The particle 까지 (kkaji) marks endpoints—indicating where or when something reaches, extends to, or includes up to a certain point. It translates to "until," "to," or "even" depending on context.
Form
까지 (kkaji) - invariable form (doesn't change)
Three Main Functions
1. Time Endpoint (Until)
Marks when something ends or continues until:
- 5시까지 일해요. (Daseot-si-kkaji ilhaeyo.) - Work until 5 o'clock.
- 내일까지 기다려요. (Naeil-kkaji gidaryeoyo.) - Wait until tomorrow.
- 금요일까지 숙제를 해요. (Geumyoil-kkaji sukje-reul haeyo.) - Do homework until Friday.
2. Place Endpoint (To)
Marks destination or extent in space:
- 학교까지 걸어요. (Hakgyo-kkaji georeoyo.) - Walk to school.
- 서울까지 가요. (Seoul-kkaji gayo.) - Go to Seoul.
- 여기까지 왔어요. (Yeogi-kkaji wasseoyo.) - Came up to here.
3. Extent/Inclusion (Even)
Marks the extreme limit of inclusion:
- 이것까지 다 먹었어요. (Igeos-kkaji da meogeosseoyo.) - Ate everything including even this.
- 아이까지 알아요. (Ai-kkaji arayo.) - Even children know.
Time Endpoint in Detail
Specific Times
Indicating deadline or duration:
- 3시까지 오세요. (Se-si-kkaji oseyo.) - Come by 3 o'clock.
- 6시까지 일해요. (Yeoseot-si-kkaji ilhaeyo.) - Work until 6.
- 정오까지 제출하세요. (Jeongo-kkaji jechulhaseyo.) - Submit by noon.
Days and Dates
Deadline by a specific day:
- 월요일까지 끝내요. (Woryoil-kkaji kkeunnaeyo.) - Finish by Monday.
- 오늘까지 해야 해요. (Oneul-kkaji haeya haeyo.) - Must do by today.
- 12월까지 기다려요. (Sibiwol-kkaji gidaryeoyo.) - Wait until December.
Duration Expressions
How long something continues:
- 지금까지 (jigeum-kkaji) - until now
- 언제까지 (eonje-kkaji) - until when
- 그때까지 (geuttae-kkaji) - until then
Examples:
- 지금까지 잘 지냈어요. (Have been well until now.)
- 언제까지 기다려야 해요? (Until when must I wait?)
Place Endpoint in Detail
Destination
Marking where you go to:
- 집까지 걸어요. (Jib-kkaji georeoyo.) - Walk to home.
- 역까지 데려다 줄게요. (Yeok-kkaji deryeoda julgeyo.) - I'll take you to the station.
- 공항까지 가요. (Gonghang-kkaji gayo.) - Go to the airport.
Extent in Space
How far something reaches:
- 여기까지만 왔어요. (Yeogi-kkaji-man wasseoyo.) - Came only up to here.
- 저기까지 보여요. (Jeogi-kkaji boyeoyo.) - Can see up to over there.
- 끝까지 읽었어요. (Kkeut-kkaji ilgeosseoyo.) - Read to the end.
부터 with 까지
The particles 부터 (from) and 까지 (to/until) naturally pair to show complete ranges:
[Start + 부터] + [End + 까지]
Time Ranges
- 9시부터 5시까지 (from 9 to 5)
- 월요일부터 금요일까지 (from Monday to Friday)
- 아침부터 저녁까지 (from morning to evening)
Examples:
- 9시부터 5시까지 일해요. (Work from 9 to 5.)
- 월요일부터 금요일까지 학교에 가요. (Go to school Monday through Friday.)
Place Ranges
- 집부터 학교까지 (from home to school)
- 서울부터 부산까지 (from Seoul to Busan)
- 여기부터 저기까지 (from here to there)
Examples:
- 집부터 학교까지 걸어요. (Walk from home to school.)
- 서울부터 부산까지 3시간 걸려요. (Takes 3 hours from Seoul to Busan.)
Extent and Inclusion
Extreme Inclusion
까지 can emphasize "even" or "including":
- 아이까지 알아요. (Even children know.)
- 이것까지 다 먹었어요. (Ate even this. / Ate everything including this.)
- 할머니까지 왔어요. (Even grandmother came.)
Nuance: Suggests surprising or comprehensive inclusion.
Complete Extent
Emphasizing thoroughness:
- 끝까지 봤어요. (Watched to the end.)
- 마지막까지 기다렸어요. (Waited until the very end.)
- 바닥까지 청소했어요. (Cleaned even to the floor.)
Common Patterns
Pattern 1: Time Deadline
[Time + 까지] + [Action]
- 내일까지 해요. (Do it by tomorrow.)
- 5시까지 끝내요. (Finish by 5.)
Pattern 2: Place Destination
[Place + 까지] + [Movement Verb]
- 학교까지 가요. (Go to school.)
- 집까지 걸어요. (Walk to home.)
