前の冬は雪が多かった。

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

indicates possessive; nominalizes verbs and adjectives; substitutes for "ga" in subordinate phrases; (at sentence-end, falling tone) indicates a confident conclusion; (at sentence-end) indicates emotional emphasis; (at sentence-end, rising tone) indicates question

winter

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

snow

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

many; numerous