まで and までに
まで and までに are two of the most confused pieces of Japanese grammar. They are adverbial particles that attach directly to a time and indicate either by or until. Please note that these are not all of the uses below, just the ones relevant to N5.
まで
Do until
Time/Destination +まで
Verb dictionary form + まで
まで means “do until” This means the action should continue until a point in time.
まで is the end time of an action.
- 12時まで待ってください。- Please wait until 12:00.
- 17時まで働く – Work until 17:00 (5pm).
- 18時まで飲んでいい。- It’s ok to drink (it) until 18:00
- 学校までがまんする – Bear with it until we get to school.
Past tense sentences are made by changing the final verb to past tense.
- 授業が終わるまで勉強した – Studied until class finished.
までに
Do by
Time + までに
Verb dictionary + までに
までに means “do by”. In other words its a due date/time for the completion of an action.
If it helps, you can think of it as 前に; However までに is a deadline rather than a statement of when.
までに is used to tell when an action should be completed by.
- 明日までにしてください。 – Do it by (before) tomorrow.
- 11時までに食べてください – Eat by (before) 11:00. (Finish eating by)
- 私が帰るまでにやってください – Do it before (by the time) I get/go home.
- 先週までに間に合った – I made it in time for last week.
Incorrect examples
- 16時までに働いてください – Do (some) work by 16:00. ✖
- 14までに待ってください - wait (some amount) before 14:00 ✖
- 授業が終わったまで勉強した – Studied by ended of class. ✖
- 私が帰ったまでにやってください。- Do it before I already went home. ✖
- 彼が帰ったまでにやりました – Did it before he already went home ✖