Pattern 3: Time/Place Range
[Start + 부터] + [End + 까지]
- 9시부터 5시까지 (from 9 to 5)
- 집부터 학교까지 (from home to school)
Pattern 4: Extent Emphasis
[Item + 까지] + [Verb]
- 이것까지 먹었어요. (Ate even this.)
- 끝까지 읽었어요. (Read to the end.)
까지 vs 에
Both can indicate destination, but with nuances:
까지 (emphatic endpoint)
Emphasizes reaching the destination:
- 학교까지 걸어요. (Walk all the way to school.)
- Implies: "as far as school"
에 (neutral destination)
Neutral destination marker:
- 학교에 가요. (Go to school.)
- Simple statement of destination
Often interchangeable, but 까지 adds emphasis on the endpoint.
Special Uses
까지도 (even)
Combining 까지 + 도 for strong emphasis:
- 이것까지도 몰라요? (Don't even know this?)
- 친구까지도 안 왔어요. (Even friend didn't come.)
까지만 (only up to)
Combining 까지 + 만:
- 여기까지만 가요. (Go only up to here.)
- 3시까지만 기다려요. (Wait only until 3.)
Questions with 까지
언제까지 (eonje-kkaji)
"Until when?" / "By when?":
- 언제까지 기다려야 해요? (Until when must I wait?)
- 언제까지 제출해야 해요? (By when must I submit?)
어디까지 (eodi-kkaji)
"How far?" / "Up to where?":
- 어디까지 갔어요? (How far did you go?)
- 어디까지 알아요? (How much do you know? / Up to what point?)
Common Time Expressions
지금까지 (jigeum-kkaji) - until now / so far
- 지금까지 잘 지냈어요. (Have been well until now.)
오늘까지 (oneul-kkaji) - by today / until today
- 오늘까지 해야 해요. (Must do by today.)
내일까지 (naeil-kkaji) - by tomorrow
- 내일까지 제출하세요. (Submit by tomorrow.)
끝까지 (kkeut-kkaji) - to the end / until the end
- 끝까지 봤어요. (Watched to the end.)
언제까지나 (eonje-kkaji-na) - forever / indefinitely
- 언제까지나 기다릴게요. (I'll wait forever.)
Idiomatic Expressions
여기까지 (yeogi-kkaji)
Can mean "that's all" or "let's stop here":
- 오늘은 여기까지 하겠습니다. (That's all for today. / Let's stop here today.)
이 정도까지 (i jeongdo-kkaji)
"To this extent":
- 이 정도까지 할 줄 몰랐어요. (Didn't know it would go to this extent.)
그 정도까지 (geu jeongdo-kkaji)
"To that extent":
- 그 정도까지 비쌀 줄 몰랐어요. (Didn't know it would be that expensive.)
Duration with 까지
Ongoing Until Point
- 내년까지 공부해요. (Study until next year.)
- 졸업할 때까지 일해요. (Work until graduation.)
Deadline Emphasis
- 금요일까지 끝내야 해요. (Must finish by Friday.)
- 오늘까지 제출하세요. (Submit by today.)
Position in Sentence
까지 typically appears mid-sentence marking the endpoint:
Time endpoint:
- 5시까지 일해요. (Work until 5.)
Place endpoint:
- 학교까지 걸어요. (Walk to school.)
Can be emphasized:
- 끝까지! 포기하지 마세요. (Until the end! Don't give up.)
Multiple 까지 in Sentence
Can use multiple times for different endpoints:
- 월요일까지 학교까지 가야 해요.
- (Must go to school by Monday.)
- 월요일까지 = time endpoint
- 학교까지 = place endpoint
Comparison with Similar Particles
| Particle | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 까지 | Endpoint (until/to) | 5시까지 (until 5) |
| 부터 | Starting point (from) | 9시부터 (from 9) |
| 에 | Destination (to - neutral) | 학교에 (to school) |
| 만 | Only (limitation) | 오늘만 (only today) |
Summary Table
| Usage | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Time endpoint | 5시까지 | until 5 o'clock |
| Place endpoint | 학교까지 | to school |
| Time range | 9시부터 5시까지 | from 9 to 5 |
| Place range | 집부터 학교까지 | from home to school |
| Extent | 끝까지 | to the end |
| Inclusion | 아이까지 | even children |
Key Points
- ✅ Form: 까지 (invariable)
- ✅ Three functions: Time endpoint, place endpoint, extent/inclusion
- ✅ Often paired: With 부터 for complete ranges
- ✅ Translations: Until, to, by, even
- ✅ Time deadline: 5시까지 (by 5 o'clock)
- ✅ Place destination: 학교까지 (to school)
- ✅ Emphasis: Can mean "even" for surprising inclusion
- ✅ Common expressions: 지금까지, 언제까지, 끝까지
Understanding 까지 is essential for expressing endpoints, deadlines, and destinations in Korean. It's one of the most frequently used particles for marking limits and extents.