Posted inN4 Grammar

Mastering までに (made ni): Your N4 Guide to Japanese Deadlines

Posted inN4 Grammar
Japanese Grammar Template
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

Indicates a time limit or deadline by which an action or state must be completed.

🎯 Primary Function

To specify the time by which an action must be finished or an event must occur.

📋 Grammar Structure

N (time/event) + までに V (plain form) + までに

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Commonly used in formal contexts like business emails, instructions, or official announcements.

😊 Informal Situations

Used in everyday conversations when setting informal deadlines for tasks or meetings.

✍️ Written Language

Frequently used in written instructions, schedules, and notifications.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Often used in spoken instructions and arrangements.

💡 Common Applications

Setting deadlines for tasks or assignments.
Specifies the time or day by which something needs to be finished or submitted.
Example: レポートは金曜日までに提出してください。 (Repōto wa kin’yōbi made ni teishutsu shite kudasai.) – Please submit the report by Friday.
Indicating arrival times or completion of travel.
Used to state the time by which one must arrive at a place.
Example: 会議が始まる時間までには、ここに着いてください。 (Kaigi ga hajimaru jikan made ni wa, koko ni tsuite kudasai.) – Please arrive here by the time the meeting starts.
Referring to a specific point in time in the past or future.
Can refer to a point in time by which something was done or will be done.
Example: 昨日までにその本を読み終わりました。 (Kinō made ni sono hon o yomiowarimashita.) – I finished reading that book by yesterday.
📊
Frequency
Very common, especially when discussing plans, schedules, and responsibilities.
🎚️
Difficulty
Relatively easy for N4 learners, but often confused with “まで” (made).
Example Sentences
明日の朝までに、メールを送ってください。
Please send the email by tomorrow morning.
10時までに駅に着かなければなりません。
I must arrive at the station by 10 o’clock.
来週の月曜日までに、この宿題を終わらせます。
I will finish this homework by next Monday.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Focus on Completion by a Deadline
までに emphasizes that an action or state should be completed or achieved by the specified time or event, but not necessarily continue until that time.
Example: 5時までに仕事が終わります。(Go-ji made ni shigoto ga owarimasu.) – The work will be finished by 5 o’clock (could be finished earlier).
Cannot be used with verbs indicating continuous action up to a point
までに is not used with verbs or states that continue until a point in time, such as 住む (sumu – to live), いる (iru – to be/exist), 待つ (matsu – to wait), 勉強する (benkyō suru – to study) in the sense of duration. For duration, use まで.
Example: ❌ 5時までに待ちます。(Incorrect usage for duration) -> ⭕ 5時まで待ちます。(Correct usage for duration – I will wait until 5 o’clock).

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Using まで instead of までに for a deadline.
✅ Use までに when you mean “by a certain time/deadline”.
まで indicates duration or reaching a point. までに indicates completion by a point. Example: 12時まで寝る (sleep until 12) vs. 12時までに起きる (wake up by 12).
❌ Using までに with verbs of continuous state/action.
✅ Use まで for actions/states that continue up to a point in time.
As mentioned, までに is for completion. まで is for duration. Example: ❌ 日本語を勉強する時間までに疲れた。(Incorrect) -> ⭕ 日本語を勉強する時間まで疲れていた。(Correct – I was tired until the time I studied Japanese).

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Neutral. The politeness depends on the verb and overall sentence structure it is used with.
Social Situations: Frequently used in work, school, and daily life to set expectations and ensure punctuality.
Regional Variations: Standard Japanese usage; no significant regional variations for this grammar point.

🔍 Subtle Differences

までに (made ni) vs. まで (made)
までに sets a deadline (completion by a point); まで indicates duration (until a point).
When to use: Use までに when you need to finish something by a specific time. Use まで when an action continues until a specific time or place.
undefined
undefined
When to use: undefined
undefined
undefined
When to use: undefined

📝 Conjugation Notes

– For nouns indicating time or events: Attach directly (e.g., 月曜日までに, 試験までに). – For verbs: Attach to the plain form (e.g., 終わるまでに, 終わったまでに, 終わらないまでに). The tense of the verb before までに sets the *condition* for the deadline (by the time [condition] is met/not met), not the tense of the action completed by the deadline itself. The main verb of the sentence dictates the time of completion.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Pronounced “ma-de-ni”. The “ni” particle is pronounced clearly.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of 「までに」 as “By this point, it must be done!”. Associate 「に」 with a specific point (like the “ni” particle often marking a specific time).

Practice Exercises
Choose the correct particle: 授業が始まる時間（　）教室に来てください。
まで
までに
から
に
Choose the correct sentence: ① 私は朝まで寝ます。② 私は朝までに起きます。
①は期限、②は継続
①は継続、②は期限
①も②も継続
①も②も期限
42 Views
Tags:
Leave a Comment

Comments

No comments yet. Why don’t you start the discussion?

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *