そのダムが造られる前、ここには村があった。

that (something or someone distant from the speaker, close to the listener; actions of the listener, or ideas expressed or understood by the listener); the; um...; er...; uh...

dam; dumb

indicates sentence subject (occasionally object); indicates possessive (esp. in literary expressions); but; however; still; and

to make; to produce; to manufacture; to build; to construct; to prepare (food); to brew (alcohol); to raise; to grow; to cultivate; to train; to till; to draw up (a document); to make out; to prepare; to write; to create (an artistic work, etc.); to compose; to coin (a phrase); to organize; to organise; to establish; to found; to have (a child); to make up (one's face, etc.); to fabricate (an excuse, etc.); to form (a line, etc.); to set (a record); to commit (a sin, etc.)

ago; before (some event); previously; (minutes) to (the hour); in front (of); before (e.g. the house); head (of a line); front (e.g. of a bus); fore part; in the presence of; helping; portion; privates; private parts

here (place physically close to the speaker, place pointed by the speaker while explaining); this place; these last (followed by a duration noun and a past sentence: time period before the present time of the speaker); these next ... (followed by a duration noun and a non past sentence: time period after the present time of the speaker); the next ...

at (place, time); in; on; during; to (direction, state); toward; into; for (purpose); because of (reason); for; with; by; from; as (i.e. in the role of); per; in; for; a (e.g. "once a month"); and; in addition to; if; although

topic marker particle; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis

village

to be (usu. of inanimate objects); to exist; to live; to have; to be located; to be equipped with; to happen; to come about