Japatan
Formation
- N + ばかり
- Vて形 + ばかりいる
Explanation
ばかり means only this and nothing else. N + ばかり says there is too much of the same thing. Vて + ばかりいる means someone is always doing the same thing. Both often carry the speaker's dissatisfaction. だけ simply states a limit, but ばかり often sounds critical.
Examples
弟は肉ばかり食べて、野菜を食べません。
My little brother eats nothing but meat and won't eat vegetables.
最近は雨の日ばかりで、洗濯ができない。
It's been nothing but rainy days lately, so I can't do the laundry.
寝てばかりいないで、少しは手伝ってよ。
Stop just lying around and help a little.
旅行中、写真を撮ってばかりいたので、景色をあまり覚えていない。
I was busy taking photos the whole trip, so I don't remember the scenery well.
Notes
Vた + ばかり (just did) is a different pattern. Do not drop いる in Vて + ばかりいる.
Related grammar
Mini quiz
1うちの猫は一日中寝て（ ）います。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 3 ばかり
Our cat does nothing but sleep all day. Vて + ばかりいる means always doing. こそ, なんか and さえ do not make sense here.
2甘いもの（ ）食べていると、体に悪いですよ。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 1 ばかり
If you eat nothing but sweets, it's bad for your health. ばかり means only sweets. こそ, ほど and くらい do not make sense here.
3兄は休みの日に ＿＿ ＿＿ ＿★＿ ＿＿ 。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 2 ばかり
The order is 3-1-2-4: 兄は休みの日にずっと寝てばかりいます. My older brother does nothing but sleep on his days off. The pattern is Vて + ばかりいる, so ばかり comes right after 寝て and before います.
