Noun ばかり
〜bakari
JLPT N4 Casual
Formation
Noun + ばかり, Verb-casual + ばかり, い-Adjective + ばかり, な-Adjective + だ ばかり
Expresses 'only', 'nothing but', 'always', or 'just'.
When to use
Often implies excess or repetition - "always doing X/nothing but X" - can sound like a complaint. (Near-duplicate of n3-087 - same word, taught at both N3 and N4.)
Explanation
The ばかり grammar point is used to express that something is only, nothing but, just, or always. It can be attached to nouns, verbs, or adjectives, and has various meanings based on the context.
Example sentences
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He talks about nothing but money.
Kare wa okane no hanashi bakari suru.
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She is always studying.
Kanojo wa benkyou bakari shiteiru.
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There are only expensive items in the department store.
Depaato ni wa takai shouhin bakari da.
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This room is nothing but small.
Kono heya wa semai bakari da.
Exclusivity (Only / Nothing But)
- Noun だけ〜〜dakeN5Indicates 'only', 'just', or 'merely'.
- Noun しか~ないNoun shika~naiN4Expresses 'only', 'nothing but', or 'no other'.
- ~だけしか~dake shikaN3Emphasizes the scarcity or insufficiency of something…
- ~に過ぎない〜ni suginaiN2Expresses that something is 'just' or 'nothing more than'…
- ~に限り〜ni kagiriN2Expresses limitation; 'only', 'limited to', 'exclusive to'.
- ~にほかならない〜ni hoka naranaiN2Express that something is 'nothing but' or 'none other…
- ~しかない〜shika naiN3Express the idea of 'only', 'no other option but'…
- ~ばかりだ〜bakari daN2Express a continuing state or negative tendency; 'just'…
- Noun を おいて他に Verb ない〜wo oite hoka ni〜naiN1Means 'apart from ~ there's nothing else,' implying the…
- ~のは Noun ぐらいのものだ〜no wa Noun gurai no mono daN1Conveys that 'only (Noun) is the case' or 'nothing but…
Corpus examples (60)
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I haven't seen him for about three years.
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He gave me not only advice but also money.
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Until several years ago, I thought about nothing but work all day and night.
カールはお金のことばかり。
Carl, you're obsessed with money.
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She spends all her time thinking about boys.
お腹が空いていたばかりでなく、私達は喉の渇きにも苦しんでいた。
Not only were we hungry, but we were also suffering from thirst.
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If you drink too many cold beverages you'll get an upset stomach.
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I have just returned from Britain.
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It's annoying to always read bad news in the newspaper.
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He nodded as much as to say, I agree.
忙しい、忙しいって言うばかりで、この頃全然会ってくれないの。
"I'm busy, I'm busy" is all he ever says, so I never get to see him at all.
トムからのメッセージを受け取ったばかりだよ。
I've just received a text from Tom.
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He has not less than 100 dollars.
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Not only they but also I was scolded by the teacher.
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He has just bought a used car.
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This book is not only more instructive but more interesting than that book.
うちのバカ息子ときたら、大学を卒業しても就職しないでパチンコばかりしている。
You know what my idiot son's doing? Even now he's graduated from university he spends all his time playing pachinko instead of getting a job.
ジョニーはほんの数ヶ月前にスペインへ引っ越してきたばかりで、スペイン語を話すことにまだ慣れていません。
Johnny moved to Spain just a few months ago, so he isn't used to speaking Spanish as yet.
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The news was all about the collapse of the Soviet Union.
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He can speak not only English but also German.
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When I had only just entered my 20's, my father was admitted to hospital due to a stroke.
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Business keeps going from bad to worse.
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She went nearly mad with grief after the child died.
俺がまだ新米だった頃は雑用ばかりで、まともな仕事なんかやらせてもらえなかったよ。
When I was still a newcomer, I did only odd jobs and wasn't given any serious work.
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He does nothing but complain from morning till night.