Start with a question:
先月帰国した＿＿です。
A. だけ B. ばかり C. まで D. しか
The answer is B. ばかり. "I just returned to my country last month" -- ばかり after た-form means "just did something."
ばかり is one of the few adverbial particles in Japanese that can attach to three different positions and express three different meanings. Let's break them down.
Use 1: Noun + ばかり = Nothing But This
When ばかり follows a noun, it means "only this, nothing but this," with a nuance of complaint or exasperation:
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| この会社は阿呆ばかりです。 | This company is full of idiots. |
| 最近悪いニュースばかりだ。 | Lately it's nothing but bad news. |
| 彼女は甘いものばかり食べる。 | She eats nothing but sweets. |
Note the tone: ばかり usually implies "too much of this, it shouldn't be this way." For neutral "only," use だけ.
ばかり vs だけ
| ばかり | だけ | |
|---|---|---|
| Tone | Complaint: "nothing but" | Neutral: "only" |
| Example | 漫画ばかり読んでいる | 漫画だけ読んだ |
| Meaning | Reads nothing but manga (annoying) | Only read manga (stating a fact) |
Use 2: Verb て-form + ばかりいる = Always Doing
When ばかり follows a verb in て-form (usually with いる), it means "doing nothing but this, always doing this":
-
子供は漫画ばかり読んでいる。 → The kid does nothing but read manga.
-
父は毎晩テレビばかり見ている。 → My father watches nothing but TV every evening.
-
最近は仕事ばかりしている。 → Lately I've been doing nothing but work.
This use shares the same feeling as "noun + ばかり" -- too much of something. The difference is just the attachment point.
Use 3: Verb た-form + ばかり = Just Did
When ばかり follows a verb in た-form, it means "just completed this action, not much time has passed":
-
先月帰国したばかりです。 → I just returned to my country last month.
-
今食べたばかりなのに、もうお腹が空いた。 → I just ate, and I'm already hungry again.
-
日本に来たばかりで、まだ何もわからない。 → I just came to Japan; I still don't understand anything.
This use is completely different from the first two -- no complaint, just expressing recency.
Summary of All Three Uses
| Attachment | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun + ばかり | Nothing but, full of | 嘘ばかり言う (tells nothing but lies) |
| Verb て-form + ばかりいる | Always doing | 遊んでばかりいる (always playing) |
| Verb た-form + ばかり | Just finished | 来たばかり (just arrived) |
Self-Test
Q1. What does ばかり mean in 「彼は文句ばかり言っている」?
A. Just finished saying B. Does nothing but say C. Only said once
Show answer
B. Does nothing but say. Noun 「文句」+ ばかり means "nothing but complaints," with a tone of annoyance.
Q2. Rewrite using ばかり: 「さっき起きました。まだ眠いです。」
Show answer
起きたばかりで、まだ眠いです。 Verb た-form + ばかり means "just woke up."
Q3. What does 「遊んでばかりいないで、勉強しなさい」 mean?
Show answer
"Stop doing nothing but playing and go study!" Verb て-form + ばかりいる means "always doing something." ないで negates it before giving a command.
Summary
- Noun + ばかり = "nothing but" (complaint)
- Verb て-form + ばかりいる = "always doing" (complaint)
- Verb た-form + ばかり = "just did" (recency)
- The first two share the same tone (too much); the third is completely different (just completed)