) (Yiddish)

Download JSON data for once upon a time meaning in English (23.7kB)

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          "text": "There was once upon a time a charcoal-burner who had a son, and he was also a charcoal-burner.",
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        {
          "ref": "2023, A. C. MacDonald, Twistwood Tales (comic), Andrews McMeel, page 138",
          "text": "Once upon a time, there was a Goblin Queen\nAnd she lived in a grand palace...",
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        "A long time ago; at some time in the past (a traditional beginning of children's stories, especially fairy tales)."
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        {
          "sense": "a long time ago",
          "word": "anciently"
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        {
          "word": "way back"
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        {
          "word": "long ago"
        }
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      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "abe",
          "lang": "Abenaki",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "agwa"
        },
        {
          "code": "sq",
          "lang": "Albanian",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "na ishte njëherë"
        },
        {
          "code": "ar",
          "lang": "Arabic",
          "roman": "kān yāmā kān",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "كَان يَامَا كَان"
        },
        {
          "code": "arq",
          "lang": "Algerian Arabic",
          "roman": "jaytek mā jaytek",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "جيتك ما جيتك"
        },
        {
          "code": "ary",
          "lang": "Arabic",
          "roman": "ḥājītak mā jītak",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "tags": [
            "Moroccan-Arabic"
          ],
          "word": "حاجيتك ما جيتك"
        },
        {
          "code": "hy",
          "lang": "Armenian",
          "roman": "kar-čʿkar",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "կար-չկար"
        },
        {
          "code": "hy",
          "lang": "Armenian",
          "roman": "linum ē, čʿi linum",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "լինում է, չի լինում"
        },
        {
          "code": "ast",
          "lang": "Asturian",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "ello foi una vegada"
        },
        {
          "code": "az",
          "lang": "Azerbaijani",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "biri var idi, biri yox idi"
        },
        {
          "code": "az",
          "lang": "Azerbaijani",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "günlərin bir günündə"
        },
        {
          "code": "ba",
          "lang": "Bashkir",
          "roman": "boron-boron zamanda",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "борон-борон заманда"
        },
        {
          "code": "eu",
          "lang": "Basque",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "bazen behin"
        },
        {
          "code": "eu",
          "lang": "Basque",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "behin batean"
        },
        {
          "code": "br",
          "lang": "Breton",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "ur wech e oa"
        },
        {
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "imalo edno vreme",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "имало едно време"
        },
        {
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "hi havia una vegada"
        },
        {
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "això era una vegada"
        },
        {
          "code": "ceb",
          "lang": "Cebuano",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "kaniadtong panahona"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "hěnjiǔ hěnjiǔ yǐqián",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "很久很久以前"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "從前"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "cóngqián",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "从前"
        },
        {
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "bylo nebylo"
        },
        {
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "der var engang"
        },
        {
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "er was eens"
        },
        {
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "iam estis"
        },
        {
          "code": "et",
          "lang": "Estonian",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "oli kord"
        },
        {
          "code": "et",
          "lang": "Estonian",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "elas kord"
        },
        {
          "code": "et",
          "lang": "Estonian",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "üks kord ennemuistsel ajal"
        },
        {
          "code": "et",
          "lang": "Estonian",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "ükskord"
        },
        {
          "code": "fo",
          "lang": "Faroese",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "einaferð var tað"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "olipa kerran"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "olipa kerran kauan sitten"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "il était une fois"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "il y avait une fois"
        },
        {
          "code": "gl",
          "lang": "Galician",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "había unha vez"
        },
        {
          "code": "gl",
          "lang": "Galician",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "cando os animais falaban"
        },
        {
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "iq̇o da ara iq̇o ra",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "იყო და არა იყო რა"
        },
        {
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "iq̇o da ara iq̇o ra, ɣvtis uḳetesi ra ikneboda",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "იყო და არა იყო რა, ღვთის უკეთესი რა იქნებოდა"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "es war einmal"
