まで
made[ma̠de̞]
The Japanese word for "until" is まで (made). Wiktionary also lists …まで.
Meaning: before (conj)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| まで | made | [ma̠de̞] (narrow) |
| …まで |
まで is used as a conjunction or preposition meaning "before" or "up to the time of". It indicates a continuous state or action that lasts up to a certain point.
Which one should you use?
Use まで (made) to indicate a continuous state or action that lasts up to a certain point, whereas 迄 (made) is the same word but often used in written contexts to mean 'up to' or 'as far as'.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
made
Did you know?
- まで can be used to express an extreme degree, similar to saying 'even' in English, such as saying 'even a child could do it'.
- While まで marks a limit, Japanese uses a different word, までに, to indicate a deadline by which something must be completed.
- The word might be conceptually linked to the word 的 (mato), meaning 'target'.
Examples in context
- 夜まで待とう。Let's wait until night.This sentence is useful for showing how to use まで with a time of day.Tatoeba #12976441 by small_snow, translation #9498553 by shekitten
- 日曜まで雨です。It'll rain until Sunday.This sentence is useful for showing how to use まで with a day of the week.Tatoeba #11858053 by small_snow, translation #10181703 by ddnktr
- 昼まで寝てました。I slept until noon.Tatoeba #10156125 by small_snow, translation #5860685 by CK
- 7時まで待ってください。Please wait until 7 o'clock.
- 明日までにレポートを提出してください。Please submit the report by tomorrow.
- 明日まで休みだよ。I'm off until tomorrow.
- 388 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are planning their study session at a cafe.
- 結衣 Yui何時まで勉強しますか？Nanji made benkyou shimasu ka?Until what time will you study?
- 蓮 Ren五時までです。Goji made desu.Until five o'clock.
- 結衣 Yuiじゃあ、五時まで一緒に頑張ろう！Jaa, goji made issho ni ganbarou!Then, let's do our best together until five!
- 蓮 Renうん、頑張ろうね。Un, ganbarou ne.Yeah, let's do it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “until” translations and entries まで, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries まで, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
