〜までに

〜までに is a particle that functions as a by (deadline) in Japanese sentences. Particles are the building blocks of Japanese grammar — small words that define the grammatical relationship between other words. Mastering 〜までに is essential for constructing correct and natural-sounding sentences.

This is an intermediate pattern used regularly in everyday Japanese conversation and writing.

When to Use#

• When specifying a deadline that must be met
• When something needs to happen before a certain time

When NOT to Use#

• In very formal writing where a more sophisticated expression would be expected

Example Sentences#

• 配達は明日の夕方までに届きます。 — The delivery will arrive by tomorrow evening.
• 金曜日までに書類を用意していただけますか。 — Please have the document ready by Friday.
• 来週までに会議に登録しなければなりません。 — I must register for the conference by next week.

Practice#

Try reading these sentences aloud, then check the translation and vocabulary:

Common Mistakes#

1. Omitting 〜までに in contexts where it's required — While particles can sometimes be dropped in very casual speech, omitting 〜までに in the wrong context changes the meaning or sounds ungrammatical.