〜までに: 'By' a Deadline (Meaning + How It Differs from まで)
What it means
〜までに answers the question "by when?" It marks the latest moment at which a single, one-time action has to happen. The action itself doesn't fill the whole time — it just needs to be done before the deadline passes.
Think of English "by": Hand it in by Friday. You don't hand it in for all of Friday; you do it once, at some point, no later than Friday. That single deadline meaning is exactly 〜までに.
ヤッタンは5時までに帰ります。
ヤッタンは ごじまでに かえります。
Yattan will be back by 5.
One action (returning) done before the 5 o'clock deadline.
レポートは金曜日までに出してください。
レポートは きんようびまでに だして ください。
Please hand in the report by Friday.
先生は明日までに返事をくれます。
せんせいは あしたまでに へんじを くれます。
The teacher will give an answer by tomorrow.
How to form it
Just add までに after a time, a noun event, or a dictionary-form verb.
| Attaches to | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Time / date | 時 + までに | 5時までに (by 5 o'clock) |
| Noun (event) | 名詞 + までに | 試験までに (by the exam) |
| Verb (dictionary form) | 辞書形 + までに | 家を出るまでに (by the time I leave home) |
The verb form is always the dictionary (plain non-past) form — even when the action is in the past, までに stays the same: 寝るまでに ("by the time I sleep"), never 寝たまでに.
Using it with a verb event
When the deadline is an action rather than a clock time, use dictionary form + までに. It means "before X happens" / "by the time X happens."
ヤッタンは家を出るまでに宿題を終わらせます。
ヤッタンは いえを でるまでに しゅくだいを おわらせます。
Yattan finishes his homework before leaving the house.
Dictionary form 出る + までに = by the time he leaves.
モチは先生が来るまでに教室を片付けました。
モチは せんせいが くるまでに きょうしつを かたづけました。
Mochi tidied the classroom before the teacher arrived.
The main action is past, but までに still takes the dictionary form 来る.
The key contrast: までに vs まで
This is the part to get right. Both come from まで, but they describe opposite kinds of action.
| Form | Core idea | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜まで | until — a continuous action lasting the whole time, up to a point | 5時まで待つ = wait until 5 (the entire time) |
| 〜までに | by — a one-time action done at some point before a deadline | 5時までに来る = come by 5 (once, no later than then) |
Here is the minimal pair side by side:
ヤッタンは5時まで待ちます。
ヤッタンは ごじまで まちます。
Yattan waits until 5.
まで: the waiting continues the whole time, right up to 5.
ヤッタンは5時までに来ます。
ヤッタンは ごじまでに きます。
Yattan comes by 5.
までに: he arrives once, at some point before 5.
A quick test: if the verb is continuous (wait, sleep, stay open, work), use まで. If it's a one-time, completed action (come, finish, hand in, decide), use までに. You can read more about plain まで in the 〜まで guide, and about its partner 〜から ("from / since") for marking a starting point.
Common mistakes
- Using までに for a continuous action. "Wait until 5" is 5時まで待つ, not までに — waiting fills the whole time, so it needs まで.
- Using まで for a deadline. "Hand it in by Friday" is 金曜日までに出す. Plain まで here would wrongly mean "keep handing it in until Friday."
- Conjugating the verb before までに. Always use the dictionary form: 出るまでに (✓), not 出たまでに or 出ますまでに.
- Dropping the に. までに and まで are different words. Leaving off に flips the meaning from "by" to "until."
Quick recap
- 〜までに = a deadline: finish a one-time action by that point.
- Attach to a time, a noun, or a verb's dictionary form.
- まで (no に) = "until," for a continuous action up to a point.
- Test: one-time action → までに; lasting action → まで.
Your turn
Choose まで or までに for each sentence.
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between まで and までに?
まで means 'until' — a continuous action that lasts up to a point (5時まで待つ = wait until 5). までに means 'by' — a one-time action finished before a deadline (5時までに来る = come by 5).
What verb form goes before までに?
The dictionary (plain non-past) form, even for past events: 家を出るまでに ('by the time I leave home'). Never use the た-form or ます-form before までに.
Can I use までに with a noun?
Yes. Attach it to a time or an event noun: 試験までに勉強する ('study by the exam'), 月曜日までに ('by Monday').
How do I decide which one to use?
Ask whether the action is continuous or one-time. Continuous (wait, sleep, stay) takes まで; a single completed action (come, finish, submit) takes までに.