        },
        {
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "mia forá ki énan kairó",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "μια φορά κι έναν καιρό"
        },
        {
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "mia forá ítan den ítan",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "μια φορά ήταν δεν ήταν"
        },
        {
          "code": "grc",
          "lang": "Ancient Greek",
          "roman": "ên gár pote khrónos",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "ἦν γάρ ποτε χρόνος"
        },
        {
          "code": "grc",
          "lang": "Ancient Greek",
          "roman": "hoútō pot' ên mûs kaì galê",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "οὕτω ποτ' ἦν μῦς καὶ γαλῆ"
        },
        {
          "code": "he",
          "lang": "Hebrew",
          "roman": "hayó hayá",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "הָיֹה הָיָה"
        },
        {
          "code": "hi",
          "lang": "Hindi",
          "roman": "kisī zamāne mẽ",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "किसी ज़माने में"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "egyszer volt, hol nem volt"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "hol volt, hol nem volt"
        },
        {
          "code": "is",
          "lang": "Icelandic",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "einu sinni var"
        },
        {
          "code": "is",
          "lang": "Icelandic",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "það var einu sinni"
        },
        {
          "code": "io",
          "lang": "Ido",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "olim"
        },
        {
          "code": "ig",
          "lang": "Igbo",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "orue otu mgbe"
        },
        {
          "code": "id",
          "lang": "Indonesian",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "pada suatu hari"
        },
        {
          "code": "ia",
          "lang": "Interlingua",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "il era un vice"
        },
        {
          "code": "ia",
          "lang": "Interlingua",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "olim"
        },
        {
          "code": "ga",
          "lang": "Irish",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "feacht n-aon"
        },
        {
          "code": "ga",
          "lang": "Irish",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "fadó fadó"
        },
        {
          "code": "ga",
          "lang": "Irish",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "tráth dá raibh"
        },
        {
          "code": "ga",
          "lang": "Irish",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "lá den saol"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "c'era una volta"
        },
        {
          "code": "jam",
          "lang": "Jamaican Creole",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "one time"
        },
        {
          "alt": "or 昔々, むかしむかし, mukashi-mukashi",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "昔昔"
        },
        {
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "ima wa mukashi",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "今は昔"
        },
        {
          "code": "km",
          "lang": "Khmer",
          "roman": "kaal pii preing niəy",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "កាលពីព្រេងនាយ"
        },
        {
          "code": "km",
          "lang": "Khmer",
          "roman": "kaaldaəmlaəy",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "កាលដើមឡើយ"
        },
        {
          "code": "kpv",
          "lang": "Komi-Zyrian",
          "roman": "olis-vylis",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "оліс-выліс"
        },
        {
          "code": "ko",
          "lang": "Korean",
          "roman": "yennal yetjeoge",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "옛날 옛적에"
        },
        {
          "code": "ko",
          "lang": "Korean",
          "roman": "yennal yetjeok",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "옛날 옛적"
        },
        {
          "code": "ckb",
          "lang": "Central Kurdish",
          "roman": "rojê le rojan",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "ڕۆژێ لە ڕۆژان"
        },
        {
          "code": "ckb",
          "lang": "Central Kurdish",
          "roman": "hebû nebû",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "ھەبوو نەبوو"
        },
        {
          "code": "kmr",
          "lang": "Northern Kurdish",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "hebû tune bû"
        },
        {
          "code": "kmr",
          "lang": "Northern Kurdish",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "hebû nebû"
        },
        {
          "code": "kmr",
          "lang": "Northern Kurdish",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "rojek ji rojan"
        },
        {
          "code": "kmr",
          "lang": "Northern Kurdish",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "carekê ji caran"
        },
        {
          "code": "la",
          "lang": "Latin",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "ōlim"
        },
        {
          "code": "lv",
          "lang": "Latvian",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "reiz sensenos laikos"
        },
        {
          "code": "lt",
          "lang": "Lithuanian",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "seniai, labai seniai"
        },
        {
          "code": "ms",
          "lang": "Malay",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "pada suatu masa"
        },
        {
          "code": "ms",
          "lang": "Malay",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "pada suatu hari"
        },
        {
          "code": "ml",
          "lang": "Malayalam",
          "roman": "orikkal",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "ഒരിക്കൽ"
        },
        {
          "code": "ml",
          "lang": "Malayalam",
          "roman": "paṇṭorikkal",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "പണ്ടൊരിക്കൽ"
