A base-catalyzed/promoted transition-metal-free direct alkylation of amines with alcohols has been developed, giving the desired amines in generally high yields from either aromatic or aliphatic alcohols. On the basis of the (1)H NMR and in situ IR (React-IR) monitoring experiments, isotope-labeling experiments, as well as control experiments, a novel "hemiaminal" model is proposed to understand the mechanism, which explains the formation of the "extra" aldehyde in the reaction.