JLPT N4EverydaySurprise

までeven

まで usually means "until" or "as far as". After someone or something you wouldn't expect, it means "even": things went that far.

野や菜さい嫌ぎらいの弟おとうとが、ピーマンまで食たべた。

My little brother, who hates vegetables, even ate the green peppers.

初しょ心しん者しゃだけでなく、プロの選せん手しゅまで同おなじミスをした。

Not only beginners but even professional players made the same mistake.

How to form it

Noun + まで

まで usually takes the place of が or を. に stays, in front of it: 社しゃ長ちょうにまで, "even to the president".

Before it: The last person or thing you'd expect: a professional, your best friend, the company president.
Often with: だけでなく, "not only", earlier in the sentence.
The feeling: Surprise, glad or not: a kindness you didn't expect, or one trouble too many.

Which まで?

まで (until, as far as)N5

After a place or a time it is usually the everyday まで: where a trip or a stretch of time stops. Nobody is surprised.

このバスは駅えきまで行いきます。

This bus goes as far as the station.

In use

彼かの女じょは資し料りょうだけでなく、発はっ表ぴょうの原げん稿こうまで用よう意いしてくれた。

She prepared not only the handouts for me but even the script for the presentation.

その小ちいさなミスは社しゃ長ちょうにまで報ほう告こくされた。

Even the company president was told about that small mistake.

今日きょうは寒さむいし、雨あめまで降ふってきた。

It's cold today, and now it has even started to rain.

It tops what is already there

Others did it, or other things happened, and this one is the surprise on top. も only adds one more.

弟おとうとはピーマンも食たべた。

My little brother ate the green peppers too.

One more thing he ate.

弟おとうとはピーマンまで食たべた。

My little brother even ate the green peppers.

The last thing you'd expect him to eat.

Close neighbours

さえN3

Also "even". With a negative it is "not even": the least you'd expect, and still no.

彼かれは緊きん張ちょうして、自じ分ぶんの名な前まえさえ言いえなかった。

He was so nervous that he couldn't even say his own name.

までにN4

With に after it, a deadline: "by". にまで is the other way around, and means "even to".

明日あしたの朝あさまでに返へん事じをします。

I will reply by tomorrow morning.

Check yourself

1In which sentence is まで "even"?

Choose an answer to see why.

2What does this tell you?

妹いもうとまで反はん対たいしました。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

あなたまでそんなことを言いうんですか。

Even you are saying that?

まさか親しん友ゆうまで反はん対たいするとは思おもわなかった。

I never thought even my best friend would be against it.

普ふ段だんは一人ひとりで何なんでもする彼かれが、今こん回かいは私わたしにまで助たすけを求もとめた。

He usually does everything on his own, but this time he even asked me for help.

ただの口こう論ろんだったのに、警けい察さつまで呼よぶ騒さわぎになった。

It started as just an argument, but it turned into such a scene that even the police were called.

のどが痛いたいし、熱ねつまで出でてきた。

My throat hurts, and now I've even got a fever.

Compared with similar forms

Ways to say "even"