        },
        {
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "tags": [
            "singular"
          ],
          "word": "tērā tētahi"
        },
        {
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "tags": [
            "plural"
          ],
          "word": "tērā ētahi"
        },
        {
          "code": "nb",
          "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "det var en gang"
        },
        {
          "code": "nn",
          "lang": "Norwegian Nynorsk",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "det var ein gong"
        },
        {
          "code": "ang",
          "lang": "Old English",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "ǣr"
        },
        {
          "code": "ang",
          "lang": "Old English",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "ġēara"
        },
        {
          "code": "ang",
          "lang": "Old English",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "ġēardagum"
        },
        {
          "code": "ang",
          "lang": "Old English",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "fyrn"
        },
        {
          "code": "ang",
          "lang": "Old English",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "ġefyrn"
        },
        {
          "code": "fa",
          "lang": "Persian",
          "roman": "ruzi ruzegâri",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "روزی روزگاری"
        },
        {
          "code": "fa",
          "lang": "Persian",
          "roman": "yeki bud yeki nabud",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "یکی بود یکی نبود"
        },
        {
          "code": "fa",
          "lang": "Persian",
          "roman": "ruzi az ruz-hâ",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "روزی از روزها"
        },
        {
          "code": "pdt",
          "lang": "Plautdietsch",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "donnemol"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "pewnego razu"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "dawno, dawno temu"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "za górami, za lasami"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "era uma vez"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "havia uma vez"
        },
        {
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "a fost odată"
        },
        {
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "a fost odată ca niciodată"
        },
        {
          "code": "sa",
          "lang": "Sanskrit",
          "roman": "purākāle",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "पुराकाले"
        },
        {
          "code": "sa",
          "lang": "Sanskrit",
          "roman": "kadācit",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "कदाचित्"
        },
        {
          "code": "sc",
          "lang": "Sardinian",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "B'aiat una borta"
        },
        {
          "code": "gd",
          "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "bha siud ann uaireigin"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "érase una vez"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "había una vez"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "era una vez"
        },
        {
          "code": "srn",
          "lang": "Sranan Tongo",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "er tin tin"
        },
        {
          "code": "sw",
          "lang": "Swahili",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "hapo zamani za kale"
        },
        {
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "det var en gång"
        },
        {
          "code": "tl",
          "lang": "Tagalog",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "noóng unang panahón"
        },
        {
          "code": "ta",
          "lang": "Tamil",
          "roman": "muṉpu otu tāḷ",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "முன்பு ஒது தாள்"
        },
        {
          "code": "ta",
          "lang": "Tamil",
          "roman": "muṉpu otu kālam",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "முன்பு ஒது காலம்"
        },
        {
          "code": "te",
          "lang": "Telugu",
          "roman": "okānokappuḍu",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "ఒకానొకప్పుడు"
        },
        {
          "code": "th",
          "lang": "Thai",
          "roman": "gaa-lá-kráng-nʉ̀ng",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "กาลครั้งหนึ่ง"
        },
        {
          "code": "tpi",
          "lang": "Tok Pisin",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "bipo tru"
        },
        {
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "bir varmış, bir yokmuş"
        },
        {
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "žyly-buly",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "жили-були"
        },
        {
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "davnym davno",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "давним давно"
        },
        {
          "code": "ur",
          "lang": "Urdu",
          "roman": "kisī zamāne mẽ",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "کسی زمانے میں"
        },
        {
          "code": "vi",
          "lang": "Vietnamese",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "ngày xửa ngày xưa"
        },
        {
          "code": "cy",
          "lang": "Welsh",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "unwaith"
        },
        {
          "code": "wo",
          "lang": "Wolof",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "amone nafi"
        },
        {
          "code": "yi",
          "lang": "Yiddish",
          "roman": "a mol",
          "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
          "word": "אַ מאָל"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈwʌns.əˈpɑn.əˈtaɪ̯m/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Persent101-once upon a time.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/6/64/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Persent101-once_upon_a_time.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Persent101-once_upon_a_time.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/6/64/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Persent101-once_upon_a_time.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Persent101-once_upon_a_time.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "once upon a time"
