JLPT N3 Shinkanzen Grammar Lesson 18: Perspective and Subject Relations

Perspective and Subject Relations

JLPT N3
Shinkanzen N3 • 5 key grammar patterns
Point 1L18_G1

1. ～ばかり (Only, nothing but, always...)

Sentence Pattern
Vる / Vている + ばかり
N + ばかり

Always doing ~, and nothing else. Often used to talk about things that the speaker considers bad or negative.

Example Sentences (5)
あの子こは甘あまいものばかり食たべる。
That child eats nothing but sweet things.
息子むすこは毎日まいにち遊あそんでばかりで勉強べんきょうをしない。
My son just plays every day and doesn't study at all.
弟おとうとは毎日まいにちあきずにカップラーメンばかり食たべている。
My little brother eats cup ramen every day without getting tired of it.
寮りょうでは同おなじ国くにの人ひととばかり話はなさないで、いろいろな国くにの人ひとと会話かいわしたほうがいい。
In the dorm, it's better not to talk only with people from your own country, but to converse with people from various countries.
夫おっとは新聞しんぶんを読よんでばかりで家事かじを全然ぜんぜん手伝てつだってくれない。
My husband just reads the newspaper all the time and doesn't help with the housework at all.
Point 2L18_G2

2. ～てばかりいる (Doing nothing but... / Always doing...)

Sentence Pattern
Vて + ばかりいる

Used when the speaker wants to criticize or express annoyance that an action is repeatedly done, or someone is constantly in that state ("Doing nothing else but ~").
*Cannot be replaced with だけ (only) or のみ (only).

Example Sentences (4)
試験しけんが近ちかいのに弟おとうとは遊あそんでばかりいる。
Even though the exam is coming up soon, my little brother does nothing but play.
木村きむらさんはいつもしゃべってばかりいる。
Ms. Kimura is always doing nothing but chatting.
二十歳はたちのころは遊あそんでばかりいた。
When I was around twenty, I did nothing but play around.
私わたしは子供こどもの頃ころ、いつもテレビを見みてばかりいた。
When I was a child, I was always just watching TV.
Point 3L18_G3

3. ～ばかりでなく (Not only... but also...)

Sentence Pattern
N + ばかりでなく...(も)
Vる / Vた / Vない + ばかりでなく...(も)

Used in the pattern "X ばかりでなく Y も" to express "Not only X, of course, but also Y".
* Besides the particle も, you can also use 「まで, さえ」 in the latter clause. In spoken language, 「だけじゃなくて」 is more commonly used.

Example Sentences (3)
彼女かのじょは歌うたばかりでなくダンスも上手じょうずです。
She is good not only at singing but also at dancing.
ベトナム人じんばかりでなく、世界中せかいじゅうの人ひとがエネルギー問題もんだいに関心かんしんを持もっている。
Not only Vietnamese people, but people all over the world are interested in energy issues.
田中たなかさんは全すべての問題もんだいを理解りかいしたばかりでなく記憶きおくもした。
Mr. Tanaka not only understood all the problems but also memorized them.
Point 4L18_G4

4. ～ばかりだ (Keep doing... / Just waiting to...)

Sentence Pattern
Vる + ばかりだ

This pattern has 2 completely different meanings depending on the accompanying verb and context.

⭐ Meaning 1: Keep doing... (Negative trend)

Expresses a change that only follows a bad (negative) trend. Can be replaced with 「...する一方いっぽうだ」. The preceding verb is usually a verb of change like 弱くなる (get weaker), 悪くなる (get worse), 減る (decrease)...

⭐ Meaning 2: Just waiting to... (Ready)

Expresses the meaning that "Everything is prepared, and it is in a state where the next action can be taken at any time."

Example Sentences (6)
彼かれは体からだが弱よわって行いくばかりだ。
His body just keeps getting weaker and weaker.
戦争せんそうのために、国民こくみんの生活せいかつはますます苦くるしくなるばかりだ。
Because of the war, the lives of the citizens just keep getting harder.
最近さいきん、祖父そふは気きが弱よわくなるばかりで心配しんぱいです。
Lately, my grandfather has been losing his vigor more and more, and I'm worried.
手続てつづきも全部完了ぜんぶかんりょうして、出発しゅっぱつするばかりだ。
All procedures have been completed, and we are just waiting to depart.
部屋へやも片付かたづいた。後あとは、友達ともだちが来くるのを待まつばかりだ。
The room is tidied up. Now, there is nothing left but to wait for my friends to come.
食事しょくじの準備じゅんびが終おわって、もう食たべるばかりになっている。
Meal preparation is finished, and it is completely ready just to be eaten.
Point 5L18_G5

5. ～たばかりだ (Have just...)

Sentence Pattern
Vた + ばかりだ

Expresses that an action or event has just happened or just finished relative to the time of speaking (even if the actual time passed varies, it could be a week, a month, or even a few years based on the speaker's perception).

Example Sentences (3)
大学だいがくを卒業そつぎょうしたばかりだ。
I have just graduated from university.
彼女かのじょはその会社かいしゃに入社にゅうしゃしたばかりなのに，もう別べつの仕事しごとを探さがしている。
Even though she just joined that company, she's already looking for another job.
買かったばかりのおもちゃがもう壊こわれてしまった。
The toy I just bought has already broken.
Previous Lesson (17)Back to lessons listNext Lesson (19)