Japanese から marks where or when a range starts, and まで marks where or when it ends. You can use them together, or use only one when the other boundary is already clear. The word order is different from English, so it is more reliable to learn the Japanese pattern than to translate “from” and “to” one word at a time.
The Core Pattern: AからBまで
The same pattern works for time and place. In both cases, A is the starting point and B is the ending point.
| Use | Pattern | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | starting time＋から＋ending time＋まで | 九時から五時まで働きます。 | I work from nine to five. |
| Place | starting place＋から＋ending place＋まで | 家から駅まで歩きます。 | I walk from home to the station. |
Japanese does not need a separate word between the range and the action. Keep the full range together, then place the verb near the end.
Using から and まで with Time
For a schedule, put から after the starting time and まで after the ending time. A topic such as work, class, or business hours can come before the range.
仕事は九時から五時までです。
Work is from nine to five.
図書館は午前九時から午後六時まで開いています。
The library is open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
月曜日から金曜日まで日本語を勉強します。
I study Japanese Monday through Friday.
When から and まで follow days of the week, English often uses “from Monday to Friday” or simply “Monday through Friday.” The Japanese pattern stays the same.
Using から and まで with Place
With places, から marks the origin and まで marks the destination or farthest point in the range. The verb tells us how the person or object moves.
東京から大阪まで新幹線で行きます。
I take the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Osaka.
家から学校まで自転車で行きます。
I ride my bike from home to school.
ここから駅まで十分です。
It is ten minutes from here to the station.
The transportation particle で has a different job: it marks the means of travel in 新幹線で and 自転車で. It does not replace から or まで. Review this distinction in Japanese Particles を, に, and で.
Using Only から or Only まで
You do not need both particles in every sentence. Use only から when the starting point matters, and only まで when the ending point matters.
| Focus | Example | Natural translation |
|---|---|---|
| Starting time | 授業は十時からです。 | Class starts at ten. |
| Ending time | 三時まで勉強します。 | I will study until three. |
| Starting place | 日本から来ました。 | I came from Japan. |
| Ending place | この電車は京都まで行きます。 | This train goes as far as Kyoto. |
Asking About a Time or Place Range
Replace an unknown time with 何時 and an unknown place with どこ. Keep the question word in the same position as the missing answer.
仕事は何時から何時までですか。
What are your work hours?
どこから来ましたか。
Where did you come from?
この電車はどこまで行きますか。
How far does this train go?
散歩はどこからどこまでですか。
Where does the walk start and end?
Endpoint まで and Deadline までに
This lesson uses まで for the endpoint of a time or place range. A deadline usually requires までに. Compare the two forms without treating them as interchangeable.
三時まで勉強します。
I will keep studying until three. The activity continues to the endpoint.
三時までにレポートを出します。
I will submit the report by three. The action must be completed before the deadline.
Common Mistakes
| Incorrect or unclear | Better Japanese | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 九時まで五時から働きます。 | 九時から五時まで働きます。 | The starting point comes before the ending point. |
| 東京まで大阪から行きます。 | 東京から大阪まで行きます。 | Use から after the origin and まで after the destination. |
| 金曜日までレポートを出します。 | 金曜日までにレポートを出します。 | Submitting is completed by a deadline, so use までに. |
Practice: 8 Questions
- Fill in the particles: 仕事は九時（ ）五時（ ）です。
- Translate into Japanese: “I study from seven to nine.”
- Translate into Japanese: “I walk from home to the station.”
- Complete the sentence using only から: “Class starts at ten.”
- Complete the sentence using only まで: “This train goes as far as Kyoto.”
- Ask in Japanese: “What are the library’s hours?” Use 何時から何時まで.
- Correct the word order: 九時まで五時から働きます。
- Choose まで or までに: 金曜日（ ）レポートを出します。
Answers and Reasons
- から / まで: 仕事は九時から五時までです。 Nine is the start and five is the end.
- 七時から九時まで勉強します。 The full time range comes before the verb.
- 家から駅まで歩きます。 Home is the origin and the station is the endpoint.
- 授業は十時からです。 Only the starting time is being stated.
- この電車は京都まで行きます。 Only the destination is being stated.
- 図書館は何時から何時までですか。 The two question words ask for both boundaries.
- 九時から五時まで働きます。 Put the starting point before the ending point.
- までに: 金曜日までにレポートを出します。 The report must be submitted by a deadline; the action does not continue until Friday.
Summary
Use から after a starting time or place and まで after an ending time or place. Use both in AからBまで, or use either particle alone when only one boundary matters. Keep the range together and place the verb after it. For more time vocabulary, continue with Japanese Time Expressions.
Continue with the Japanese textbook plan
Use the free lesson first. When you want to connect grammar, vocabulary, conversation, and JLPT practice in order, check the textbook plans for English-speaking learners.
View Japanese textbook plans Textbook sales are in preparation.