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JLPT N5Particles

まで(made) — Endpoint & Limit

Marks the endpoint of a time span, distance, or range ('until' / 'up to'). It implies a continuous action or state that runs up to and stops at that point.

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Free lessonUNIT 1 · PARTICLES

Structure · 形

[Time/Place] まで [Verb]

Examples · 例文

  • 5時まで働きます。

    Goji made hatarakimasu.

    I work until 5 o'clock.

    5時 (5 o'clock) まで (until = the continuous action ends here)

  • 駅まで歩いて10分です。

    Eki made aruite juppun desu.

    It's a 10-minute walk to the station.

    駅 (station) まで (up to that location)

  • 月曜日から金曜日まで勉強します。

    Getsuyoubi kara kin'youbi made benkyou shimasu.

    I study from Monday to Friday.

    から…まで = the classic 'from…to' pair

Usage notes · 注意

  • まで vs までに (crucial): まで = continuous action UP TO a point ('I'll study until 5 PM'). までに = a deadline BY WHICH a single action completes ('Please submit the report by 5 PM').
  • Extent 'even': まで can also mean 'even', marking an extreme extent: 子供まで知っている (even a child knows it).

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones まで is tested against.

vsまでに (deadline)

まで expresses a continuous action lasting up to a time (5時まで待つ = wait until 5); までに sets a deadline for a one-time completed action (5時までに出す = submit by 5).

vsから (starting point)

まで marks the END of a span ('to/until'); から marks the START ('from'). Together: から…まで.

More particles

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