Even, as far as: 〜まで（も）
Noun + まで
Noun + まで: “even, as far as”, an unexpected item added to the others (先生まで笑った). 〜てまで: “to go so far as to”.
In short
As well as “until, up to” (N5), まで can highlight an unexpected item added to the others: “even, as far as”. 先生まで笑った: “even the teacher laughed” (the pupils were laughing, and the teacher too). The item mentioned goes beyond what you'd have imagined.
- あまりにおもしろくて、先生まで笑った。あまりにおもしろくて、せんせいまでわらった。It was so funny that even the teacher laughed.
- 雨だけでなく、風まで強くなってきた。あめだけでなく、かぜまでつよくなってきた。Not only is it raining, but the wind has picked up too.
- 母はおにぎりだけでなく、お菓子まで作ってくれた。はははおにぎりだけでなく、おかしまでつくってくれた。My mother made me onigiri, and even some cakes.
The basics
まで keeps its image of a limit: “as far as”. Here the limit isn't a place or a time, it's the far end of a series. You list things, then go as far as an item no one expected: “and even that!” — English “even”, “right down to”.
It often comes after 〜だけでなく or 〜も: the first part gives the expected items, まで adds the most surprising one.
It was so funny that even the teacher laughed.
- adjective
- noun
- particle
- verb
- 京都には、日本人だけでなく、世界中から人が来る。犬まで連れてくる人もいる。きょうとには、にほんじんだけでなく、せかいじゅうからひとがくる。いぬまでつれてくるひともいる。People come to Kyoto from all over the world, not just Japanese people. Some even bring their dogs.
How to form it
まで replaces が and を. With に (and other particles), keep the particle: 子どもにまで. You'll also meet 〜までも, which is more emphatic.
With a verb in て, 〜てまで means “to go so far as (doing something excessive)”: 借金してまで買いたくない, “I don't want to go so far as getting into debt to buy it”.
| Construction | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Noun + まで (replacing が / を) | 先生まで笑った | even the teacher laughed |
| Noun + にまで | 子どもにまで笑われた | even children laughed at me |
| 〜までも | 家族までも反対した | even my family was against it (emphatic) |
| Verb in て + まで | 並んでまで食べたい | I want to eat there, even if I have to queue |
- 小さい子どもにまで笑われた。ちいさいこどもにまでわらわれた。Even little children laughed at me.
- 一時間並んでまで、その店のラーメンが食べたい。いちじかんならんでまで、そのみせのらーめんがたべたい。I want to eat that restaurant's ramen, even if it means queuing for an hour.
まで or さえ?
Both translate as “even”. さえ highlights an extreme case, especially to say that even the minimum isn't reached (水さえ飲めない). まで adds one more item to a series, often in an affirmative sentence (先生まで笑った).
And watch out: in 駅まで, 五時まで, まで keeps its ordinary meaning of “until, as far as”. The context (a place, a time, or a person / thing being added) makes the difference.
| Sentence | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 先生まで笑った | even the teacher laughed (on top of the others) |
| 先生でさえ分からない | even the teacher doesn't understand (so as for us…) |
| 五時まで待った | I waited until 5 o'clock |
- この問題は、先生でさえ分からなかった。このもんだいは、せんせいでさえわからなかった。Even the teacher couldn't solve this problem.
- 雨だけでなく、雷まで鳴りだした。あめだけでなく、かみなりまでなりだした。Not only is it raining, but now there's thunder too.
Common mistakes
- Reading まで as “until” in 先生まで笑った: here it means “even”.
- Keeping を or が: 私のケーキまで食べた, not “ケーキをまで”.
- Confusing まで (a surprising addition, rather positive or neutral) with さえ (an extreme case, often negative).
7 exercises on this point
Particles to choose, sentences to put back in order, translations: marked straight away, then reviewed at the right time. This JLPT N3 point is on the Kintetsu Kyōto Line (Competition and danger) of the Kyoto lines.