Processing keyword: ～まで (〜made)

Japanese Grammar Point: ～まで (〜made)

1. Introduction

In Japanese, the particle まで (made) is commonly used to express the idea of "until," "up to," or "as far as." It indicates the end point of an action, time period, location, or even an extent. Mastering まで will enhance your ability to describe limits and durations in Japanese effectively.

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2. Core Grammar Explanation

Meaning

• まで means "until," "up to," "as far as," or "to the extent of."
• It denotes the end point or limit of an action, time, place, or condition.

Structure

まで is attached directly to nouns, verbs, or phrases without any additional particles.

Formation

Usage	Formation
Time Expressions	Time + まで
Place Expressions	Place + まで
Action/State	Verb (dictionary form) + まで

Examples

• Time:
  • 午前9時まで (gozen kuji made)
    Until 9 AM
• Place:
  • 駅まで (eki made)
    Up to the station
• Action/State:
  • 雨が止むまで (ame ga yamu made)
    Until the rain stops

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3. Comparative Analysis

まで vs. までに

• まで indicates "until", focusing on the continuation of an action up to a certain point.
• までに means "by", emphasizing the deadline or time limit by which something should be completed.

  Particle	Meaning	Usage Example	Translation
  まで	Until	昼まで寝ます。	I will sleep until noon.
  までに	By	昼までにレポートを提出します。	I will submit the report by noon.

まで vs. だけ

• まで indicates an end point or limit.
• だけ means "only" or "just", expressing exclusivity.

  Particle	Meaning	Usage Example	Translation
  まで	Until	駅まで歩きます。	I will walk up to the station.
  だけ	Only	一人だけ来ました。	Only one person came.

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4. Examples in Context

Formal Speech

1. 会議は5時まで続きます。
   Kaigi wa go-ji made tsudzukimasu.
   The meeting will continue until 5 o'clock.
2. この電車は次の駅まで止まりません。
   Kono densha wa tsugi no eki made tomarimasen.
   This train doesn't stop until the next station.

Informal Speech

1. 映画が終わるまで待ってて。
   Eiga ga owaru made mattete.
   Wait until the movie ends.
2. 宿題が終わるまで遊べないよ。
   Shukudai ga owaru made asobenai yo.
   I can't play until I finish my homework.

Written Language

1. 彼は成功を収めるまで努力を続けた。
   Kare wa seikō o osameru made doryoku o tsudzuketa.
   He continued his efforts until he achieved success.
2. 雨が止むまで、ここで待ちましょう。
   Ame ga yamu made, koko de machimashō.
   Let's wait here until the rain stops.

Spoken Language

1. 店は夜9時まで開いています。
   Mise wa yoru ku-ji made aiteimasu.
   The store is open until 9 PM.
2. この道をまっすぐ行けば、駅まで行けますよ。
   Kono michi o massugu ikeba, eki made ikemasu yo.
   If you go straight on this road, you can get to the station.

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5. Cultural Notes

Cultural Relevance

• まで is neutral in formality but pairs with verbs and expressions that can vary in politeness.
• It's often used in both casual and formal contexts to indicate limits naturally.

Levels of Politeness

• The politeness level is determined by the verb forms and overall sentence structure, not by まで itself.
  • Formal polite: します (shimasu)
  • Informal casual: する (suru)

Idiomatic Expressions Using まで

1. 死ぬまで (shinu made)
   Until death; for a lifetime
   • 例: 彼女を死ぬまで愛します。
     Kanojo o shinu made aishimasu.
     I will love her until I die.
2. これまで (kore made)
   Until now; up to this point
   • 例: これまでお世話になりました。
     Kore made osewa ni narimashita.
     Thank you for everything up to now.

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6. Common Mistakes and Tips

Error Analysis

• Common Mistake: Using までに when まで is appropriate, and vice versa.
  • Incorrect: 午後5時までに働きます。
    (Gogo go-ji made ni hatarakimasu.)
    I will work by 5 PM.
  • Correction: 午後5時まで働きます。
    (Gogo go-ji made hatarakimasu.)
    I will work until 5 PM.

Learning Strategies

• Tip: Remember that まで indicates a continuous action up to a point, like stretching a rubber band until it snaps.
• Practice: Create pairs of sentences using まで and までに to become familiar with their differences.

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7. Summary and Review

Key Takeaways

• まで expresses the end point or limit of an action, time, or place.
• It translates to "until," "up to," or "as far as."
• Attach まで directly to nouns or the dictionary form of verbs.
• Be careful not to confuse まで (until) with までに (by [a deadline]).

Quick Recap Quiz

1. How do you say "I will wait until 6 o'clock" in Japanese?
   • Answer: 6時まで待ちます。
     (Roku-ji made machimasu.)
2. Which particle indicates a deadline: まで or までに?
   • Answer: までに
3. Translate to English: 彼女は帰国するまで日本語を勉強します。
   • Answer: She will study Japanese until she returns to her country.

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Feel free to revisit the examples and explanations to reinforce your understanding of まで. With practice, using まで will become a natural part of your Japanese communication!

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