JLPT N3・N5 Grammar – The difference between “〜まで” and “〜にかけて”

Table of Contents

1. Difference between “〜まで” and “〜にかけて”
2. AからBまで
3. AからBにかけて
4. Let’s Compare
5. Summary
6. Quiz
7. Similar Articles
8. Comments

Q: Is there a difference in meaning between “〜まで” and “〜にかけて”?

A: “AからBまで” and “AからBにかけて” both express a range of place or time.
However, there is a difference in how they are used and in their nuance.
Simply put, “〜まで” is used when the starting point and ending point are clear.
On the other hand, “〜にかけて” is used when something spreads or continues across that range.
Let’s look at each one.

AからBまで (JLPT N5)

[Meaning]
It expresses a range, with A as the starting point and B as the ending point

[Rules]　　
[Words indicating time] from time1 to time2
[Words indicating place] from place1 to place2
[Words indicating people or things] from person1 to person2

[Examples]　
今週こんしゅうの月曜げつよう日びから来週らいしゅうの火曜かよう日びまで、この道みちは使つかえません。
This road will be closed from this Monday to next Tuesday.

A駅えきからB駅えきまでどのくらいかかりますか。
How long does it take from Station A to Station B?

この壁かべからあの壁かべまで何なんメートルかな。
How many meters is it from this wall to that wall?

店みせは午前ごぜん10時じから午後ごご8時じまで開あいています。
The store is open from 10 AM to 8 PM.

AからBにかけて (JLPT N3)

[Meaning]
It expresses a range, with A as the starting point and B as the ending point

[Rules]　
[Words indicating time] from time1 to time2
[Words indicating place] from place1 to place2

[Examples]　
6月がつ中旬ちゅうじゅんから6月末がつまつにかけて雨あめが降ふるそうです。

It is expected to rain from mid-June through the end of June.

明日あしたは北海道ほっかいどうから関東かんとうにかけていい天気てんきのようです。
Tomorrow, it seems like the weather will be nice from Hokkaido to Kanto.

音楽おんがく祭さいは来週らいしゅうから来月らいげつにかけて開催かいさいされます。
The music festival will be held from next week to the following month.

首くびから肩かたにかけて痛いたみがあります。
I have pain from my neck to my shoulders.

Let’s Compare

“AからBまで” has a clear starting point and ending point.

“〜まで” is used when the beginning and end are clear.

[Examples]　
東京とうきょう駅えきから大阪おおさか駅えきまで新しん幹線かんせんで1万まん5千せん円えんぐらいかかります。
It costs about 15,000 yen to take the Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Osaka Station.
⇒ Tokyo Station and Osaka Station are clearly defined places, so “まで” is used.

学校がっこうは月曜げつよう日びから金曜きんよう日びまであります。

School is from Monday to Friday.
⇒ The period from Monday to Friday is clear, so “まで” is used.

“〜にかけて” gives the image of something spreading across the whole range

Rather than clearly dividing the range from the starting point to the ending point like a single line, “〜にかけて” gives the image of something spreading or continuing across that area or period.
For this reason, it is often used for weather, natural phenomena, physical pain, events, and descriptions of wide areas.

[Examples]　
この祭まつりは7月がつの終おわりから8月がつの始はじまりにかけて行おこなわれます。

This festival takes place from the end of July to the beginning of August.
⇒ It means that the festival takes place from around the end of July to around the beginning of August.

雪ゆきは12月がつから2月がつにかけてよく降ふります。

It often snows from December through February.
⇒ It means that it often snows during the period from around December to February.

Cases where “〜にかけて” is difficult to use

“〜にかけて” is used when describing a phenomenon that spreads across a wide range, or something that continues over a certain period.
Therefore, when simply stating the start and end of a personal schedule or habit, “〜まで” is usually used.

[Examples]　
〇 いつも12時じから7時じぐらいまで寝ねます。
× いつも12時じから7時じにかけて寝ねます。
I always sleep from around 12 to 7.
⇒ This sentence simply states the beginning and end of the time you sleep, so “まで” is natural.

〇 この線せんからあの線せんまで走はしりましょう。


× この線せんからあの線せんにかけて走はしりましょう。

Let’s run from this line to that line.
⇒ The starting point and goal are clear, so “まで” is used.

Summary

[AからBまで]

• “〜まで” expresses a range with a clear starting point and ending point.
• It clearly shows “from here to here.”
• It can be used for time, place, people, and things.
• It is also easy to use for personal schedules and habits.

[AからBにかけて]

• “〜にかけて” expresses something spreading across a wide range from A to around B.
• It is used when the ending point is not clearly fixed as “up to here.”
• It has the nuance that a phenomenon, state, activity, or something similar continues across that range.
• It is often used in weather forecasts, news, natural phenomena, events, and descriptions of wide areas.
• It is used for time and place.
• It is difficult to use for personal schedules and habits.

Quiz

Read the following sentence and choose the expression that fits the context from the options provided in the parentheses.

Click on the question to check the answer.

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