〜まで

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

This is a foundational pattern that you will use from day one of your Japanese studies.

When to Use#

• Time endpoint: 5時まで待ちます (I'll wait until 5)
• Place endpoint: 駅まで歩いた (I walked to the station)
• Extent or degree: そこまでする必要はない (You don't need to go that far)

When NOT to Use#

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

Example Sentences#

• 毎日会社まで歩きます。 — I walk to work every day.
• 駅まで30分かかります。 — It takes 30 minutes to get to the station.
• スーパーは夜9時までです。 — The supermarket is open until 9 PM.

Practice#

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

Common Mistakes#

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