1.
until now, so far, up to this point
Refers to the entire period from some past time up to the present moment. Used to describe what has been the case or what has happened during that time.
今まで何をしていたの？
What have you been doing until now?
今までこんな美味しい料理を食べたことがない。
I've never eaten food this delicious before.
今までの経験を活かして、新しい仕事に挑戦したい。
I want to put my experience up to now to use and take on a new job.
今まで refers to the entire period from some point in the past up to the present. It often appears in sentences about cumulative experience or ongoing states.
GRAMMAR:
Can function as an adverb (今まで待っていた — I've been waiting until now) or as a noun modifier with の (今までの経験 — experience up to now).
COMMON PATTERNS:
- 今まで〜たことがない: have never ~ until now
- 今までの〜: ~ up to now, previous ~
- 今まで通り: as before, same as always
- 今までにない: unprecedented
SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS:
- これまで: until now (slightly more formal, often written)
- 今のところ: for now, so far (focuses on the current situation)
- 従来: up to now, conventional (formal/written)