nothing but; only; just (did)

ばかり limits something to one thing or amount. After a noun it means nothing but (ゲームばかり); after a te-form it means do nothing but (遊んでばかり); after a past verb it means just did (来たばかり). Context sets which sense applies.

Examples

• 弟おとうとはゲームばかりしている。

  Otouto wa geemu bakari shite iru.

  My little brother does nothing but play games.

• 日本にっぽんに来きたばかりで、まだ慣なれていません。

  Nihon ni kita bakari de, mada narete imasen.

  I just came to Japan, so I'm not used to it yet.

Vocabulary in these examples

• 弟 younger brother
• する to do
• いる to exist (animate); to be
• 来る to come
• まだ still; not yet
• 慣れる to get used to

Related patterns · Degree and extent

• 〜ば〜ほど the more... the more...
• 〜ほど to the extent that; so... that
• 〜だけでなく not only... but also