Japanese grammar

What does ～ばかりだ mean? Japanese grammar N2

～ばかりだ means nothing but…; increasingly… (a one-way trend).

Quick facts
Level (estimated, JLPT framework)	N2
Structure	Vて + ばかりだ Vる + ばかりだ
Romaji	bakarida
Meaning	nothing but…; increasingly… (a one-way trend)

Forming it

Only ever	言って → 文句を言ってばかりだ
Increasingly	悪くなる → 悪くなるばかりだ

How to use it

Two meanings: (a) 「Vてばかりだ」 doing nothing but that one thing; (b) 「Vるばかりだ」 a situation increasingly heading in one direction.

Meaning (a): 「彼は文句を言ってばかりだ」 — carries a critical tone.
Meaning (b): 「病状は悪くなるばかりだ」 (the condition keeps getting worse) — the verb must indicate CHANGE, and the direction of change is only one way, mostly negative.
Only attaches to a verb. A catalog showing it attaching to an adjective or noun is wrong — 「面白くないばかりだ」 cannot be used.

Examples

弟(おとうと)は文句(もんく)を言(い)ってばかりで、何(なに)も手伝(てつだ)わない。
My brother does nothing but complain and never helps.
薬(くすり)を飲(の)んでいるのに、病状(びょうじょう)は悪(わる)くなるばかりだ。
Even though I take medicine, my condition only gets worse.

Keep in mind

Only attaches to a verb.
Meaning (b) needs a verb indicating change.

Common mistakes

Wrongこの映画(えいが)は退屈(たいくつ)ばかりだ。

This movie is nothing but boring.

Correctこの映画(えいが)は退屈(たいくつ)するばかりだ。

This pattern only attaches to a verb.
Wrong成績(せいせき)は上(あ)がるばかりで、うれしい。

My grades keep rising, I'm very happy.

Correct成績(せいせき)は上(あ)がる一方(いっぽう)で、うれしい。

Meaning (b) is almost only used for the negative direction; a positive direction sounds more natural with 「一方だ」.

Exam tips

「Vてばかりだ」 = only ever; 「Vるばかりだ」 = increasingly (usually negative).

Related patterns

All N2 grammar →