まで vs までに: 'Until' vs 'By' in Japanese (with Examples)
The core difference
Both mark a time limit, but they differ on what kind of action they take — one that continues, or one that completes:
| Form | Core idea | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜まで | 'until' — the action CONTINUES up to that time | 5時まで待つ = wait until 5 (waiting lasts the whole time) |
| 〜までに | 'by' — a ONE-TIME action must finish by that time | 5時までに来る = come by 5 (arriving happens once, before 5) |
The rule is simple: まで takes a verb that lasts (waiting, sleeping, working), while までに takes a verb that finishes once (coming, submitting, deciding). The English gives it away too — "until" for まで, "by" for までに.
See it in one situation
Same 5 o'clock, two very different instructions:
先生は5時まで待ちます。
せんせいは ごじ まで まちます。
The teacher waits until 5.
まで + 待つ, a continuous action — the waiting lasts all the way to 5.
先生は5時までに来ます。
せんせいは ごじ まで に きます。
The teacher comes by 5.
までに + 来る, a one-time action — arriving just has to happen before 5.
The first says the waiting stretches across the whole stretch of time. The second says nothing about the in-between — only that arriving is done by the deadline. モチ can show up at 4:30 and still be "by 5."
〜まで — the "until" that lasts
Use まで when the action continues up to the time point. It attaches to a time, a place, or an event, and the verb is usually one that can go on: 待つ, 寝る, 働く, いる.
ヤッタンは朝まで寝ました。
ヤッタンは あさ まで ねました。
Yattan slept until morning.
寝る continues through the night — the sleeping lasts until morning.
弟は9時までゲームをしました。
おとうとは くじ まで げーむを しました。
My little brother played games until 9.
Playing goes on the whole time up to 9 — a lasting action, so まで.
Because まで tracks a span, it answers "how long?" — the action fills the time from now up to that endpoint.
Full details: 〜まで guide.
〜までに — the "by" deadline
Use までに when a one-time action must be completed at or before the time. The verb names a single event: 来る, 出す, 終わる, 決める, 帰る.
モチは金曜日までに宿題を出します。
モチは きんようび まで に しゅくだいを だします。
Mochi submits the homework by Friday.
出す happens once; までに sets the deadline it must beat.
ヤッタンは10時までに帰ります。
ヤッタンは じゅうじ まで に かえります。
Yattan goes home by 10.
帰る is a single completed action — it just needs to be done by 10.
Because までに marks a cutoff, it answers "by when?" — the action doesn't fill the time, it only has to land before the line.
Full details: 〜までに guide.
A useful contrast: what the verb tells you
- まで goes with verbs that keep going: 待つ (wait), 寝る (sleep), 働く (work), 使う (use). The action occupies the whole span.
- までに goes with verbs that finish once: 来る (come), 出す (submit), 終わる (finish), 決める (decide). The action just needs to beat the clock.
So if you can ask "for how long?" it's まで; if you can ask "by when?" it's までに.
Common mistakes
- Using まで with a one-time verb. "Come by 5" is 5時までに来る, not 5時まで来る. 来る happens once, so it needs までに.
- Using までに with a continuous verb. "Wait until 5" is 5時まで待つ, not 5時までに待つ. Waiting lasts, so it takes まで.
- Translating both as "until." English "by" is までに; only "until / up to" is まで. If you mean a deadline, add に.
- Dropping the に in a deadline. "Submit by Friday" needs までに: 金曜日までに出す, not 金曜日まで出す (which would wrongly mean "keep submitting until Friday").
Quick recap
- まで = "until" + a continuous verb → the action lasts up to that time.
- までに = "by" + a one-time verb → the action must finish before that time.
- まで is how long it lasts; までに is when it has to be done.
- Continuous verb (待つ・寝る・働く) → まで; completion verb (来る・出す・終わる) → までに.
- Ask "for how long?" (まで) vs "by when?" (までに).
Your turn
Choose まで or までに for each sentence, and check whether the verb continues or finishes once.
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
Which expression best fits the blank?
＿＿＿帰ります。
Frequently asked questions
What's the quickest way to choose between まで and までに?
Look at the verb. A continuous action (wait, sleep, work) takes まで — it lasts up to the time. A one-time action (come, submit, finish) takes までに — it just has to be done by the deadline.
Why is 5時までに待つ wrong?
待つ (wait) is a continuous action that fills the time, so it needs まで: 5時まで待つ ('wait until 5'). までに is for one-time actions with a deadline, like 5時までに来る ('come by 5').
Does まで only mean time?
No — まで also marks a place or endpoint ('as far as'), e.g. 駅まで歩く ('walk to the station'). But when comparing with までに, the key point is the time sense: 'until' (continuing) vs 'by' (deadline).
What's the difference in one line?
まで is 'how long it lasts'; までに is 'when it has to be done.' まで = the action continues up to the time; までに = a one-time action finishes before the time.
The patterns compared here
Full guide for each pattern in this comparison: