By a deadline: 〜までに
Time／dict. + までに
Time or verb + までに = by, no later than (deadline, one-off action). まで = until (an action that lasts).
In short
までに sets a deadline: the action must be done by that time at the latest. 金曜日までに 出して ください, “hand it in by Friday”. Don't confuse it with まで, which says an action lasts until a certain time.
- 金曜日までに レポートを 出して ください。きんようびまでに れぽーとを だして ください。Please hand in your report by Friday.
- 五時までに 帰ります。ごじまでに かえります。I'll be home by five.
- 会議が 始まるまでに、資料を コピーして おいて ください。かいぎが はじまるまでに、しりょうを こぴーして おいて ください。Please photocopy the documents before the meeting starts.
The basics
まで (N5) means “until”: the action continues non-stop up to that time. までに means “by, no later than”: the action happens once, any time before the limit. English makes exactly the same distinction with “until” and “by”. It's the word for deadlines, appointments and instructions.
Please hand in your report by Friday.
- noun
- verb
- grammatical form
- あしたまでに 返事を ください。あしたまでに へんじを ください。Please give me your answer by tomorrow.
- 三十歳までに けっこんしたい。さんじゅっさいまでに けっこんしたい。I'd like to get married by the time I'm thirty.
まで or までに?
Look at the verb. If it describes an action that lasts (working, sleeping, waiting, being on holiday), it's まで. If it describes a one-off action that must be done before a limit (handing in, arriving, getting up, finishing), it's までに.
| まで (continuous) | までに (deadline) |
|---|---|
| 五時まで 働く (I work until 5) | 五時までに 帰る (I'll be home by 5) |
| 十時まで 寝る (I sleep until 10) | 十時までに 起きる (I get up by 10) |
| 金曜日まで 休みだ (off until Friday) | 金曜日までに 出す (hand in by Friday) |
- 十時まで 寝て いました。じゅうじまで ねて いました。I slept until ten.
- 十時までに 起きて ください。じゅうじまでに おきて ください。Get up by ten.
With a verb, and the difference from まえに
までに also goes after a dictionary-form verb: 始まるまでに, “by the time it starts”. まえに (N5) only says “before”, with no idea of a limit to respect; までに stresses the deadline.
- 母が 帰るまでに、部屋を かたづけなくちゃ。ははが かえるまでに、へやを かたづけなくちゃ。I've got to tidy my room before my mother gets home.
- 寝る まえに、歯を みがきます。ねる まえに、はを みがきます。I brush my teeth before going to bed. (just the order of actions)
Common mistakes
- Forgetting に: “金曜日まで 出して ください” would mean “keep handing it in until Friday”.
- Using a lasting verb with までに: “五時までに 働く” doesn't work; it's 五時まで 働く.
- Translating every “before” with まえに: when there's a deadline, it's までに.
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 N4 point is on the New Tram Line (At work) of the Osaka subway.