}
{
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "once upon a time (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adv"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adv",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "Bashkir terms with redundant script codes",
        "English adverbs",
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
        "English lemmas",
        "English multiword terms",
        "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
        "English terms with audio links",
        "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples",
        "English uncomparable adverbs",
        "Mandarin terms with redundant transliterations",
        "Requests for review of Russian translations",
        "Requests for review of Serbo-Croatian translations",
        "Requests for review of Slovak translations",
        "Urdu terms with non-redundant manual transliterations",
        "en:Fairy tale",
        "en:Fiction",
        "en:Narratology",
        "en:Past",
        "en:Plot devices"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I don't speak Spanish, but I could read it pretty well once upon a time.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 308",
          "text": "There was once upon a time a charcoal-burner who had a son, and he was also a charcoal-burner.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "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 {{{pg}}}",
          "text": "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.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2023, A. C. MacDonald, Twistwood Tales (comic), Andrews McMeel, page 138",
          "text": "Once upon a time, there was a Goblin Queen\nAnd she lived in a grand palace...",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A long time ago; at some time in the past (a traditional beginning of children's stories, especially fairy tales)."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "stories",
          "story#English"
        ],
        [
          "fairy tale",
          "fairy tale#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈwʌns.əˈpɑn.əˈtaɪ̯m/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Persent101-once upon a time.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/6/64/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Persent101-once_upon_a_time.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Persent101-once_upon_a_time.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/6/64/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Persent101-once_upon_a_time.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Persent101-once_upon_a_time.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "sense": "a long time ago",
      "word": "anciently"
    },
    {
      "word": "way back"
    },
    {
      "word": "long ago"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "abe",
      "lang": "Abenaki",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "agwa"
    },
    {
      "code": "sq",
      "lang": "Albanian",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "na ishte njëherë"
    },
    {
      "code": "ar",
      "lang": "Arabic",
      "roman": "kān yāmā kān",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "كَان يَامَا كَان"
    },
    {
      "code": "arq",
      "lang": "Algerian Arabic",
      "roman": "jaytek mā jaytek",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "جيتك ما جيتك"
    },
    {
      "code": "ary",
      "lang": "Arabic",
      "roman": "ḥājītak mā jītak",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "tags": [
        "Moroccan-Arabic"
      ],
      "word": "حاجيتك ما جيتك"
    },
    {
      "code": "hy",
      "lang": "Armenian",
      "roman": "kar-čʿkar",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "կար-չկար"
    },
    {
      "code": "hy",
      "lang": "Armenian",
      "roman": "linum ē, čʿi linum",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "լինում է, չի լինում"
    },
    {
      "code": "ast",
      "lang": "Asturian",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "ello foi una vegada"
    },
    {
      "code": "az",
      "lang": "Azerbaijani",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "biri var idi, biri yox idi"
    },
    {
      "code": "az",
      "lang": "Azerbaijani",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "günlərin bir günündə"
    },
    {
      "code": "ba",
      "lang": "Bashkir",
      "roman": "boron-boron zamanda",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "борон-борон заманда"
    },
    {
      "code": "eu",
      "lang": "Basque",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "bazen behin"
    },
    {
      "code": "eu",
      "lang": "Basque",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "behin batean"
    },
    {
      "code": "br",
      "lang": "Breton",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "ur wech e oa"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "imalo edno vreme",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "имало едно време"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "hi havia una vegada"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "això era una vegada"
    },
    {
      "code": "ceb",
      "lang": "Cebuano",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "kaniadtong panahona"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "hěnjiǔ hěnjiǔ yǐqián",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "很久很久以前"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "從前"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "cóngqián",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "从前"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "bylo nebylo"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "der var engang"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "er was eens"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "iam estis"
