～ばかり

How to form it

• Noun + ばかり
• Noun + ばかり + の/な...
• Number / amount + ばかり (approximately)

Register: Neutral; slightly critical when used for 'nothing but'

Explanation

Shows that most or all of something is one thing, or gives a rough amount after a number or amount.

With nouns it often suggests 'too much of one thing' and can sound like mild criticism. だけ is more neutral. After a number it means 'about' and is a little formal.

Examples

1. 彼は漫画ばかり読んでいる。

   かれはまんがばかりよんでいる。

   He reads nothing but comics.

2. 今日は野菜ばかり食べた。

   きょうはやさいばかりたべた。

   Today I ate nothing but vegetables.

3. あの店は、高いものばかり売っている。

   あのみせは、たかいものばかりうっている。

   That shop sells only expensive things.

4. 三十分ばかり待ってください。

   さんじゅっぷんばかりまってください。

   Please wait about thirty minutes.

Compare with

• ～だけ: だけ is neutral 'only'; ばかり hints at too much of it.
• ～たばかり: Verb た-form + ばかり means 'have just done', a different pattern.

Common mistakes

• Using ばかり in a plain, neutral statement of quantity where だけ is natural, such as 一つだけ (one only).
• Using ばかり where it sounds critical without meaning to. Both 漫画ばかり読む and 漫画ばかりを読む are grammatical.