The Other Day
Recently, In Front of This
noun, の adjective
この means "this", and you know what the word 前 means (front/before). The combination of these words, "this before" if you will, can mean a few different things. If we're talking about when something happened, the "before" meaning kicks in, and it means the other day or recently. If we're talking about location, then the "front" meaning kicks in, and it means in front of this.
The reading for 前 is the kun'yomi, like the reading for the vocabulary word 前. So long as you know that word, you'll be able to read this one too. The reason it's not on'yomi is because it's like two words put together. The word この and the word 前.
この前食べた
ate the other day
この前見た
saw the other day
この前会った
met the other day
この前、木の上に毛虫がいたんです。
The other day, there was a caterpillar on the tree.
この前までは、ここには花や草やシイタケが生えてたんです。
Until recently, there were flowers, plants, and shiitake mushrooms growing here.
この前のテレビ番組に、あの女の人が出てました。
That woman was on a TV show the other day.