から/まで (From / Until)起点・終点
から marks the starting point (in time, space, or reasoning) and まで marks the endpoint. Together, they frame ranges: 9時から5時まで (from 9 to 5). から also means "because" when attached to a clause, making it one of the most versatile particles.
から marks the starting point (in time, space, or reasoning) and まで marks the endpoint. Together, they frame ranges: 9時から5時まで (from 9 to 5). から also means "because" when attached to a clause, making it one of the most versatile particles.
から/まで for time ranges
The pair marks when something starts and ends: 9時から5時まで働く (work from 9 to 5), 月曜日から金曜日まで (Monday through Friday). They can appear independently: 3時から始まる (starts from 3), 5時まで待つ (wait until 5).
から/まで for spatial ranges
From one place to another: 東京から大阪まで新幹線で2時間半 (2.5 hours from Tokyo to Osaka by bullet train), 家から駅まで歩く (walk from home to the station).
から = source / origin
から marks where something comes from: 友達からメールが来た (got an email from a friend), 日本から来ました (I came from Japan), 窓から見える (can see from the window). This use overlaps with "starting point" — the origin is the starting point of the thing received or perceived.
から = because / since (reason)
Attached to a clause, から gives the reason: 雨だから行かない (I won't go because it’s raining), 暑いから窓を開けた (I opened the window because it’s hot). This から comes after the reason clause. Formal equivalent: ですから (therefore).
から vs ので
Both mean "because." から is more subjective and casual. ので is more objective and polite. For job interviews and formal writing, prefer ので. For casual conversation, から is natural. ので requires な after na-adjectives and nouns: 静かなので, 学生なので.
まで = limit / extent / even
Beyond endpoints, まで can express "even/to the point of": 先生まで笑った (even the teacher laughed), 泣くまで練習した (practiced until I cried — to the extent of crying). This emphasizes that something went further than expected.
Example sentences
朝9時から夕方6時まで働いています。
Asa kuji kara yuugata rokuji made hataraite imasu.
I work from 9 AM to 6 PM.
から...まで = time range
東京から京都まで新幹線で約2時間です。
Toukyou kara Kyouto made shinkansen de yaku nijikan desu.
It's about 2 hours from Tokyo to Kyoto by bullet train.
から...まで = spatial range
母から誕生日プレゼントをもらった。
Haha kara tanjoubi purezento o moratta.
I received a birthday present from my mother.
から = source/origin
疲れたから早く寝よう。
Tsukareta kara hayaku neyou.
I'm tired, so let's sleep early.
から = because/reason
子供から大人まで楽しめるイベントです。
Kodomo kara otona made tanoshimeru ibento desu.
It's an event enjoyable for everyone from children to adults.
から...まで = range (figurative)
Common mistakes
9時にから始まる (doubling time markers)
9時から始まる
から already marks the time. Adding に before から is redundant and incorrect for starting-point time expressions.
雨のから行かない (incorrect reason form)
雨だから行かない
Before から (reason), nouns need だ: 雨だから. Na-adjectives also need だ: 静かだから. I-adjectives attach directly: 暑いから.
友達までメールが来た (meaning "from a friend")
友達からメールが来た
まで = endpoint/until. から = source/origin. Confusing these reverses the meaning.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use から without まで?
Yes. They don't need to be paired. 3時から始まる (starts at 3 — no endpoint stated). 5時まで待つ (wait until 5 — no start stated). They're independent particles that happen to pair naturally for ranges.
What's the difference between から and ので for "because"?
から is subjective and casual: "I think this, so..." ので is objective and polite: "Due to this fact..." Use ので in formal situations (仕事, interviews, emails). Use から in casual conversation. Both are grammatically correct everywhere, but the nuance differs.
Can まで mean "even"?
Yes. 先生まで笑った (even the teacher laughed). 彼女まで知っていた (even she knew). This "even" まで emphasizes that the scope extended further than expected, similar to さえ.
Which particle marks the starting point?