Video
Let’s watch this short video for a quick overview.
Source: gokigen japanese official YouTube Channel
Introduction
Want to say “I’ll wait until it stops raining” or “I’ll keep working hard until I pass the exam?”
Use V (present short) + まで to express that something happens until a certain action or point is reached.
1. Structure & Meaning
- Pattern: V (present short, affirmative) + まで
- Meaning: do/continue X until the verbed event happens.
雨が止むまで待ちます。
I’ll wait until it stops raining.
The V(present short) + まで construction is used to express the idea of “until” something happens or a certain point is reached.
2. Conjugation Rule You Must Remember
The verb before まで is always present, short, affirmative—even when the main sentence is in the past.
Example:
- I used to live with my parents until I became a college student.
- ✅ 大学生になるまで、両親と暮らしていました。
- ❌ 大学生になったまで…。
- I studied Japanese every day until I went to Japan.
- ✅ 日本に行くまで、毎日 日本語を勉強しました。
- ❌ 日本に行ったまで…。
There is no negative form before まで in this pattern. You never say “大学生にならないまで” or “日本に行かないまで“.
When the subject changes before and after まで, the subject inside the まで clause is marked by が.
- 田中さんが来るまで、吉田さんはカフェで待っていました。
Mr. Yoshida waited at the café until Mr. Tanaka arrived.
→ “田中さんは来るまで” is unnatural. - 雨が止むまで（私は）ここで待ちます。
I’ll wait here until the rain stops.
→ “雨は止むまで” is unnatural.
3. Relevant grammar: Noun + まで (Until…)
You can also use まで with nouns instead of verbs.
Example:
- 朝まで = until morning
- 夜まで = until evening
- 明日まで = until tomorrow
- 来週まで = until next week
- 来月まで = until next month
- いつまで = until when / how long (until what time or date)
- 何時まで= until what time
昨日、友だちと朝まで飲みました。
Yesterday, I drank with my friends until morning.
4. Relevant grammar: まで＋に (By…)
There is a similar grammar pattern “まで + に.”
までに indicates time limit and is used when talking about doing something within a given time period.
Example:
- 朝までに = by morning
- 夜までに = by evening
- 明日までに = by tomorrow
- 来週までに = by next week
- 来月までに = by next month
- いつまでに = by when
- 何時までに = by what time
面接の結果は七時までにわかるそうです。
I heard I will know the results of the interview by 7:00.
Comparison between まで and までに
- N + まで / V + まで = until (continuing up to a limit)
- [N + まで] 八時までゲームをしました。 = I played games until eight o’clock.
- [V + まで] 三十歳になるまで両親と暮らしていました。= I lived with my parents until I turned thirty.
- までに = by (deadline/time limit)
- 八時 までにゲームをやめなさい。= (From mother to child) Stop playing games by eight o’clock.
- 三十歳になるまでに 結婚したいです。= I want to get married before I turn thirty.
5. Examples You’ll Actually Say
今日は何時まで勉強しますか。
How late will you study today?
わかりません。このレポートが終わるまで勉強します。
I don’t know. I’ll study until this report is finished.
眠たそうですね。どうしたんですか。
You look sleepy. What happened?
友だちと朝まで飲んだんです。
I was out drinking with friends until morning.
* ～んです: actually / in fact / you see…
明日、いつまでにオフィスに行けばいいですか。
What time should I be at the office tomorrow?
会議が始まるまでにオフィスに行けばいいです。
You should be at the office before the meeting starts.
6. Practice
Convert the cues using V (present short) + まで.
| Cue | Example Answer | English |
|---|---|---|
| 雨／止む／待つ | 雨が止むまで待ちます。 | I’ll wait until the rain stops. |
| 結果／出る／練習する | 結果が出るまで練習します。 | I’ll keep practicing until I see results. |
| 宿題／終わる／寝ない | 宿題が終わるまで寝ません。 | I won’t sleep until my homework is finished. |
| 1キロやせる／おかしを食べない | 1キロやせるまでおかしを食べません。 | I won’t eat sweets until I lose one kilogram. |
FAQ
- QWhat’s the real difference between まで (made) and までに (made ni)?
- A
This is the most common and important question. The difference is Duration vs. Deadline.
- まで (made) = UNTIL (Duration) Use まで when an action continues all the way up to a specific end point. The focus is on the duration of the action.
- Example: 九時まで勉強します。= I will study until 9 o’clock.
- This means the action of studying happens continuously from now until 9.
- までに (made ni) = BY (Deadline) Use までに when a one-time action must be completed at any point before the deadline. The focus is on the deadline.
- Example: 九時までにレポートを出します。= I will submit the report by 9 o’clock.
- This means I can submit it at 7, 8, or 8:59, as long as it’s done by 9.
- まで (made) = UNTIL (Duration) Use まで when an action continues all the way up to a specific end point. The focus is on the duration of the action.
- QHow is まで (made) different from 間に (aida ni)? They both seem to talk about time.
- A
They describe different parts of a time span:
- まで (made) = UNTIL. It marks the end point of a continuous action.
- Example: 映画が始まるまで待ちます。= I will wait until the movie starts.
- 間に (aida ni) = WHILE / DURING. It marks a time span during which another (usually shorter) event happens.
- Example: 映画を観ている間に寝てしまいました。= I fell asleep while watching the movie.
- まで (made) = UNTIL. It marks the end point of a continuous action.
- QCan I use まで (made) with adjectives, like “until it’s cheap”?
- A
You need to combine it with the verb なる (naru – to become). You mark the state you are waiting to achieve.
- 高くて買えません。安くなるまで待ちます。= It’s too expensive for me to buy. I’ll wait until it gets cheaper.
- 部屋が静かになるまで待ってください。= Please wait until the room becomes quiet.
Conclusion
Now you can use V (present short) + まで to mark a clear end-point: keep the verb before まで in present short, affirmative, choose the right main-clause tense, and distinguish まで (until) from までに (by).
With a few real sentences from your day, this “until” pattern will feel natural fast.
