GRAMMAR
〜まで ③
even
to the extent of
Explanation
NOTE
〜まで means even or to the extent of — marking a surprising extreme the speaker did not expect.
親友まで私を疑った。
Even my best friend doubted me.
The speaker is shocked that the situation reached this extreme.
NOTE
This sense ③ is different from until (sense ①) and up to/range (sense ②) — it highlights an unexpected extent.
NOTE
With nouns, attach まで directly to mark a surprising person, thing, or condition (子供 → 子供まで).
STRUCTURE
N辞
まで明日の試験の準備で、朝まで起きていた。
Ashita no shiken no junbi de, asa made okite ita.
I stayed up until morning (to the extent of morning) preparing for tomorrow's exam.
冗談でも、そんなことまで言わないで。
Joudan demo, sonna koto made iwanaide.
Even if it's a joke, please don't go as far as saying things like that.
彼は家族まで忘れてしまった。
Kare wa kazoku made wasurete shimatta.
He even forgot his own family.
子供まで私を馬鹿にする。
Kodomo made watashi o baka ni suru.
Even children make fun of me.
家族まで私を信じてくれなかった。
Kazoku made watashi o shinjite kurenakatta.
Even my family didn't believe me.
先生まで間違えた。
Sensei made machigaeta.
Even the teacher got it wrong.
NOTE
With verbs, use the dictionary form + まで to express going so far as to do something extreme.
STRUCTURE
V辞
まで借金するまでして、車を買った。
Shakkin suru made shite, kuruma o katta.
He went so far as to borrow money to buy a car.
泣くまで怒られた。
Naku made okorareta.
I was scolded to the point of crying.
嘘をつくまでして、勝ちたいのか。
Uso o tsuku made shite, kachitai no ka.
Do you want to win so much that you'd even lie?
NOTE
With the te-form + までして, it expresses doing something extreme as a means to achieve something.
STRUCTURE
Vて
までして徹夜してまで勉強した。
Tetsuya shite made benkyou shita.
I even pulled an all-nighter to study.
友達に嘘をついてまで、遊びに行った。
Tomodachi ni uso o tsuite made, asobi ni itta.
He even lied to his friend to go out and play.
列に並んでまで、その店で食べたくない。
Retsu ni narande made, sono mise de tabetakunai.
I don't want to eat at that restaurant to the point of waiting in line.
Practice exercises
1
異常な暑さで、コンクリートまでひび割れた。
Due to the extreme heat, even the concrete cracked.
Answer
まで
2
この暑さは予想以上に厳しく、アスファルトまで溶けそうだ。
This heat is more than expected; even the asphalt seems to be melting.
Answer
まで
3
あまりに疲れて、床まで寝てしまった。
I was too tired, so I ended up sleeping even on the floor.
Answer
まで
4
その男は家を売ることまでして、車までなくなった。
That man went so far as to sell his house, and lost even his car.
Answer
まで
5
その会社は腐敗しきっていて、社長まで贈賄に関与していた。
That company was thoroughly corrupt; even the CEO was involved in bribery.
Answer
まで