日本語のおしゃべり

Japanese Language
「Particles」

「Bakari・ばかり」
「Part 2」

「３」Emphasizes the singularity of the immediately preceding word: "only, nothing but."
NOTE: (1) With the position of bakari in the sentence affecting the meaning, several versions of one sentence have been given, to express this difference. With loose usage, however, bakari can tend to shift from the word it intends to modify, leaving the meaning to be gathered from context. (2) In this usage, bakari can contain a degree of disapproval, which dake does not.

Examples:
課長はこの頃ウイスキーばかり飲んでいますね。
Kachō wa konogoro uisukī bakari nonde imasu ne.
The section chief is drinking nothing but whiskey these days.

課長はこの頃ウイスキーを飲んでばかりいますね。
Kachō wa konogoro uisukī o bakari nonde imasu ne.
The section chief is doing nothing but drink whiskey these days.

課長はこの頃ウイスキーを飲んでいるばかりですね。
Kachō wa konogoro uisukī o nonde iru bakari desu ne.
All the section chief does these days is drink whiskey.

テレビばかり見ていると目を悪くしますよ。
Terebi bakari mite iru to me o waruku shimasu yo.
If all you do is watch TV, you'll ruin your eyes.
「If you watch TV all the time, you'll ruin your eyes.」

NOTE: Here, terebi o mite iru bakari da to me o waruku shimasu yo is also possible (and grammatically, more acceptable), but the above example is more common, and shares the same meaning.

「４」Used after the -ta form of verbs: "just."
NOTE: If using tokoro, rather than bakari, the meaning is similar, but bakari shows more emphasis.

Examples:
父は今帰ってきたばかりです。
Chichi wa ima kaette kita bakari desu.
My father just now came home.
「My father just got home.」
 
順ちゃんは、ご飯を食べたばかりなのに、もうおやつを欲しがっています。
Jun-chan wa, gohan o tabeta bakari na no ni, mō oyatsu hoshigatte imasu.
Even though Jun has just eaten a meal, he already wants a snack.
「Even though Jun has just finished eating, he already wants a snack.」

「５」Emphasizes a reason or cause in the phrase bakari ni : "(just, merely) because, for the simple reason."

Examples:
渡辺さんはステレオを買いたいばかりに、一生懸命にアルバイトをしている。
Watanabe-san wa sutereo o kaitai bakari ni, isshō-kenmei ni arubaito o shite iru.
Watanabe is working like a dog at his part-time job for the simple reason that he wants to buy a stereo.
「Watanabe wants to buy a stereo so badly that he is working for all he's worth at his part time job.」

山田さんは政治家と結婚したばかりに、苦労している。
Yamada-san wa seijika to kekkon shita bakari ni, kurō shite iru.
Simply because Yamada married a politician, she is having a hard time. 
「Just because she married a politician, Yamada is finding the going tough.」

Hope this helps, and see you next time for the particle dake!

じゃまたね！
°˖ ✧◝(○ ヮ ○)◜✧˖ °　こゆうきあいはら　°˖ ✧◝(○ ヮ ○)◜✧˖ °