Understanding the まで (made) Particle in Japanese – Complete Guide

The まで (made) particle is used in Japanese to express “until”, “up to”, or “as far as.” It marks the end point of time, distance, amount, or action. It is often paired with から (kara) to express from… until…, but it is also used on its own.

Below are the main usages of まで:

1. まで Means “Until” (Time Endpoint)

Use まで to show when an action or state ends.

Examples:

５じまではたらきます。 — I work until 5 o’clock.

あしたまでまちます。 — I will wait until tomorrow.

がっこうは３じまでです。 — School is until 3 o’clock.

2. まで Means “Up To” (Place / Distance Endpoint)

Use まで to show how far something goes in space.

Examples:

うちからえきまであるきます。 — I walk up to the station.

ここまできてください。 — Please come up to here.

くもがやままであります。 — The clouds reach up to the mountain.

3. まで for Amounts / Limits

まで can show the maximum limit of quantity or range.

Examples:

１０００えんまでかえます。 — I can buy it for up to 1000 yen.

１０にんまではいれます。 — Up to 10 people can enter.

ここまでできます。 — I can do up to this point.

4. まで Used with Actions (“Until something happens”)

Until a certain action occurs or condition is met.

Examples:

かれがくるまでまちます。 — I will wait until he comes.

あめがやむまでいえにいます。 — I’ll stay home until the rain stops.

できるまでれんしゅうします。 — I’ll practice until I can do it.

5. から vs まで (From… To…)

Very common pairing:

Examples:

９じから５じまでしごとします。 — I work from 9 to 5.

がくせいは４がつから３がつまでです。 — School year is from April to March.

うちからやままでさんぽしました。 — I walked from my house to the mountain.

6. までに vs まで

These two are very different:

まで = until something continues

までに = by (deadline), not part of the same grammar as particles blog (but learners confuse it)

Quick example:

５じまでねます。 — I sleep until 5.

５じまでにおきます。 — I wake up by 5.

Conclusion

The まで (made) particle is essential for expressing time limits, physical distances, quantity restrictions, and conditions in Japanese. It helps define where something ends—whether in time, space, or action—making sentences clear and natural for daily communication.

Understanding the まで (made) Particle in Japanese: How to Express “Until” and “Up To”