once upon a time

US /wʌns əˈpɑːn ə taɪm/
UK /wʌns əˈpɑːn ə taɪm/
"once upon a time" picture
1.

c'era una volta

used at the beginning of a traditional story to signify that it took place in the distant past

:
Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess who lived in a grand castle.
C'era una volta, una bellissima principessa che viveva in un grande castello.
The storyteller began, "Once upon a time, in a land far away..."
Il narratore iniziò: "C'era una volta, in una terra lontana..."