    },
    {
      "code": "et",
      "lang": "Estonian",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "oli kord"
    },
    {
      "code": "et",
      "lang": "Estonian",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "elas kord"
    },
    {
      "code": "et",
      "lang": "Estonian",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "üks kord ennemuistsel ajal"
    },
    {
      "code": "et",
      "lang": "Estonian",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "ükskord"
    },
    {
      "code": "fo",
      "lang": "Faroese",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "einaferð var tað"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "olipa kerran"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "olipa kerran kauan sitten"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "il était une fois"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "il y avait une fois"
    },
    {
      "code": "gl",
      "lang": "Galician",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "había unha vez"
    },
    {
      "code": "gl",
      "lang": "Galician",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "cando os animais falaban"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "iq̇o da ara iq̇o ra",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "იყო და არა იყო რა"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "iq̇o da ara iq̇o ra, ɣvtis uḳetesi ra ikneboda",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "იყო და არა იყო რა, ღვთის უკეთესი რა იქნებოდა"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "es war einmal"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "mia forá ki énan kairó",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "μια φορά κι έναν καιρό"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "mia forá ítan den ítan",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "μια φορά ήταν δεν ήταν"
    },
    {
      "code": "grc",
      "lang": "Ancient Greek",
      "roman": "ên gár pote khrónos",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "ἦν γάρ ποτε χρόνος"
    },
    {
      "code": "grc",
      "lang": "Ancient Greek",
      "roman": "hoútō pot' ên mûs kaì galê",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "οὕτω ποτ' ἦν μῦς καὶ γαλῆ"
    },
    {
      "code": "he",
      "lang": "Hebrew",
      "roman": "hayó hayá",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "הָיֹה הָיָה"
    },
    {
      "code": "hi",
      "lang": "Hindi",
      "roman": "kisī zamāne mẽ",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "किसी ज़माने में"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "egyszer volt, hol nem volt"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "hol volt, hol nem volt"
    },
    {
      "code": "is",
      "lang": "Icelandic",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "einu sinni var"
    },
    {
      "code": "is",
      "lang": "Icelandic",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "það var einu sinni"
    },
    {
      "code": "io",
      "lang": "Ido",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "olim"
    },
    {
      "code": "ig",
      "lang": "Igbo",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "orue otu mgbe"
    },
    {
      "code": "id",
      "lang": "Indonesian",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "pada suatu hari"
    },
    {
      "code": "ia",
      "lang": "Interlingua",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "il era un vice"
    },
    {
      "code": "ia",
      "lang": "Interlingua",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "olim"
    },
    {
      "code": "ga",
      "lang": "Irish",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "feacht n-aon"
    },
    {
      "code": "ga",
      "lang": "Irish",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "fadó fadó"
    },
    {
      "code": "ga",
      "lang": "Irish",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "tráth dá raibh"
    },
    {
      "code": "ga",
      "lang": "Irish",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "lá den saol"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "c'era una volta"
    },
    {
      "code": "jam",
      "lang": "Jamaican Creole",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "one time"
    },
    {
      "alt": "or 昔々, むかしむかし, mukashi-mukashi",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "昔昔"
    },
    {
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "ima wa mukashi",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "今は昔"
    },
    {
      "code": "km",
      "lang": "Khmer",
      "roman": "kaal pii preing niəy",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "កាលពីព្រេងនាយ"
    },
    {
      "code": "km",
      "lang": "Khmer",
      "roman": "kaaldaəmlaəy",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "កាលដើមឡើយ"
    },
    {
      "code": "kpv",
      "lang": "Komi-Zyrian",
      "roman": "olis-vylis",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "оліс-выліс"
    },
    {
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "roman": "yennal yetjeoge",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "옛날 옛적에"
    },
    {
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "roman": "yennal yetjeok",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "옛날 옛적"
    },
    {
      "code": "ckb",
      "lang": "Central Kurdish",
      "roman": "rojê le rojan",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "ڕۆژێ لە ڕۆژان"
    },
    {
      "code": "ckb",
      "lang": "Central Kurdish",
      "roman": "hebû nebû",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "ھەبوو نەبوو"
    },
    {
      "code": "kmr",
      "lang": "Northern Kurdish",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "hebû tune bû"
    },
    {
      "code": "kmr",
      "lang": "Northern Kurdish",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "hebû nebû"
    },
    {
      "code": "kmr",
      "lang": "Northern Kurdish",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "rojek ji rojan"
    },
    {
      "code": "kmr",
      "lang": "Northern Kurdish",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "carekê ji caran"
