N2 Intention and Determination

~までして/~てまで: meaning, usage and examples

~までして/~てまで means: going so far as to... / even...

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 借金しゃっきんまでして、家いえを買かった。

   I went so far as to borrow money to buy a house.

2. 嘘うそをついてまで、隠かくす必要ひつようはない。

   There's no need to go so far as to lie to hide it.

3. 体からだを壊こわしてまで働はたらく必要ひつようはないと思おもいます。

   I don't think you need to work so hard that you ruin your health.

4. 徹夜てつやまでして準備じゅんびしたのに、会議かいぎは延期えんきされた。

   I even stayed up all night preparing, but the meeting was postponed.

When to use it

Says that someone does something extreme, risky or unusual to reach a goal. For example, 借金しゃっきんまでして家いえを買かった means "they even took out a loan to buy a house." The pattern often comes with a judgment: either the goal is so important that it is worth it, or doing that much is going too far.

Nuance

Used in speech and writing. Often critical or surprised: 〜てまで〜する必要ひつようはない ("no need to go that far"). It can also express strong determination. The action before まで is something people would normally avoid.

Compare

てでも stresses the speaker's determination for something not yet done: 徹夜てつやしてでも終おわらせる. てまで often judges an action, sometimes after the fact: 徹夜てつやまでして終おわらせた. さえ simply means "even," without the idea of going to extremes.

Tip: Two common frames are 〜てまで〜したくない ("I don't want it that badly") and 〜てまで〜する必要ひつようはない ("no need to go that far"). Learn them as set phrases.