JLPT N4EverydayDeadlines

までにby; no later than

までに sets a deadline. Something gets done at that time or at any moment before it: "by Friday", "by the time you leave".

by a time

申もうし込こみ書しょを金きん曜よう日びまでに提てい出しゅつしてください。

Please submit the application form by Friday.

by the time something happens

試し験けんが始はじまるまでに席せきに着ついてください。

Please be in your seat by the time the exam begins.

By a time

Time + までに

A clock time, a day, a date: 五ご時じまでに, 金きん曜よう日びまでに, 来らい月げつまでに. To ask: いつまでに, 何なん時じまでに. What follows is something that gets done, such as 出だす, 返かえす, 来くる or 終おわる, not something that goes on.

By the time something happens

Verb (dictionary form) + までに

出でかけるまでに, "by the time I go out".

A deadline

That time is the limit, and earlier is fine. If a form is due 金きん曜よう日びまでに, Wednesday is on time. So is Friday: the day you name still counts.

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.

会かい議ぎは午ご後ご三さん時じまでに終おわります。

The meeting will end by 3 p.m.

彼かれは締しめ切きりまでに原げん稿こうを送おくりました。

He sent the manuscript by the deadline.

A

何なん時じまでに戻もどればいいですか。

What time should I be back by?

B

二に時じまでにお願ねがいします。

By two, please.

までにお願ねがいします is how a deadline is given at work. English says "be back"; Japanese says 戻もどる, the coming back itself.

まで or までに?

まで is "until": something goes on up to that point. までに is "by": something gets done at some moment before it. The に is the one in 五ご時じに, which marks a point in time.

九く時じまで働はたらきます。

I will work until nine.

The work goes on, right up to nine.

九く時じまでにレポートを仕し上あげます。

I will finish the report by nine.

Finishing happens once, at nine or before.

に alone is "at" that time. 寝ねる is both "go to bed" and "sleep", so it can take all three.

十じゅう時じに寝ねます。

I go to bed at ten.

At ten.

十じゅう時じまでに寝ねます。

I go to bed by ten.

Ten at the latest.

十じゅう時じまで寝ねます。

I'll sleep until ten.

Asleep all the way to ten.

Not said: 金きん曜よう日びまでレポートを出だしてください。

(Please hand in the report by Friday.)

Handing it in gets done; it doesn't go on: 金きん曜よう日びまでに.

Not said: 五ご時じまでにここで待まちます。

(I'll wait here until five.)

Waiting goes on: 五ご時じまで.

By the time something happens

A verb before までに stays in its dictionary form, even when the sentence is about the past. English often says "before".

出でかけるまでに、洗せん濯たくを終おえました。

I finished the laundry before leaving.

卒そつ業ぎょうするまでに一いち度ど北ほっ海かい道どうへ行いきたいです。

I want to visit Hokkaido once before I graduate.

母ははが帰かえってくるまで、宿しゅく題だいをします。

I'll do my homework until my mother gets home.

The homework goes on until then.

母ははが帰かえってくるまでに、宿しゅく題だいを終おわらせます。

I'll finish my homework by the time my mother gets home.

It gets finished at some moment before then.

Close neighbours

までN5

"Until" a time, and "as far as" a place.

店みせは夜よる九く時じまで営えい業ぎょうしています。

The store is open until 9 p.m.

前まえにN5

"Before": it only says which comes first. までに makes that moment a limit.

家いえを出でる前まえに、窓まどを閉しめます。

I close the windows before leaving home.

間あいだにN4

The same に: at some point within a stretch of time. までに names only where the time runs out.

夏なつ休やすみの間あいだに、自じ由ゆう研けん究きゅうを終おわらせた。

I finished my independent research project during summer vacation.

今日中きょうじゅうにN4

"By the end of" today, this week, this month.

今日中きょうじゅうに返へん事じを送おくります。

I will send a reply by the end of today.

Check yourself

1Which one fits?

作さく文ぶんは来らい週しゅうの月げつ曜よう日び（　　）出だしてください。

Choose an answer to see why.

2A library notice says this. Is the 8th all right?

本ほんは十とお日かまでに返かえしてください。

Choose an answer to see why.

3Which one fits?

昨日きのうは、お客きゃくさんが（　　）までに、部屋へやを片かた付づけました。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

までには

With は it is "by … at the latest", often to reassure someone.

八はち時じまでには帰かえります。

I'll be home by eight at the latest.

までです

When the sentence ends on the deadline, it is usually までです, without に.

申もうし込こみは今こん週しゅうの金きん曜よう日びまでです。

Applications close this Friday.

More sentences

来らい月げつ末まつまでに新あたらしい住じゅう所しょを知しらせます。

I'll let you know my new address by the end of next month.