    },
    {
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "ōlim"
    },
    {
      "code": "lv",
      "lang": "Latvian",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "reiz sensenos laikos"
    },
    {
      "code": "lt",
      "lang": "Lithuanian",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "seniai, labai seniai"
    },
    {
      "code": "ms",
      "lang": "Malay",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "pada suatu masa"
    },
    {
      "code": "ms",
      "lang": "Malay",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "pada suatu hari"
    },
    {
      "code": "ml",
      "lang": "Malayalam",
      "roman": "orikkal",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "ഒരിക്കൽ"
    },
    {
      "code": "ml",
      "lang": "Malayalam",
      "roman": "paṇṭorikkal",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "പണ്ടൊരിക്കൽ"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "tags": [
        "singular"
      ],
      "word": "tērā tētahi"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "tērā ētahi"
    },
    {
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "det var en gang"
    },
    {
      "code": "nn",
      "lang": "Norwegian Nynorsk",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "det var ein gong"
    },
    {
      "code": "ang",
      "lang": "Old English",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "ǣr"
    },
    {
      "code": "ang",
      "lang": "Old English",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "ġēara"
    },
    {
      "code": "ang",
      "lang": "Old English",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "ġēardagum"
    },
    {
      "code": "ang",
      "lang": "Old English",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "fyrn"
    },
    {
      "code": "ang",
      "lang": "Old English",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "ġefyrn"
    },
    {
      "code": "fa",
      "lang": "Persian",
      "roman": "ruzi ruzegâri",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "روزی روزگاری"
    },
    {
      "code": "fa",
      "lang": "Persian",
      "roman": "yeki bud yeki nabud",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "یکی بود یکی نبود"
    },
    {
      "code": "fa",
      "lang": "Persian",
      "roman": "ruzi az ruz-hâ",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "روزی از روزها"
    },
    {
      "code": "pdt",
      "lang": "Plautdietsch",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "donnemol"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "pewnego razu"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "dawno, dawno temu"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "za górami, za lasami"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "era uma vez"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "havia uma vez"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "a fost odată"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "a fost odată ca niciodată"
    },
    {
      "code": "sa",
      "lang": "Sanskrit",
      "roman": "purākāle",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "पुराकाले"
    },
    {
      "code": "sa",
      "lang": "Sanskrit",
      "roman": "kadācit",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "कदाचित्"
    },
    {
      "code": "sc",
      "lang": "Sardinian",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "B'aiat una borta"
    },
    {
      "code": "gd",
      "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "bha siud ann uaireigin"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "érase una vez"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "había una vez"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "era una vez"
    },
    {
      "code": "srn",
      "lang": "Sranan Tongo",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "er tin tin"
    },
    {
      "code": "sw",
      "lang": "Swahili",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "hapo zamani za kale"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "det var en gång"
    },
    {
      "code": "tl",
      "lang": "Tagalog",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "noóng unang panahón"
    },
    {
      "code": "ta",
      "lang": "Tamil",
      "roman": "muṉpu otu tāḷ",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "முன்பு ஒது தாள்"
    },
    {
      "code": "ta",
      "lang": "Tamil",
      "roman": "muṉpu otu kālam",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "முன்பு ஒது காலம்"
    },
    {
      "code": "te",
      "lang": "Telugu",
      "roman": "okānokappuḍu",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "ఒకానొకప్పుడు"
    },
    {
      "code": "th",
      "lang": "Thai",
      "roman": "gaa-lá-kráng-nʉ̀ng",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "กาลครั้งหนึ่ง"
    },
    {
      "code": "tpi",
      "lang": "Tok Pisin",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "bipo tru"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "bir varmış, bir yokmuş"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "žyly-buly",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "жили-були"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "davnym davno",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "давним давно"
    },
    {
      "code": "ur",
      "lang": "Urdu",
      "roman": "kisī zamāne mẽ",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "کسی زمانے میں"
    },
    {
      "code": "vi",
      "lang": "Vietnamese",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "ngày xửa ngày xưa"
    },
    {
      "code": "cy",
      "lang": "Welsh",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "unwaith"
    },
    {
      "code": "wo",
      "lang": "Wolof",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "amone nafi"
    },
    {
      "code": "yi",
      "lang": "Yiddish",
      "roman": "a mol",
      "sense": "traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales",
      "word": "אַ מאָל"
    }
  ],
  "word": "once upon a time"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-01 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (f4fd8c9 and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.