za górami, za lasami

Polish

Alternative forms

• za lasami, za górami

Etymology

Literally, “beyond [the] mountains, beyond [the] woods”.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /za ɡuˈra.mi | za laˈsa.mi/
• Syllabification: za gó‧ra‧mi, za la‧sa‧mi

Adverb

za górami, za lasami (not comparable)

1. (idiomatic) once upon a time (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales)

   Synonyms: dawno, dawno temu; pewnego razu

2. (humorous, idiomatic) somewhere far away

Usage notes

It is often extended and several additional words are added, e.g. “za górami, za lasami, za siedmioma dolinami” (Literally, “beyond the mountains, beyond the woods, beyond the seven valleys”).

Further reading

• za górami, za lasami in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• za górami, za lasami in Polish dictionaries at PWN