How to tell them apart
まで shows a limit that a continuing action or state reaches, as in 9時まで勉強する for studying until 9. までに shows a deadline by which a single completed action happens, as in 9時までにレポートを出す for turning in a report by 9. まで also covers a range through an endpoint and an extreme case meaning even, as in 子供まで知っている, which までに never means.
- まで Use まで to mark that an action or state continues up to a limit in time, space or quantity, spans through a range, or includes an extreme case as even.
- までに Use までに to mark a deadline no later than which a one time action must be completed.
| Grammar point | Meaning | JLPT level |
|---|---|---|
| まで made | up to (a limit); through (a range); even (an extreme case) | N5 |
| までに madeni | no later than a set time or deadline | N4 |
まで made
up to (a limit); through (a range); even (an extreme case)
まで marks an endpoint in time or space, like 11時まで or ベルリンまで, and can also show the full extent covered, often paired with から. It attaches directly to nouns for times, places, and amounts, and follows a verb in the plain present form as in 寝るまで to mean until an action happens. It can also highlight an extreme case to mean even, as in 子供まで知っている.
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１０時４０分から１１時まで休み時間です。
We have a break from 10:40 to 11:00.
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どこまでドライブに行くの？
How far are you going for a drive?
までに madeni
no later than a set time or deadline
までに marks a deadline and means no later than that point, used when an action must be completed before a set time. It follows a time noun as in 4時までに or 明日までに, or the dictionary form of a verb as in 着くまでに. Unlike まで, which describes an action continuing up to a time, までに stresses completion before the deadline, so it often appears with verbs of finishing.
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早く始めれば昼飯までに終えられる。
If we begin early, we can finish by lunch.
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今週までにはそれを終えてしまいたかったのだが。
I hoped to have finished it by this week.
まで and までに are JLPT N5–N4 grammar points that Japanese learners often mix up. This page compares them side by side on meanings, usage and example sentences, so you can tell them apart.